Basically, it’s a kind of “Meat and Three,” with the three in this case being beans, salad, and tortillas. On this night I used pork, because it’s what I had in the freezer, and you can’t go wrong with pork, in my book. (Oink, oink!) But feel free to substitute roasted chicken thighs, pan-fried beef steak, or any protein you want: simply use the same spices and seasonings I use here, and it’ll go great with the meal.
Mexican Plate Dinner
(serves 2)
Ingredients
2 pork chops
vegetable oil for frying pork
1 can refried beans
cumin powder
chile powder
garlic powder
black pepper
salt
½ cup grated cheddar cheese
chopped iceberg or Romain lettuce
½ can corn, drained
sliced avocado
olive oil
balsamic or other flavorful vinegar
flour or corn tortillas
salsa (optional)
Directions
Season the pork (or chicken or beef) generously with the cumin, chile powder, garlic powder, and salt and pepper. (I used about ½ teaspoon each of the cumin and chile powder on each chop).
Pan-fry the pork or steak to your desired doneness (or bake/roast the chicken thighs—in which case you’ll have to start the process a bit earlier).
Once the meat is cooked, set it aside to drain on a paper towel and let it rest, covered lightly with aluminum foil, while you prepare the rest of the meal.
Spoon the heated beans onto one quarter of the plate and top with more cheese, then place the meat in the fourth quadrant. Add the tortilla to the plate and serve, accompanied by salsa and more cheese, if you like. (See photo at top.)
¡Buen provecho!
🌱 🐖 🌿
The daughter of a law professor and a potter, Leslie Karst learned early, during family dinner conversations, the value of both careful analysis and the arts—ideal ingredients for a mystery story. Putting this early education to good use, she now writes the Lefty Award-nominated Sally Solari Mysteries, a culinary series set in Santa Cruz, California.
An ex-lawyer like her sleuth, Leslie also has degrees in English literature and the culinary arts. She and her wife and their Jack Russell mix split their time between Santa Cruz and Hilo, Hawai‘i.
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Praise for Leslie's most recent Sally Solari mystery, the Lefty Award-nominated MURDER FROM SCRATCH:
“Karst seasons her writing with an accurate insider’s view of restaurant operation, as well as a tenderness in the way she treats family, death and Sally’s reactions to Evelyn’s blindness.”
Ellery Queen Magazine (featured pick)
All four Sally Solari Mysteries are available through Amazon, Barnes and Noble, and Bookshop.
Dying for a Taste, A Measure of Murder, and Murder from Scratch are also available as AUDIOBOOKS from Audible!
I never thought about a corn salad. Your meal sounds tasty.
ReplyDeleteI always keep a few cans of corn handy, as it makes a terrific addition to an otherwise-boring salad. (Try mixing mayo with a little cumin and chile powder and thinning with milk for a quick Mexican-inflected salad dressing.O
DeleteThat's my kind of dinner! We stock boneless chicken thighs in the freezer, and they quick-saute quite nicely.
ReplyDeleteGood idea, Edith! I love thighs--the best part of the bird, to my mind.
DeleteExcellent combination and seasonings.
ReplyDeleteI made nachos for dinner last night. Snuck in Beyond Beef for the ground beef and mashed a can of pinto beans for the refired beans. (Trying to reduce our regular meat consumption. Going for more of a flexitarian approach.) The recipe I used was a bit skimpy with the cheese. But we wolfed it down anyway! Lots of seasoning. Very satisfying.
I've become a big fan of Beyond Beef and Impossible meat--either as a ground beef substitute or as burgers. Amazing how good they taste!
ReplyDeleteI love Mexican food and this is a recipe I will try. My two girls like it too. Thanks!
ReplyDeleteTacos & burritos are my go-to meal. Your meal looks like a natural one for us! Thank you for sharing the recipe. I'm getting into audio books so A Measure of Murder is going to be the first audio book I listen to.
ReplyDelete