Cinco de Mayo Loaded Fries

Cinco de Mayo is the perfect excuse to drink too many margaritas, eat way too many chips with salsa, and to make the fries.  The Cinco de Mayo Loaded Fries are decidedly decadent and over the top.   They have braised beef on top of crispy chili fries, drizzled with queso cheese sauce, and topped with fresh pico de gallo.

The flavors of the fries combine and pop.  The slightly spicy crispy fries, the melting soft spicy beef, and the creamy tangy cheese dip combine together to make a really really flavorful plate of food.  I made these fries this weekend--and ate them twice.  And I definitely washed the platefuls down with a celebratory margarita; it is Cinco de Mayo after all.

The loaded fries were good with Mexican Braised Beef, but would also be good with diced chicken, ground taco meat, or even black beans without any meat!  The great thing about the fries is that the toppings can be mixed and matched to fit all sorts of different tastes and wishes.

Cinco de Mayo Loaded Fries

author: Happy Food Happy Home

serves 4-6

Fries

1 pound of potatoes, scrubbed clean

1 teaspoon chili powder

1 teaspoon seasoned salt

2 tablespoons olive oil

2-3 pinches kosher salt

4 Ingredient Real Food Queso Dip

¾  cup heavy cream

¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes

4 ounces pepper jack cheese, shredded

½ teaspoons corn starch

1 teaspoon diced jalapeno, optional

Shredded Mexican Beef

Toppings:

Guacamole

Pico de Gallo

1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.
2. Cut the potatoes into french fry pieces. 
3. In a large bowl toss the potatoes, chili powder, seasoned salt and the olive oil.
4. Place the potatoes in one layer on a parchment covered rimmed baking sheet.  Bake for 15-20 minutes until fries are cooked through and crispy.  Use a spatula to toss about half way through.
5. While the fries are cooking heat the cream and the red pepper flakes over medium-low heat in a nonstick sauce pan.
6. Shred the pepper jack cheese and toss with the cornstarch.  The cornstarch will keep the cheese from sticking together when it's melting.
7. When the cream is warm, but not bubbling add about ¼ of the cheese.  Whisk together until the cheese has melted.  Repeat with the remaining cheese until all of it has been added.
8. Add the jalapenos to the  cheese sauce if using and stir to combine.
9. To assemble the loaded fries put a nice base layer of fries, add some beef, drizzle with queso cheese sauce, and top it all with pico de gallo. And then devour!

Notes:

Do not use preshredded cheese.  It will make the queso dip grainy and yucky. 

Fries inspired by Half Baked Harvest and Queso adapted from Serious Eats

How are you going to celebrate Cinco de Mayo?  I have to celebrate anything that involved margaritas!

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