Black Bean and Swiss Chard Mexican Lasagna

Last Sunday, my friend Casey suggested I make baked eggs for dinner. Truth be told, they sounded delicious. A bit of heavy cream, topped with whatever cheese and herbs you have handy. Crack an egg or two over the top, and bake it all in the oven. You get a runny yolk that spills over onto the cheese and herbs.

Yum.

There was just one big problem. Baked eggs don't reheat well.

If I made baked eggs for dinner Sunday, I'd have no lunch option come Monday. Or Tuesday. Or Wednesday.

I'd be forced to reheat an Amy's frozen burrito, or wait in line behind twenty children to buy a bagel and cream cheese. And, since it was only Sunday, I knew I'd be facing a whole week of that kind of eating if I didn't prepare something more practical tight away.

This lasagna certainly falls under that category. It's a layered dish, with layers of tortillas, queso fresco, swiss chard and mushrooms, and black beans and corn. Not the first dish most people conjure up when they hear the word lasagna.

Delicious nonetheless.

This dish is hearty and healthy. It comes together quickly (particularly if you cheat a little with store-bought enchilada sauce like I did). I made enough for two lasagnas and threw one right into the freezer before baking it. The perfect solution for the next week when I'm not sure what to make on a Sunday.


Black Bean and Swiss Chard Mexican Lasagna
recipe adapted from Dana Treat

Ingredients
1 can enchilada sauce (or one batch of your favorite, homemade sauce)
2 medium portabello mushrooms, cleaned with gills cut out, finely sliced
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 tablespoons olive oil, used separately
1 bunch swiss chard, leaves off the stalks and roughly chopped
1/8 teaspoon red chili flakes
 1 small yellow onion, diced
1 15-ounce can black beans
1 cup corn, frozen
8-12 corn tortillas
1/4 cup sour cream
6 ounces queso fresco

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

Prepare the beans: In a medium saucepan over medium heat, saute the chopped onion until golden, about 10 minutes. Add the black beans (undrained, to add a little liquid to the mixture). Using a potato masher or a large spoon, mash the black beans to a coarse puree. The mixture should be spreadable but not runny. Add 1 cup frozen corn, and allow the mixture to heat. Taste, and add salt.

Prepare the swiss chard filling: In a large saucepan over medium heat, heat 1 tablespoon olive oil. Add the mushrooms and a bit of salt. Saute, stirring regularly, until the mushrooms begin to give off liquid. Add the garlic and continue stirring. About 1 minute later, add the swiss chard leaves, and saute the leaves until they are softened and wilted, about 8 minutes. Add a sprinkle of red pepper flakes for heat and salt to taste.

Assemble the dish: Starting from the bottom of the dish, add the following layers:

• 1/3 can of enchilada sauce
• tortilla layer, barely overlapping
• all the black beans and corn
• tortilla layer, barely overlapping
• 1/3 can of enchilada sauce
• 1/8 cup sour cream
• 3 ounces crumbled queso fresco
• swiss chard and mushroom filling
• tortilla layer, barely overlapping
• 1/3 can of enchilada sauce
• 1/8 cup sour cream
• 3 ounces crumbled queso freco

Bake the dish uncovered for bout 20 minutes, until bubbly. Let stand a few minutes, and then slice and serve!

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