Black Bean Tostadas with Pickled Onion

Ingredients

Equipment Needed

• •Wide skillet or sauté pan
• •Small saucepan for brine
• •Glass jar or heatproof bowl for pickled onions
• •Potato masher or wooden spoon

Instructions

1. 1

   Make the pickled onions

   Combine the vinegar, sugar, salt, peppercorns, and bay leaf in a small saucepan. Bring to a simmer, stirring until the sugar dissolves. Pack the sliced red onion into a clean jar or heatproof bowl and pour the hot brine over them. The onions will turn bright pink almost immediately. Let them sit while you prepare the beans, at least fifteen minutes. They grow sharper and more beautiful with time.

   Make these a day ahead if you can. They keep for two weeks in the refrigerator and improve each day.
2. 2

   Cook the aromatics

   Warm the olive oil in a wide skillet over medium heat. Add the diced onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until soft and translucent, about five minutes. The kitchen will start to smell like home. Add the garlic, cumin, and oregano. Stir for thirty seconds until fragrant. Cumin blooms in fat and releases its warmth.

3. 3

   Add and season the beans

   Add the black beans with their liquid if using canned, or the cooked beans with some of their broth. Stir in the salt and pepper. Bring to a gentle simmer and let the beans cook for ten minutes, stirring occasionally. They will absorb the seasonings and the liquid will thicken slightly.

4. 4

   Mash to your preference

   Using a potato masher or the back of a wooden spoon, crush about half the beans against the side of the pan. Leave the rest whole. This gives you texture: some creamy, some intact. Add a splash of the reserved liquid if the beans seem dry. Taste and adjust the salt. The beans should taste seasoned and satisfying on their own.

   If the beans taste flat, they need more salt. Keep adding pinches until they sing.
5. 5

   Warm the tostadas

   If your tostadas need crisping, place them directly on the grate of a gas burner over low flame for a few seconds per side, or warm them in a dry skillet. They should be sturdy enough to hold the beans without bending. A stale tostada ruins everything.

6. 6

   Assemble the tostadas

   Spread a generous spoonful of warm beans onto each tostada, covering the surface but leaving a small border. Top with a tangle of pickled red onions, letting the pink brine drip down. Scatter crumbled queso fresco over everything. Finish with torn cilantro leaves. If using avocado, add the slices now.

7. 7

   Serve immediately

   Bring the tostadas to the table the moment they are assembled. The contrast between the warm beans, the cool pickled onions, and the crisp corn is the whole point. Pass hot sauce at the table for those who want it. Eat with your hands. Let things drip.

Chef Tips

• •If you have time, cook dried black beans from scratch. Cover a pound of beans with water, add half an onion, a few garlic cloves, and a bay leaf. Simmer until tender, about ninety minutes. The flavor is incomparable, and you will have broth to use in soups.
• •Mexican oregano has a different character than Mediterranean oregano: more citrus, less mint. Look for it at Latin markets or order it online. It's worth seeking out.
• •The quality of your tostadas matters. Look for ones made with corn, oil, and salt only. Better yet, fry your own tortillas until crisp. Day-old tortillas work beautifully for this.
• •Queso fresco should be fresh and mild. If you cannot find it, a young feta crumbled and rinsed briefly under water will work, though the flavor is different.

Advance Preparation

• •Pickled onions can be made up to two weeks ahead and stored refrigerated in their brine.
• •Beans can be cooked and seasoned up to three days ahead. Reheat gently with a splash of water to loosen.
• •Assemble tostadas only at serving time. The crisp shell will not wait.

Frequently Asked Questions

Nutrition Information

1 serving (about 280g)