Shiitake Chilaquiles with Red Pepper-Ancho Chile Sauce and Refried Black Beans

Chilaquiles are a pretty common Mexican dish served for breakfast or brunch and more commonly eaten to cure that nasty hangover. Corn tortillas are freshly fried until crisp then tossed in a red or green sauce. Traditionally topped with eggs or shredded meats, my chilaquiles are mixed with hearty shiitake mushrooms, potatoes and soyrizo. Leftover and even stale corn tortillas are great to use for this recipe.

Smoky ancho chile sauce with red peppers, onions and spices simmered and tossed with fresh made tortilla chips. Crisp shiitake, yukon golds and soyrizo top the softened chips and are garnished with red onion, cilantro, avocado, raw carrot and radish. Serve chilaquiles with quick homemade refried beans,

Shiitake Chilaquiles

1 yukon gold, unpeeled, medium dice
2 tbl extra virgin olive oil
1/2 spanish onion, small dice
2 cups shiitake mushrooms, rough chop
3 garlic cloves, minced
salt and pepper
1/2 package soyrizo, crumbled
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp dried oregano
canola oil for frying
10 corn tortillas, cut into 6 triangles each
1/2 cup roughly chopped fresh cilantro
1/4 cup minced red onion
1 avocado, small dice
1 carrot, thinly sliced
3 radishes, thinly sliced
vegan sour cream, optional

Bring a small pot of salted water and the diced potato to a boil. Cook until tender, drain and set aside.
In a medium saute pan, heat the oil and saute the onions, mushrooms and garlic over high heat. Saute for 5-7 minutes until the mushrooms have crisped and are golden brown. Season with 1/2 tsp salt. Add the soyrizo, cooked potato, cumin and oregano. Stir to combine and heat the soyrizo through. Transfer to a plate.
Wipe the saute pan clean with a paper towel and bring back to the heat. Add a thin layer of canola oil and fry the tortillas on both sides until crisp and golden, 3 minutes. Drain on a paper towel and sprinkle with salt while still hot.
Drain all but a little bit of oil from the pan, add a ladleful of ancho sauce and toss in a handful of tortilla chips. Toss to coat the chips completely and cook over medium heat just to soften the chips slightly, 1 minute.
Transfer to a plate, top with the shiitake-soyrizo mix and garnish with cilantro, red onion, avocado, carrot and radish. Serve with refried black beans.

Red Pepper Ancho Chile Sauce

1 dried ancho chile
1/2 red pepper, rough chop
1-15oz can diced tomatoes
1/2 spanish onion, rough chop
2 garlic cloves, smashed
salt and pepper
2 tbl canola oil
1 tsp agave nectar

Bring a small pot of water to a boil. Add the dried chile and boil until soft, 4-5 minutes. Drain and put in a blender. Add the red pepper, diced tomatoes, onion, garlic, 1 tsp salt and 1/2 tsp pepper to a blender. Blend until smooth.
Heat the oil in a small pot until hot and add the chile sauce and agave. Simmer, covered for 5 minutes. Taste and adjust seasonings.

Quick Refried Black Beans
2 tbl canola oil
1/2 spanish onion, minced
1/4 cup minced green bell pepper
1 garlic clove, minced
1-15oz can black beans, drained with liquid reserved
1 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp chili powder
pinch cayenne pepper
1 tsp salt
2 tbl unsweetened dessicated coconut shreds

In a medium sauce pan, heat the oil and saute the onions and bell pepper over medium heat until soft and translucent, 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook 2 minutes more until golden brown. Add the beans, cumin, chili, cayenne and salt. Cook over medium low heat for 15 minutes, adding bean liquid if the pan gets dry.
Remove from the heat and add to a food processor, process until smooth. Taste and re-season if necessary.
Serve with coconut shreds.