Black Bean Tostadas with Smoky Salsa

Black Bean Tostadas with Smoky Salsa

Tostadas Recipe

* 3 cups cooked black beans
* 1/2 medium onion
* 4 garlic cloves, divided use
* 3 tablespoons vegetable oil or fresh pork lard
* Salt
* 1/2 pound (5 or 6) tomatillos
* 1 dried or canned chipotle chile (plus 1 tablespoon of the canning liquid)
* 2 Clementines from Spain
* 12 crisp-fried tostadas
* 1 romaine heart or ½ head iceberg lettuce
* 4 ounces goat cheese, salted-and-pressed farmer's cheese, Mexican fresh cheese (queso fresco) or feta cheese

Prepare this first!

ONION: Cut off top and bottom and discard. Peel off papery outside layers and discard. Slice about 1/4 inch thick. Chop into small pieces.

GARLIC: Peel. Cut cloves in half.

TOMATILLOS: Peel off papery husks and rinse.

CLEMENTINES: Peel, segment, and coarsely chop Clementines.

LETTUCE: Slice ¼ inch thick.

CHEESE: Finely crumble. (You will have about 1 cup.)

1. Make fried beans. Tip off most of bean liquid into a small bowl. Save liquid. Pour beans into food processor. Add chopped onion and 2 cloves of the garlic. Cover processor and run until smooth. Pour oil or lard into a large (10- to 12-inch) deep skillet or Dutch oven. Set over medium heat. When hot, scrape in bean puree. Stir for 4 to 5 minutes until very thick. Taste and season with salt - usually ½ to 1 teaspoon, depending on how salty the beans are. (If beans were not seasoned while simmering, they will take more.) Remove from heat.

2. Make salsa. Put the cleaned tomatillos in a small saucepan. Cover with water. Set over medium heat. (If using dried chipotle chile, lay chile in hot pan and turn every few seconds for about a minute, until aromatic. Break off stem and add to tomatillos in saucepan.) Cook until tomatillos turn from bright to olive green - about 4 to 5 minutes of simmering. Drain and let cool. In food processor, place remaining 2 cloves garlic, tomatillos and chile. (If using canned chipotle chile, remove it from can and add to food processor along with 1 tablespoon of canning sauce.) Cover and process until almost smooth. Pour into small dish. If thick, stir in 1 to 2 tablespoons water. Taste and season with salt - usually a generous ½ teaspoon. Stir in Clementines.

3. Finish tostadas. Reheat beans over medium heat. If beans are really thick, stir in a little water. Spread hot beans on tostadas. Top with sliced lettuce. Sprinkle with crumbled cheese. Serve right away, passing salsa separately for each person to add to their own taste.

Makes 12 tostadas, enough to serve 12 as a snack or 6 as a light meal.