6.18.2010

a taste of Guatemala

So, there are many women in my life that I love and am inspired by... two of them just so happen to belong to the same family: Leslie Young and Jessica Young Handy! :) And what's more: they blog too!! I really love these women a lot. Anyways, recently they have both been posting new recipes on their blogs, and I've enjoyed watching and hopefully trying one day.. (especially the stuffed artichoke hearts!!!). Well, during my time in Guatemala, I have discovered un plato chapin (a Guatemalan dish) that is SOO yummy, and I was inspired, once again, by these two women to blog about it. So, I hope you try and enjoy. ¡¡que rico esso!!

::TOSTADAS::

Here's the ingredients you need:
- tostadas (I am not sure if you can find these in the states or not. If not, you can use regular tortilla chips and make mini-tostadas, also known as ganachas.)
- shredded mexican-style cheese (queso)
- your favorite brand of salsa
- a can of refried black beans (frijoles negros)
- a little bit of butter (mantequilla)
- a little bit of onion (cebolla)
- slices of avocado (aguacate)
- lime (limón)

Step 1: Chop up a little bit of the onion. (I made 2 tostadas to eat, and only used one slice of the onion, chopped up. But, if you really like onions, you may want more... just whatever you prefer!) --Also, please excuse my onion chopping skills... I am only working with a butter knife over here! hehe

Step 2: Put a small pot on the stove with a little butter inside.

Step 3: Add the onions. Regardless of whether or not they change the taste of the beans, they make your kitchen smell like you're cookin' up something REALLY good. :)

Step 3.5: Let onions simmer... adding more butter if you need to.

Step 4: While your onion is simmering, prepare your tostadas on the plates. This will be very important for when your beans are ready. (average serving size per person: 2 tostadas)

Step 5: Add the beans into the pot. If you don't want to use a whole can of beans, I recommend a hefty tablespoon-full per tostada. *yes, I know.. the beans look gross. But they taste FABULOUS!*

Step 6: Let the beans cook with the onions, stirring regularly. (it's ok if the start getting a little darker. Just make sure you keep moving them around so they don't burn).

Step 6.5: Make sure to keep your stove-top heat low... to prevent re-refried beans.

Step 7: When the beans are ready, they will be very smooth and much easier to stir with your spoon. (to test this, just put some on your finger and make sure they are hot!). When that's the case, spread those yummy beans on your tostada. *continue to disregard how gross the beans look.*

Step 7.5: Spread the beans evenly around the tostada.

Step 8: Quickly add shredded cheese. If you add it while the beans are warm, it melts and tastes mmmm so yummy. And you can't add too much cheese! (right, Mrs. Leslie?!)

Step 9: Add a little bit of your favorite salsa, and spread around evenly with a knife.

Step 10: Put slices of avocado on top of your tostada. (I was nearing the end of my avocado, but you can definitely make your slices look prettier than this!)

Step 11: Squirt a generous amount of lime on top.

Step 12: ENJOY! Eat it with your hands, and make sure to have napkins in reach. :)

This super-yummy meal takes about 20 minutes to prepare. I hope you enjoy a little taste of Guatemala.

¡Buen provecho!

3 comments:

  1. YUMMY!!! This is a phenomenal feat of culinary arts/photography/blogging! I'm so impressed! And it looks easy and super-tasty! (Jess brought some of the refried beans back from Honduras and they were extra good - I bet the beans in Guatemala are good too!) And, as you know, I am a fan of the cheese. In fact, I've written a song about it: "What a friend we have in chees-es..." Over the line? Maybe. Praying for your remaining time in Guatemala! Love you!

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  2. yummmmmmyyyy!!!!! I want this for lunch!! (but I will probably have a sandwich. hehe) We shall cook this together when you return! : ) Love you tons.

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  3. This looks DELISH! I am making this asap!!! It reminds me of honduran food, oh man it was so good in it's simplicity! I saw your sweet mommy yesterday, she's so cute, as are you!! Love you Bec!

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