Categories: Mexican
Ingredients
- 1 package large flour tortillas
- Cooking spray
- Salt
- 1 box elbow macaroni with ridges or cavatappi pasta
- 1 tbsp. olive oil
- 2 lbs. ground beef
- 1 medium onion, finely chopped
- 6 garlic cloves, finely chopped
- 4 jalapenos, finely chopped
- 3 tbsp. tomato paste
- 2 tbsp. chili powder
- 1 tbsp. ground coriander
- 1 tbsp. ground cumin
- 1 bottle of beer or 1 1/2 cups chicken stock
- 3 tbsp. butter
- 3 tbsp. all-purpose flour
- 2 1/2 cups milk
- 3 cups shredded sharp yellow cheddar cheese
- 14.5 oz. can chopped tomatoes with chiles, drained
- black pepper
- 2 (14 oz.) cans vegetarian spicy refried beans
- 5 to 6 plum tomatoes, seeded and diced
- 1 small red onion, finely chopped
- 1/4 cup fresh cilantro leaves, finely chopped
- 2 limes
- 2 ripe Hass avocados
- 1 cup sour cream
- Juice of 1 lemon
- Hot sauce
- 1/2 head of iceberg lettuce, shredded
- 1/2 cup chopped olives with pimientos
- 1 small bunch of scallions, chopped, whites and greens
Directions
-
eheat the oven to 400.
-
Slice the tortillas into 1-inch strips. Coat with cooking spray and scatter on a rimmed baking sheet. Bake until crisp and golden in color, about 10 minutes, then season with salt and reserve.
-
Bring a large pot of water to a boil over high heat. Salt the water, then add the pasta and cook to al dente. Drain well.
-
Place a large skillet over medium-high heat with the olive oil. Brown the meat, then add the onions, 4 of the chopped garlic cloves, and 2 of the chopped jalapenos, and cook until the onions are tender. Season the mixture with the tomato paste, chili powder, coriander, and cumin. Let the mixture cook a minute or two, then add the beer or stock and reduce the heat to a simmer.
-
While the meat is cooking, make the cheese sauce. In a sauce pot over medium heat, melt the butter. Add the flour and whisk for a minute, then add the milk. Cook until thickened enough to coat the back of a spoon, 3 to 4 minutes. Melt in 2 1/2 cups of the cheese, then fold in the tomatoes with chiles. Pour the sauce over the drained pasta, toss, and season with salt and pepper to taste.
-
In a medium skillet, heat the refried beans with a splash of water over medium heat.
-
To build the casserole, spread the beef mixture out in the bottom of a 9×13-inch casserole dish. Spread the refried beans in an even layer, then spoon on the mac ‘n’ cheese and sprinkle the reserved 1/2 cup cheese over the top. Pop the casserole into the oven and bake until golden brown, 15-20 minutes.
-
While the casserole is baking, make the salsa by combining the plum tomatoes, remaining jalapenos, red onion, and cilantro in a small bowl. Season the salsa with salt, the zest of 1 lime, and the juice of 2 limes.
-
For the guacamole sour cream, scoop the flesh of the avocados into the bowl of a food processor and add the sour cream, lemon juice, the remaining 2 garlic cloves, and hot sauce to taste. Process until creamy.
-
When the casserole comes out of the oven, top it with the crispy corn strips and shredded iceberg lettuce. Top the lettuce with the salsa, add dollops of guacamole sour cream, and finally, sprinkle with the chopped olives with pimientos and chopped scallions.