Early spring spinach is a wonderful seasonal treat! It is readily available year round in your freezer, but it tastes so much better when it’s fresh picked.
Ingredients
Corn tortillas – 8
2 cups of cooked pinto beans – or one can of drained beans (use any bean you prefer)
1 bunch cilantro – wash and mince (about 1 full cup)
1 bunch scallions – wash and mince (also about 1 cup)
1 pound spinach – wash and chop small (or 10-oz frozen spinach, defrost and drain well)
2-3 tomatoes – chop small (about 1 cup, or use chunky pre-made salsa from a jar)
Pepper Jack Cheese – 1/2 pound shredded (use any other cheese you prefer)
Directions:
1. Coat 4 individual serving size oven-proof bowls (ramekins) with cooking spray.
2. Heat the tortillas in a damp paper towel in the microwave for 30 secs to make them pliable.
3. Place one tortilla in the bottom of each bowl, pressing gently
4. Distribute half the beans, half the spinach, half the scallion, half the cilantro, and half the tomato in the bottom of each bowl.
5. Distribute 1/2 of the cheese, and then add another tortilla. Press down gently.
6. Continue the layering the remaining beans, spinach, scallion, cilantro, tomato and finish each off with the remaining cheese.
7. Cover each dish with foil, but try not to have foil pressing down on top layer of cheese
8. Arrange dishes on a baking tray, and bake for 30 mins in a 325 oven.
9. Remove foil cover and bake for another 15 mins until cheese browns.
10. Remove from oven, let sit for at least 5 mins before serving. Each serving should remove easily from the ramekin, creating it’s own delicious and crunchy bowl.
OPTIONS:
1. Layer in any additional veggies you have on hand – red peppers, mushrooms, etc.
2. Have Kale instead of Spinach? Go ahead a swap it out, just pre-cook the Kale first.
3. Brunch option – after removing foil in step 9, make a small indentation with a spoon and top with a sunny-side up egg. Increase oven temp to 400 and bake egg-topped dish for 15 mins.
4. Meat option – layer in a half pound of pre-cooked chorizo (or other ground or shredded meat of your choice)
Recipes from the Black Dirt 