Taco Tuesdays

When I was in college, I worked nights at a Mexican restaurant in Santa Rosa (about 60 miles north of San Francisco) called The Cantina. Every Tuesday night, my friend and esteemed coworker, Tilly, and I would set up a taco cart in the bar and sell 25-cent tacos. They were awful. The meat was greasy and salty, and the lettuce was limp. These were the kind of tacos you eat only after several–and I mean several–drinks. But the tips were good.

Lucky for you, I’ve improved on the recipe. I stop at the farmer’s market for fresh tomatoes and avocados on my way home from work, and I pull a few sprigs of cilantro from a pot in my courtyard before I get to the front door.

I’m not ashamed to admit that I do keep corn tortillas in the freezer and a can of black beans in the cupboard. Hey, I do have a day job, after all.

Taco Tuesday Tacos

• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
• 1 yellow onion, diced
• 1/2 teaspoon ancho chili powder
• 1 teaspoon cumin
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 can black beans
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh cilantro
• 1 avocado, sliced
• 2 large tomatoes, seeded and chopped
• 1/2 head iceberg lettuce, chopped
• 1/2 cup shredded pepperjack cheese
• sour cream and hot sauce for garnish
• Four corn tortillas

Heat the oil in a medium skillet and add the onion. Saute until soft. Meanwhile, drain and rinse the black beans, reserving 1/4 cup of the liquid. Add the cumin, chili powder, and salt to the onion mixture. Stir in the beans and the reserved liquid. Continue to cook until the beans are heated through.

Warm the tortillas in a dry cast-iron skillet. Assemble the tacos by filling each tortilla with 1/4 of the bean mixture, lettuce, tomato, avocado, shredded cheese, a spoonful of sour cream, and a dash of hot sauce.