Charred Spring Onions and Black Bean Tacos

Why not skip the meat with this Salad, especially for a quick weeknight dinner when you have loads of spring Charred Spring Onions and Black Bean Tacos on your hands? Which, I did because they were delivered in my CSA box last week. Spring onions are just more mature scallions which is another word for green onions. Confused? Well all of the above will work here.

Charred Onion and Black Bean Tacos
Prep time 10 mins

Cook time 25 mins

Total time 35 mins

Author: Nicola

Recipe type: Vegetarian Main

Cuisine: Mexican

Serves: 4

Ingredients

For the beans:

• a glug of olive oil
• ½ an onion
• 2-3 cloves garlic
• 1 tablespoon cumin
• ½ tablespoon smoked paprika
• 2 14-16 ounce cans of black beans
• salt to taste

For the tacos:

• 2-4 bunches of scallions or spring onions, depending on size
• 1 tablespoon pureed canned chipotles in adobo
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• tortillas
• garnishes: yogurt/sour cream, hot sauce, radishes, avocado

Instructions

1. Heat olive over medium heat in a large saucepan with high sides or dutch oven. Add onion and cook stirring until translucent.
2. Add the spices to bloom for one minute, stir and watch carefully to ensure they do not burn. Add the beans, undrained with their liquid to the pan. Cook for 10-15 minutes, adding additional water as necessary if beans dry out, until beans begin to fall apart. Beans can be mashed slightly with back of a spoon or fork if desired. Taste and add salt as needed.
3. Meanwhile, toss scallions with chipotle sauce and olive oil until coated well. Toss on the grill, until beginning to char and turn black in spots, about 4 minutes per side. Alternatively, sear in a cast iron skilled over high heat on the stove.
4. Serve tacos with black beans, onions, and other garnishes of choice.

Notes

Wine Pairing: I skipped the wine and went with a negroni-esqe cocktail. Do the same or a zippy New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc will work too.
-Using smoked paprika for additional barbecue flavor but normal sweet paprika can work in a pinch.
-If using smaller scallions, you may want to use a grill basket or string them along a skewer to avoid losing any though the grating.
-I buy a can of chipotles and store the extras in a small jar in my fridge. They keep for literally months. When rushed on time I just mash it up with a fork, but I’ve also run the whole jar through a food processor.