- Serves two people
- 1 large or two small Vidalia onions
- 1/2 lime
- 1 tsp. ground cumin
- 1 can black beans – drained
- 2 small tomatoes – diced
- 1 large red onion – diced
- 3 garlic cloves – minced
- 2 Tbsp. high-heat oil – I like coconut
- salt & ground pepper to taste
- 1/2 ripe avocado
- 5 medium-sized corn tortillas
Surrounded by Hispanic co-workers, I grasp a little bit of Spanglish and cultural insights here and there. Along with the different ways to say “pancakes” in Spain versus the Dominican Republic versus Puerto Rico, I learn about the integral ingredient in all savory food: limón. I have come to covet this fruta verde, incorporating it into more and more of my dishes.
With spring afoot, I have been eyeing the fresh Vidalia onions at the market with lime in hand. Onions roasted are divine, but seared with lime juice is the next step up. The blackened root imparts a tangy taste that I love, especially atop savory tacos.
To accentuate the flavor in the onions, I tried two methods of cooking: pan-searing and roasting in the oven. The latter takes a good half hour – and I couldn’t wait that long. Long before that batch was done cooking at 400°F, I was nibbling on strips from the cast-iron.