This is my facsimile of an appetizer served at Xico, a Mexican restaurant, in Portland, OR. It's kind-of like a cross between nachos and chilaquiles. At Xico, the house-made tortilla chips are tossed with a chile arbol salsa, then topped with crumbled cotija cheese, Mexican crema, and cilantro. The chips are softened but still crunchy, and are addictively delicious—like the best nacho-flavored tortilla chips you've ever eaten. My version is loosely adapted from Nopalito's Totopos con Chile recipes printed in the San Francisco Gate and posted at the Food Network. NOTE: This is definitely not a dish for eating politely—have a good stack of napkins handy, and don't be surprised if some finger licking happens.

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