Improv Cooking Challenge: Steak and Potato Nachos

Welcome to the February 2018 version of Improv Cooking Challenge. This group is headed up by Nichole of Cookaholic Wife.

The idea behind Improv Cooking Challenge: we are assigned two ingredients and are challenged to create a recipe with those two things.

This month's items: steak and potatoes. My meat-lovin' crew was so, so happy. And I am tardy in posting, but the link is still open, so I'm going for it.

An InLinkz Link-up

Steak and Potato Nachos

I love making homemade potato chips in the oven. Chips are my downfall. Seriously. But, when I was thinking about this Improv Cooking Challenge, I pictured homemade chips with bits of tender, juicy steak. Yep...that was my plan for dinner. And it was a hit.

Ingredients

• 4 to 5 Yukon gold potatoes, scrubbed and thinly sliced
• 1 pound skirt steak 
• olive oil
• 2 t sweet paprika, divided
• 2 t smoked paprika, divided
• 2 t ground cumin
• 2 T organic dark brown sugar
• zest from 1 organic lime
• 1/2 t ground turmeric
• freshly ground salt
• freshly ground pepper
• 2 C shredded cheese (I used a mixture of Monterey Jack and cheddar)
• salsa
• sour cream
• diced avocado

Procedure

Preheat oven to 450 degrees F. Place sliced potatoes in a large mixing bowl. Add in 1 t sweet paprika and 1 t smoked paprika. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Toss with olive oil until they are completely coated. Turn the potatoes out onto a parchment or silicon mat-lined baking sheet. Place in the oven and roast for 20 minutes.

While the potatoes cook, prepare the steak. Place the steak pieces flat and sprinkle them liberally with salt and pepper. Rub 1 T dark brown sugar into the tops and sprinkle with paprikas, cumin, turmeric, and lime zest. Flip them over and repeat.

Heat your griddle or pan. Add a splash of oil and sear the meat, approximately 2 to 3 minutes per side for medium-rare. Remove the meat to a cutting board and let rest before slicing.

After 20 minutes, the potatoes should be crisped, golden, and blistered. Turn off the oven, sprinkle with cheese and return to the oven until you're ready to serve. The cheese will melt with the residual heat.

Slice the steak into thin strips.

To serve, place the blistered potato chips onto a large platter or individual serving plates. Top with steak slices. Garnish with salsa, sour cream, and avocados.

I served this with a French red...more on that later!