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Recipes/Bricklayer-Style Nachos
Bricklayer-Style Nachos

Bricklayer-Style Nachos

Free online atcooking.nytimes.com

Bricklayer-style beef, or puntas al albañil, made with tender pieces of beef, salty bacon and sometimes chorizo in a chunky fire-roasted salsa, is a beloved taco filling in Mexico. Once a common snack available near construction sites in central Mexico, it became popular beyond street food stands, expanding into homes and restaurants over the years. Here it’s used as the foundation for nachos, topped with mounds of melted cheese, tangy queso fresco, creamy avocado and crunchy scallions for a hearty, delicious meal.

Servings
6

Course

Appetizer, main course, nacho, snack

Makes

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