Recipe: Portuguese Pizza Nachos (using artichoke hearts)

PORTUGUESE PIZZA NACHOS

"Fast and fabulous - and with only five ingredients!"

1/4 cup coarsely chopped fresh cilantro
1/2 cup chopped marinated artichoke hearts
4 to 5 ounces corn tortilla chips
8 to 10 ounces shredded Mediterranean-spiced Sonoma Jack (about 3 cups)
6 to 8 ounces fully cooked linguica sausage, thinly sliced*

Preheat the oven to 475 degrees F, or preheat the broiler, with the rack positioned about 7 inches from the top of the oven or the heat source.

Combine the cilantro and artichoke hearts in a small bowl.

ASSEMBLE THE NACHOS:
Arrange the chips on a 12 X 18-inch baking sheet or oven proof platter. Sprinkle on the cheese, then top with the linguica.

Bake the nachos for 5 to 7 minutes, or broil, until the cheese is melted and bubbly.

Spoon the cilantro-artichoke mixture on the nachos before serving.

*You can substitute pepperoni for lingui a in this recipe, but it's not the same. Lingui a has a much more complex, robust flavor and is less salty. Andouille and Polish sausages are other alternatives. The Mediterranean-spiced Sonoma Jack cheese adds its own distinctive layer of flavor, but you can also use regular Monterey Jack, pepper Jack, or your other favorite cheese here.

Linguica, a Portuguese staple, is a mildly spicy smoked sausage made with pork shoulder, paprika, garlic, wine vinegar, and herbs. Look for it in supermarket meat sections, with a label that indicates "Fully Cooked." In California, I buy Silva brand. Slice it thin for a nacho topping, and use any leftover linguica for soups, stews, potatoes, or eggs. The name is a variation of lingua or "tongue," a reference to its long, slender shape (it does not contain tongue as an ingredient)."

Makes one 12x18-inch tray or equivalent
Source: Macho Nachos by Kate Heyhoe