Botanas (Detroit Nachos)
One of Detroit’s most celebrated dishes is the botana, created in 1975 by local restaurateur, James Galan. Botana simply means “appetizer” in Spanish. But the botana is a specific dish in the Motor City – a nacho-style platter of tortilla chips smothered in refried beans, chorizo, toppings, and melted cheese.
½ cup chorizo sausage (optional)
1 (16-ounce) can refried beans
½ cup water
restaurant-style tortilla chips
2 cups Muenster cheese, chopped (substitute Monterey Jack or Provolone)
1 tomato, diced
½ green bell pepper, diced
½ white onion, diced
½ cup sliced green olives
¼ cup sliced pickled jalapeños
1 avocado, diced
sour cream (for serving)
1. Preheat the oven to 350°F.
2. Brown the chorizo in a frying pan if. In the same pan, stir in the refried beans and water. Cook for a few minutes, then remove from the heat. Set aside.
3. Cover a large oven-safe platter with the tortilla chips. Top with the refried beans. Then cover with cheese.
4. Place the platter onto a large baking sheet and bake for 10 minutes or until the cheese melts.
5. Carefully remove the baking sheet from the oven. Sprinkle the rest of the fresh toppings over the hot chips. Serve hot with a side of sour cream.
