Tostadas

Since my experimentation with soy "meats" started, my husband has been afraid to come to the dinner table...And I can't say I blame him. I'm sure there is an art to serving soy replacement meats, but I would rather share my successes here rather than bore you with failures. I also couldn't risk my man's trust and faith in my culinary vegan adventure either. So I fell back to an old stand by, tostadas. What could go wrong when you fry any ingredient? Here corn tortillas, but the longer you fry it, the more crispy it gets; better tasting than bagged chips even! Warm up a can of refried beans (vegetarian of course). Saute onions and mushrooms. Buy your favorite olives, salsa and green salad mix, and HOLA! Comida es claro.

VEGAN TOSTADAS

corn tortillas

4-6 tablespoons frying oil

refried beans (canned)

1 medium onion

3 green onions

8-12 ounces mushrooms (1/2 pkg)

2 tablespoons olive oil

fresh salsa

olives

green salad mix

avocado (optional)

1. Chop medium onion, mushrooms and green onions and set aside.


2. Heat small heavy skillet on high heat a few minutes, before pouring the frying oil to cover bottom of pan by one inch depth. You know when the oil is hot enough to fry when the tortilla bubbles the second it touches the oil. I always lay a piece of tortilla in the cold oil, and when I hear the sizzle, I discard it. Use tongs to flip tortillas, cook one or two minutes per side, depending on you desired crispness. Collect fried corn discs between paper towels and keep warm in covered dish or oven.


3. Heat another medium skillet on medium heat. Put olive oil in pan, add red, yellow, or white chopped onions. Cook 3-4 minutes, then add mushrooms. Cook together 5-7 more minutes until the mushrooms are almost done, then add green onions last, and turn down to low heat.


4. Heat through refried beans on the stove or microwave.


5. Set out salsa, olives and green salad on table.


6. Layer the beans thinly on the tortilla first. Then spoon the onion, mushroom mixture on top. Let your family and dinner guests put the rest of the ingredients on from the table. These tostadas have plenty of flavor without avocados, in case they are out of season. By the way, my husband displayed great gluttony with mucho gusto!