Chilaquiles Verdes with Black Beans

From the garden

• 1½ lb tomatillos, husked and rinsed of their sticky film
• 2 serranos or jalapeños, stemmed · seed one for a milder pan
• 1 large white onion, half quartered, half slivered raw for the top
• 3 cloves garlic, unpeeled
• ½ cup fresh cilantro, chopped, plus whole sprigs for the top
• 4 radishes, thinly sliced (optional) · for crunch on top

From the pantry

• 12 corn tortillas, cut into sixths, left out an hour to dry
• ½ cup vegetable oil · for frying the tortillas
• 1 cup vegetable stock
• 1 can black beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 avocado, sliced
• 1 lime, cut into wedges
• salt · to taste
• black pepper

1. Broil the tomatillos, chiles, onion quarters, and unpeeled garlic on a sheet pan 8–10 minutes, turning once, until blackened in patches and the tomatillos slump and shift from bright green to olive.
2. Slip the garlic from its skins and blend everything with the chopped cilantro, the stock, and a teaspoon of salt until nearly smooth. Taste: it should be sharply tart, because the tortillas will blunt it.
3. Heat the oil in a deep skillet over medium-high and fry the tortilla pieces in batches, 2–3 minutes each, until stiff and golden. Drain on paper towels and salt them while still hot.
4. Pour off all but a spoonful of the oil, add the salsa, and simmer 5 minutes until it thickens enough to coat a spoon. Stir in the black beans and warm them through.
5. Fold the chips in at the very last second and serve immediately, before they slump: they should be sauced but still crunching in the middle. Top with the raw onion, avocado, radish, cilantro sprigs, black pepper, and lime wedges.