Charred Corn and Black Bean Tostadas

Published on August 15, 2017 | By |

- Prep Time
- 30 Minutes
- Yield
- 8 tostadas

And now for something a little different.

These are a great make ahead meal – prep the bean mixture, corn mixture and pickled red onions ahead of time. When you’re ready to eat, simply toast the tortillas, reheat the beans and throw a few together.

At the last cooking class I taught, these were the unanimous favorite dish, tied with Pulled Chicken Sliders with Honey Chipotle BBQ Sauce.

Berries with Sweet Cashew Cream was a close second.

I like to make these tostadas when sweet corn is in season, but frozen corn may be substituted in off season.

Ingredients

8 (6-inch) sprouted corn tortillas
1 (15-ounce) can black beans, rinsed and drained
3/4 cup canned diced tomatoes (with chipotle peppers or green chilies if you’d like heat)
¼ teaspoon cumin (optional)
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
2 cups fresh corn kernels (from 4-5 large ears)
4 tablespoons sour cream or plain yogurt
1 small clove garlic, minced
¼ teaspoon chili powder
Juice of 1 lime
Chopped fresh cilantro, for serving (optional)
Pickled red onions, for serving (optional--see recipe)

Instructions

1. Char corn on a barbecue: a. Pre-heat grill to medium-high. b. Shuck and clean corn. Don't worry about getting every last stray piece of silk—they'll burn away on the grill anyway. Place the corn directly over the very hot grill, turning occasionally, until charred and cooked through, about 10 minutes total. Set aside until cool enough to handle then cut kernels from corn cobs.
2. Prepare creamy black beans: Combine the black beans, diced tomatoes, and cumin (if using) in a blender and blend until almost smooth with a few chunks. Transfer to a small pot and cook over medium heat until hot and thickened, about 15 minutes. (Alternatively, you can puree the beans and tomatoes directly in the pot using an immersion blender.) Set aside.
3. Make corn mixture: In a small bowl, whisk together the sour cream or yogurt, garlic, chili powder, and lime juice. Pour over the corn and toss to coat.
4. Toast the tortillas: Preheat the oven to 375°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper for easy cleanup. Arrange the tortillas in a single layer on the baking sheet and very lightly baste both sides of tortillas with olive oil. Bake for 4 minutes, flipping once halfway through, until tortillas are mostly crisp. Set aside. (Tortillas will crisp more as they cool.)
5. To assemble: Spread each tostada with some of the bean mixture and top with a big scoop of the corn. Sprinkle with pickled red onions and cilantro (if using).