Campfire Skillet Nachos

Method

1. About 30 minutes before eating, light the campfire and let it burn down until the flames are low and the wood has turned to glowing coals. Set the grate 10 to 15 cm above the coals; the heat is right when you can hold your hand 10 cm above the grate for 4 to 5 seconds. Meanwhile make the pico de gallo: seed the tomatoes and cut them into 1 cm dice, chop the onion finely, and toss both with the cilantro, lime juice and salt.

   Add in this stepTomatoes 1White onion 40 gChopped cilantro (coriander leaves) 2 tbspLime ¼Salt (for the pico de gallo) 1 pinch

2. Heat a 25 cm cast-iron skillet on the grate over charcoal (medium heat) for 2 minutes, then add the oil and beef. Break the meat up with a spatula and cook for 6 min, until no pink remains and brown bits form on the bottom. Add the chili powder, cumin, garlic powder, oregano and salt and stir for 30 seconds until fragrant. Pour in the water and beans and simmer for 2 min, until the liquid has almost cooked away and the mixture looks juicy but not wet. Tip it onto a plate.

   Add in this stepCooking oil 1 tspGround beef 150 gChili powder 1 tspGround cumin ½ tspGarlic powder ½ tspDried oregano ¼ tspSalt (for the beef) 2 pinchWater 3 tbspCanned black beans, drained 120 g

   charcoal (medium heat)

3. Holding the handle with a glove, slide the skillet to the edge of the grate and wipe it once with paper towel held in tongs, leaving a thin film of fat. Spread half the chips in it, then scatter over half the beef and beans, half of both cheeses and half the jalapeños. Repeat once more, finishing with cheese on top so the chips do not scorch and everything melts together.

   Add in this stepThick corn tortilla chips 120 gMonterey Jack cheese, grated 100 gCheddar cheese, grated 60 gPickled jalapeño slices 2 tbsp

4. Cover the skillet tightly with foil and set it at the edge of the grate, over charcoal (medium heat) but out of direct flames, for 6 min. Turn the skillet halfway round midway so it heats evenly. It is ready when you lift a corner of the foil and all the cheese has melted and is bubbling at the edges. If you smell burning, move it further from the coals right away.

   charcoal (medium heat)

5. With gloves on, move the skillet onto a wooden board or a flat stone (it will melt a plastic table). Top with the pico de gallo, diced avocado and sour cream, cut the remaining lime into wedges, and let everyone eat straight from the skillet.

   Add in this stepRipe avocado 1Sour cream 3 tbspLime ¼