San Antonio Express-News (Sunday)
Lobster chili nachos may sound fishy, but fun, savory dish breaks all the rules
About 10 years ago, Andrea Anthony Anthony and her business partner, chef Paul DeAngelis, came up with the idea to expand the boundaries of how they serve shellfish: with a lobster chili that becomes the star in a plate of nachos. And they broke some culinary seafood rules doing it.
For one thing, the chili is flavored with red wine, which is almost never paired with seafood. More irreverent, it’s topped with mounds of shredded cheese before it’s put in the oven.
DeAngelis says he got the idea from watching a televised chili competition. “I saw turkey, I saw all these unusual kinds — but not seafood,” he says. He created a version he liked, made with firm shellfish (shrimp, scallops, and lobster) that would hold up in a saucepan; he advises against using fish fillets, which would disintegrate in the sauce.
They’re a fun dish. To make them, DeAngelis tucks the seafood into a well-spiced tomato and bean mixture; the red wine deepens the flavor. They’re then layered with tortilla chips in a baking dish, along with grated cheddar, and put into a hot oven for a couple of minutes. The mild cheese adds a salty and tangy accent to the seafood and melty texture to the chips. But what pulls it together is the refreshing sour cream dollop on top.
One more thing: “They’re a great pairing with a margarita,” says Anthony. “You know nachos and margaritas go well together. Seafood nachos and margaritas go well together, too.”