Nicoyans eat tortillas at every meal, so the choice of when to eat this is all yours! For variety, substitute a mango or pineapple for the papaya in the salsa.
Photo: dishingouthealth.com
1 small ripe papaya, peeled, halved, seeded, and chopped (about 1 cup)
1 small red bell pepper, stemmed, cored, and diced (about 1⁄2 cup)
1⁄4 cup finely chopped fresh cilantro leaves
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
1 1⁄2 cups drained and rinsed canned black or pinto beans or drained and rinsed cooked black or pinto beans
1 medium yellow squash (about 4 ounces), chopped
1 cup corn kernels cut from the ear or frozen kernels, thawed
2 medium carrots, peeled and shredded through the large holes of a box grater 1 teaspoon ground cumin
Up to 1⁄2 teaspoon ground dried cayenne
1⁄4 teaspoon salt
6 Nixtamal Corn Tortillas
Stir the papaya, bell pepper, cilantro, 1 tablespoon of the olive oil, and the lime juice in a small bowl. The salsa can be made in advance; cover and set aside at room temperature for up to 4 hours.
Warm 1 tablespoon of the oil in a large skillet set over medium-high heat.
Add the beans, squash, corn, carrots, cumin, cayenne, and salt.
Cook, stirring often, until the squash is tender, about 5 minutes.
Stir in the papaya salsa and set aside off the heat.
Set the oven rack 4 to 6 inches from the broiler element; heat the broiler for a few minutes.
Lay the tortillas on a large, lipped baking sheet; brush them with the remaining 1 tablespoon of oil. Broil until warmed and lightly toasted, about 30 seconds.
Transfer the tortillas to 6 serving plates.
Top each with a sixth of the bean mixture (a rounded 3⁄4 cup) to serve.
