What We Eat When We Eat Alone - Deborah Madison [71]
2 TABLESPOONS FRESH LIME JUICE
1 TABLESPOON OLIVE OIL
1⁄4 TEASPOON DRIED OREGANO
SALT AND PEPPER
1 (15-OUNCE) CAN OF BLACK BEANS, PREFERABLY ORGANIC, DRAINED, AND RINSED
1 JALAPEÑO PEPPER, SEEDED AND DICED
3 TABLESPOONS CHOPPED CILANTRO
SMOKED HOT PAPRIKA OR PURÉED CHIPOTLE CHILES
1⁄2 ONION, SLICED INTO 1⁄2-INCH ROUNDS
2 WHEAT TORTILLAS
CONDIMENTS: SALSA, SOUR CREAM, ROASTED GREEN CHILES, GRATED CHEDDAR OR JACK CHEESE, SLICED OLIVES, SHREDDED ROMAINE LETTUCE
1. Put the chicken in a shallow bowl and toss with the lime juice, oil, the oregano rubbed between your fingers, 1⁄4 teaspoon salt, and plenty of freshly ground pepper. Set it aside to marinate for at least 15 minutes, or longer, in the refrigerator. (Left overnight, it will turn a little too soft due to the tenderizing effect of the lime juice.)
2. Meanwhile, heat the beans with the jalapeño and cilantro. Add water to loosen the mixture and season it with salt and smoked paprika or puréed chipotle chiles, to taste.
3. Heat a cast-iron skillet and, when it’s good and hot, add the onion and a smidgen of oil. Cook over high heat, turning frequently until wilted and seared, about 5 minutes, then add the chicken along with the juices in the bowl. Cook, turning frequently until the chicken is nicely colored and done inside, about 10 minutes in all. (Cut a piece open to make sure it’s not pink.)
4. Heat the tortillas in a dry, hot skillet, then lay them on a plate; add the chicken and onions along with whatever condiments you desire. The beans can go on the tortilla or alongside. Brooke’s advice is to put grated cheese between the warm tortilla and the chicken and/or beans so that it melts.
Turning Leftover Beans into a Soup
The black beans from the fajitas will be full of flavor, so all you need to do is to heat them with enough liquid—water or chicken stock—to get the right consistency. Purée some or all of the beans to give the soup body and serve it with a spoonful of sour cream and some freshly chopped cilantro on top. Grate a little cheese over it and warm a tortilla to go alongside.
Spinach and Caramelized Onion Frittata with Goat Cheese and a Vinegar Glaze
Cooking vinegar with butter over a high heat for a few seconds makes a piquant sauce that sharpens all the elements in Garrett’s big-flavored frittata. It will serve two light eaters or provide dinner and lunch for one. During the 15 minutes it takes for the onions to caramelize, you can wash the spinach, crack the eggs, and even make yourself a salad.
5 TEASPOONS BUTTER, IN ALL
1 LARGE ONION, THINLY SLICED
SALT AND PEPPER
1⁄2 BUNCH SPINACH LEAVES, STEMS LOBBED OFF, LEAVES WASHED
3 OR 4 LARGE EGGS
2 TO 3 TABLESPOONS FRESH GOAT CHEESE
A GENEROUS SPLASH OF BALSAMIC VINEGAR, OR A BIT MORE THAN A TABLESPOON
1. Melt half the butter in an 8-inch skillet. Once it foams, add the onion and start it cooking over medium-high heat for the first 5 minutes, flipping or stirring often so that it colors but doesn’t burn. Turn the heat down to low and cook slowly, stirring occasionally for another 5 minutes. Add a few pinches of salt, a tablespoon of water, and cover the pan. Cook until the onions are limp and golden and smell irresistible, about 5 minutes longer.
2. While the onion is cooking, wash the spinach leaves, but don’t dry them. Once the onions are done, add the spinach to the pan. Raise the heat and cook a few minutes until wilted. Remove the pan from the heat and season with a few pinches salt and freshly ground pepper.
3. Beat the eggs with a tablespoon of water, 1⁄4 teaspoon salt, and plenty of freshly ground pepper, then stir in the vegetables and goat cheese. Return the pan to the stove over medium heat and add 2 teaspoons butter. When it foams, pour the egg mixture into the pan and give the pan a scoot to make sure things are more or less evenly distributed. Turn down the heat and shake the pan again to make sure nothing is sticking. Cook until the bottom and most of the top is set. Slide a rubber