Beef & Black Bean Tostadas with Zucchini Relish – Recipe!

Leftovers rock, but only if you transform them into something completely different, in my opinion.  I will not eat food reheated the same way I prepared it.  I know, it seems ridiculous to some, however creating a brand new recipe with leftover ingredients, that me and my family will love is just a lot more fun.  I do have a husband that will eat leftovers just as they are, but why?  When they can be made into something new and transform the ordinary into extraordinary, and you can too.

Leftover beef from this week’s Pot Roast Recipe makes some of the best filling in a Mexican food recipe.  Shredded beef recooked in a pan receives a slightly crunchy exterior, and amps up flavor – a nice Carnitas spin, but with beef.  Homemade or canned black beans, either Refried or left whole, then seasoned with ground cumin, offer a smooth and creamy topping on top of a tostada.  But let’s not stop there, shredded zucchini with a splash of lime and a diced jalapeno make an incredible relish to chill-out on top of the tortilla pyramid, and completes this dish.

The combination of warm, crisp, creamy and cool make this tostada more than just a weeknight meal.  You don’t need to serve these tostadas with anything, but a cold Cerveza, or maybe a shot of chilled tequila.  This is one transformed meal with a roast worth eating twice, or maybe even a third time.

Ingredients

2 cups of shredded beef, cooked

14 ounces black beans either canned or homemade

2 teaspoons ground cumin, divided

1 zucchini, shredded

juice of 1 lime + more for serving

1/2 jalapeno, diced

8 corn tortillas

vegetable oil

salt & pepper

salsa, optional

sour cream or crema, optional

fresh cilantro, optional

(Serves 4)

To Prepare:

1. In a large skillet over medium-high heat, add 2 teaspoons oil.  After 2 minutes, add beef and 1 teaspoon cumin.  Cook beef, until warmed through and slightly crispy on edges, about 3 minutes.  Set heat to simmer, while you prepare other ingredients.
2. In a bowl or pot, add black beans and mash slightly.  Add cumin, 2 teaspoons salt and 1 teaspoon black pepper, stir.  Heat in microwave for 3 minutes, or on stove top, until hot.
3. Add zucchini to small bowl and toss with lime juice, jalapeno and a pinch of salt, reserve.
4. In another skillet over medium heat, add 1/4 cup oil and fry corn tortillas in batches, remove and place on paper towels.  Assemble tostadas by layering beef on first, then black beans, followed by zucchini relish.  Top with cilantro, salsa and crema, if desired and serve with lime.  Enjoy!