Black Bean Tostadas with Tomato-Jicama Salsa
recipe detail | OregonLive.com
1 12-ounce jicama (1 small), peeled and shredded
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
3 Roma tomatoes, seeded and finely chopped
1/4 cup chopped shallot
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
1/4 cup mild hot sauce (see note)
1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
Freshly ground black pepper
1 15-ounce can vegetarian refried black beans
4 tablespoons vegetable oil (divided)
8 6-inch corn tortillas
1 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese
1/2 cup sour cream
Instructions
Toss the jicama with the salt and let it drain in a colander for 10 minutes. Squeeze the excess liquid from the jicama, pressing to extract as much liquid as possible. In a nonreactive bowl, combine the jicama, tomatoes, shallot, cilantro, hot sauce, lime juice and pepper to taste.
In a small saucepan, cook the beans over medium heat until hot throughout, reduce heat to low and keep warm. In a medium sauté pan, heat 2 tablespoons of the oil over medium-high heat. When the oil is hot, add a tortilla and fry on both sides until crisped, 1 to 2 minutes. Drain on paper towels and repeat with remaining tortillas, adding additional oil to the pan if necessary.
To assemble, spread half of the beans on 4 of the tortillas and place them on dinner plates. Top each tortilla with a second tortilla. Spread the second tortilla with the remaining beans and the cheese. Pile about 1/2 cup of the jicama mixture on top of each tostada stack and top with dollops of sour cream. Serve immediately.
Note: Vinegary-hot Tabasco is too spicy for this mild salsa. I recommend Mexican hot sauces such as Valentina or Cholula, available where Latino ingredients are sold.