Scratching the surface

Hello people...
Just like i promised you on my last recipe that I would post a 'non-sea food' recipe next... here it goes :)

The title of this post is 'scratching the surface'... of  my Mexican roots!
I really enjoy exploring different types of cuisines and anyone who knows me knows how much I LOVE Asian food of all types!

Although I get distracted by other food and very rarely cook Mexican food of course I LOVE it.

I'm going to share one of my personal favorites with you: Beef Tostadas!

I Love them and its some what of a 'comfort food' for me... it reminds me of home (Arizona)

Beef Tostadas

Yields 10 Tostadas

5 Servings

-10 Corn Tortillas

- 1.5 lbs tenderloin roast

-1 Onion

-5 Garlic cloves

-Cilantro

-Salt
-Mexican white Crumble cheese ( Queso Fresco)

-1 Can of Pinto Beans

-2 cups of oil ( of your choice to deep fry your tortillas)

-chili powder -to taste

-Sour Cream - to taste

-1 bay leaf

The salsa

-2 Tomatoes

-1 Jalapeno

-Oregano

-If you have a crock pot  it would be quite practical for this recipe

-If using a crock pot you can cook the meat in it at what ever setting you have time for submerge the meat in water and add 1/4 of the onion, 2 cloves of garlic, 4 sprigs of cilantro and bay leaf cook until fork tender; if you're not using a crock pot : in a regular pot you would do the same as above but simmer on med-low heat until fork tender

-once beef is cooked, let cool, then shred. Discard the remaining cooked ingredients in pot(onion, cilantro, bay leaf, garlic you will need 1/2 a cup of the beef stock, but you can save the rest for other recipes)

-in a hot skillet add 1 tbsp of oil, and add 2 minced garlic, to this add beef, season with salt and black pepper and chili powder  to taste and 1/2 a cup of beef stock for moisture, simmer adjust seasoning done with the meat

- is a sauce pan , heat up 1 tsp of oil, add 1 clove of garlic, let the garlic roast a little bit. to this add the pinto beans, season with salt to taste  and simmer on low heat; once beans are thoroughly cooked ( you can squish a bean in between your fingers and it should be soft)remove the garlic clove and mash the beans with a potato masher until it reaches the consistancy above
-in sauce pan add the salsa components , tomatoes jalapeno and garlic clove with 1/4 of an onion, simmer in 1 cup of water, when ingredients are cooked through(softened) blend together, season with salt , pepper and oregano(not too much oregano, it is quite potent)  AND THERE YOU HAVE YOUR SALSA!!!

-in a small skillet heat up the 2 cups of oil *oil is hot enough to fry tortillas when you put it in the oil (using tongs) and it immediately starts to bubble, you leave it in 10 seconds and turn over , fry for another 10 seconds
-you can drain fat on paper towel
-when you are done frying the tortillas you are FINALLY ready to assemble!!!
-you spread about 1 tbsp of beans on the fried tortilla , add tbsp of beef on top of that , add sour cream and crumble some cheese to taste, top with salsa and cilantro leaves
-ENJOY!!!