Yes.  Crispy Black Bean Tacos with Quick Pico de Gallo + Mexican Crema.  Yes.  All of the yeses in the world.  Yes to infinity.

This meal is bomb.  Cheap.  Simple.  Easy.  So many things.  I’m so in love.

Here’s how it goes:  First up, mash your black beans with cumin and chicken stock-and theres your filling-no cooking, no warming, nada. Just easy peasy.  Heat a tablespoon of oil in your skillet-cast iron is always my go-to but any will do.  Set your corn tortillas inside and let them cook for about a minute.  Then, place a couple of heaping tablespoons of your bean filling onto the shells.

Fold the shells in half and cook for another minute on each side and you will have the most gooey, melty filling and perfectly crisp shells.  Soft, yet crisp-you’ll know what I mean after one bite.

And then theres the pico de gallo, for topping those magnificent tacos, that I would like to marry.  Just a few simple ingredients but man, that flavor.  Fresh is an understatement.

So, because this hand-held wonder is already heading up the charts, we must help it reach the top by adding  Mexican crema..because, well, I can’t.  Speechless.  So good.  Complete.  Perfect.  Insanely devourable.

 Can not get enough of these around here you guys!

Crispy Black Bean Tacos with Quick Pico de Gallo + Mexican Crema

Ingredients

For the Pico de Gallo 

2 Cups Seeded, Diced, Homegrown Tomatoes

1/2 Cup Diced White or Red Onion

1-2 Tablespoons Diced Jalapeno  (use 1 Tbs for less heat, 2 for more)

2 Tablespoons Fresh Lime Juice

1 Tablespoon Chopped Cilantro

Sea Salt or Kosher Salt, to taste

For the Mexican Crema

1/2 Cup Sour Cream

1/2 Cup Heavy Whipping Cream

For the Crispy Black Bean Tacos

2 (15 Ounce) Cans Black Beans, drained

1/4 Cup Chicken Stock

3/4 Teaspoon Ground Cumin

Kosher or Sea Salt, to taste

1+ Tablespoon Avocado oil-or other high heat cooking oil

8-10 Corn Tortillas

Leafy Romaine Lettuce, shredded

Directions

For the Pico de Gallo

Mix all of the ingredients together in a medium sized bowl and season with salt, to taste.  Can be made head and stored in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.

For the Mexican Crema

Whisk sour cream and cream together in a small bowl, cover with plastic wrap and let stand at room temperature for 30 minutes-1 hour.  Can be made ahead and stored in the refrigerator-will keep as long as the sour creams expiration date.

For the Crispy Black Bean Tacos

Place the beans, chicken stock and cumin in a medium sized bowl and mash with a fork until beans are soft, season to taste with salt.

Heat oil in a large skillet over medium high heat.  Place tortillas in a single layer in the pan, two at a time (tortillas may not lay all the way flat-it is okay if they lay up the sides of the skillet-and cook for 1 minute.  Add two heaping tablespoons of the bean mixture to one side of each of the tortillas and fold them in half, covering the bean mixture.  Cook for 1 additional minute, flip and cook the other side for 1 minute. Add additional oil as needed per batch.

Top tacos with shredded romaine, pico de gallo and Mexican crema.  Makes 8-10 tacos.

Inspired by Bon Appetit, February 2009