On the lighter side

Ok, the last post is decidedly a downer, so today we'll discuss something a little lighter, a little more inspiring.
Food.

My sister, Rocco and I are meeting at Havanas tonight, on Commercial. I haven't seen my sis since before leaving to Alberta, so I'm really looking forward to it. The food at Havana (and the drinks) set a high standard for the Drive so this evening will include not only good company, but great food. Havanas is Cuban, obviously, but they serve burgers and the like with Cuban flair. I've never been to Cuba so I don't know what the food is like or what constitutes Cuban specialties. Right about now I would devour anything bean-y, I'm probably a little short on protein these days. If I was cooking at home tonight, this would be the menu:
Homemade salsa (tomatoes, cilantro, red onion, lime juice, jalapeno) & chips
Side salad with fire escape lettuce, shredded cabbage, seeds and nuts, lemon vinaigrette
Tostadas

Toastadas, you ask? Yum! Take a corn tortilla, dampen it with a bit of water, drape it over an upturned bowl, and bake it in the oven (400F) for maybe 4 minutes until it has wilted to take on the shape of the upside down bowl and is not yet brown. These are the bowls that will hold the goodies.
To make the goodies, heat a bit of oil in a saucepan, sauté diced white onion, add cumin, hot pepper flakes, and chilli powder. When the spices become aromatic, add a can of black beans (drained and rinsed) and some lime juice, maybe also a splash of water, or, even better, tequila. Cook until the beans are warmed through; if you feel like it you can mash them down a bit with a potato masher. Meanwhile, dice red pepper, shred some iceberg lettuce, dice red onion, avocado, and fresh tomatoes. Grate some cheese, either cheddar or feta. When the beans are done, ladle a large spoonful into one of the tortilla bowls. Top with lettuce, red pepper, avocado, onion, tomatoes and cheese.

Well, now that I'm salivating at the thought of fresh tostadas, Havanas better offer them on the menu. As I recall, no such thing is on the menu so I will have to "settle" for whatever they offer. This may mean that tostadas show up on the kitchen table one night soon - who's interested? I might add mojitos to the meal since our fire escape mint is overflowing and needs to be crushed up with some rum and soda. Seriously now, who could resist such a spread? I’m taking reservations…