Chilaquiles With Black Beans, Avocado, and Pickled Jalapenos

Start by husking and rinsing the tomatillos. I usually de-stem them as well. Roast the tomatillos in a 350F oven for 15-20 minutes or until they turn army green in color.

Once the tomatillos are roasted, put them in a blender along with 1/2 onion, 2 peeled garlic cloves, and 2 chipotles in adobo. Combine well.

I usually cut the tortillas into sixths, but cutting them into quarters will work too. Add a thin layer of oil to a sheet pan and rub the tortillla pieces in the oil. Add a layer of oil to the tops of the tortilla pieces too -- I usually use an olive sprayer for this but a pastry brush or your fingers will work too.

Bake the tortillas in the 350F oven for 10-15 minutes or until they are turning golden brown. This batch took 13 minutes.

Add a dollop of oil to a skillet over medium heat and cook the Salsa for a few minutes until bubbly. When close to serving I will add 1/2 cup black beans directly to the Salsa to warm them up. When using canned beans I usually drain and rinse them first.

At this stage, be sure to have your other fixings in order. We don't want to leave the tortilla pieces coated with Salsa for too long or they'll get soggy.

Dice up the avocado and toss it in a bowl along with a squeeze of lime and a pinch of salt.

Crumble up some Cotija cheese. I usually slice off a chunk and pull the knife across it.

Rinse and finely chop some cilantro. I usually twist off and discard the bottom, thicker portion of the stems but use the upper stems that holds the leaves together.

Once your fixings are in order, add the baked tortilla chips to the warm Salsa. Toss to coat (but no longer!) and then create a single layer of the tortilla pieces on a plate and top with your preferred fixings. Along with the black beans that are already in the Salsa, I topped with Avocado, Pickled Jalapenos, Cotija cheese, and freshly chopped cilantro. Serve immediately.