Black Bean and Egg Tostadas

Eggs are an all-day food. Don't let anyone tell you differently. This meal was partially inspired by a visit last year to Chicago's fantastic Frontera Grill, where I ate corn masa cakes with egg, chicken, and chorizo with black beans and queso fresco. I've adapted this idea into tostadas. There are two keys to making great tostadas. First, you need to make sure the tortillas get crunchy, enough to be able to easily break them with a fork or with your teeth. No one wants a tough, rubbery tortilla. The second is to make sure everything stays hot to the moment it hits the plate.

Ingredients

• 3 corn tortillas
• 1/3 small onion, diced
• 1 cup canned black beans, mostly drained
• 3 eggs
• Black pepper, salt, garlic powder to taste
• Queso fresco
• Vegetable oil
• Butter

Instructions

Since this dish has three components that need to be prepared, set the oven on warm to start out. Pour a shallow layer of oil into a large frying pan, and heat on medium-high to high heat. You need the oil very hot, but not to the point where it starts to pop. Fry the tortillas on each side until they are crispy. Do not undercook the tortillas, or they will be tough instead of crunchy. This has been the downfall of many Chopped contestants. It is normal for the tortillas to puff up while cooking. Set the tortillas on a plate in the oven to keep warm.

Empty out most, but not all of the oil. Keep just enough to saute the onion. Cook until softened, then add beans. When I say "mostly drain" the beans, I mean keep a little of the juice from the can to add some moisture to the beans. Use a potato masher to smash up the beans. They don't have to be perfectly smooth; in fact, you probably want to retain some texture. Heat for a few minutes, and mix in salt, black pepper, and garlic powder. Set the beans in the oven to keep warm, as well.

Grease up a non-stick frying pan with butter, and crack the eggs into the pan. Cover and cook until the whites become fully firm. To assemble the tostadas, spread the bean-onion mixture over each tortilla. Top with an egg, and crumble queso fresco all over it.