Pork and Pinto Chilaquiles

I eat a lot of beans. Is that weird? And until recently, I have been known to eat them pretty much the same way, every time, as chili. It’s my go-to, I-don’t-have-time-to-cook-a-real-meal meal. It’s easy and delicious and terribly filling.  And that’s where my bean (slash, chili) obsession came from.

So there’s that.

But then I stumbled upon an issue of Eating Well magazine and I realized that beans could be so much more than slowly cooked legumes. They could swim with tortillas and even a bean poached egg. They could get topped with cool Greek yogurt and bright green onions and spicy jalapeños. They could be a breakfast for four. Or a lunch at home for one. They could be more than chili. They could be chilaquiles.

So now I don’t just eat a lot of chili. I eat a lot of chilaquiles. And I highly suggest you give this really pleasing dish a try.

Side note: for those watching their potassium, replace the tomatoes with any kind of sweet pepper you like and replace the beans with vegetables like corn, chopped zucchini or squash, and radishes.

Chow on.

LOW-SODIUM PINTO AND PORK CHILAQUILES

adapted from Eating Well magazine’s Pinto Bean Chilaquiles recipe

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cups cherry tomatoes, washed and cut in half
• Vegetable oil
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/2 sweet yellow onion, thinly sliced
• 1/4 tsp whole coriander seeds
• 1/4 tsp red chili pepper flakes
• 1 tbsp orange marmalade
• Pinch or two of cinnamon (yeah, I said cinnamon)
• 4 corn tortillas, cut into triangles (like chips)
• 1/2 tsp salt-free garlic powder
• 1/2 tsp salt-free chipotle powder
• 1/4 lb pork
• 1/4 tsp cumin
• One 15-oz can no-salt-added pinto, kidney, or cannellini beans
• One 6-oz container 0% FAGE Greek yogurt
• 3 green onions, roots removed and thinly sliced
• 1 jalapeño, thinly sliced

Directions

Preheat oven to 375dg F.

Take those cherry tomatoes and place them in an oven pan. Drizzle with a little olive oil, give them a shake, and then place them into the oven to roast for 30 to 40 minutes.

Meanwhile, let’s get the aromatics cooking. In a large skillet (that has a lid), heat a tablespoon of oil over medium-high heat. When ready, add the garlic, onoins, coriander seeds, and chili pepper flakes. Cook until the onions start to turn a golden color, about 5 minutes. Then add the secret chilaquiles ingredients: a pinch of cinnamon and a tablespoon of orange marmalade. Give it all a stir, lower the heat, and continue to cook and brown those onions for another 15 minutes.

Side tip: the tangy sweetness or the marmalade not only marries well with the roasted tomatoes, but the sugar wil help caramelize the onions as well. Win, win.

Meanwhile, take your corn tortilla triangles and grease them up with 2 tablespoons of vegetable oil or with an oil spray. Then, sprinkle the triangles with 1/4 tsp garlic powder and 1/4 teaspoon chipotle powder. Place in a single layer on an oven sheet. And bake until golden and crisp, about 8 to 10 minutes.

Back at the pan, push the onions to the side, making an empty space in the center. Put the ground pork in this empty space, add 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder, 1/4 teaspoon chipotle powder, and cumin. Mix and then cook until meat is browned, stirring occasionally. Add the bean with a cup of water and give everything a good stir. Bring everything to a simmer and cook for another 10 minutes.

Add the roasted tomatoes to the pork and beans and give it all a good stir. Then, one handful at a time, fold the chips into the mixture until they are all in there. Cook for a few minutes to let the chips soften a bit.

Next, use a wooden spoon to gently make four little wells in the mixture. One at a time, crack your eggs and drop them into the wells. Then blow them a kiss, put on the lid, and let them steam until the whites turn, well, white, about 5 to 8 minutes).

To serve, place a few dollops of Greek yogurt over the eggs and beans. Sprinkle with green onions and thin slices of jalapenos (if your guests like it spicy). And provide lime wedges for some extra spark. Then, parade your chilaquiles around the house proudly because this is one pretty dish. And use a big spoon to plate individual portions. Enjoy.

You just chilaquilled it.