Yam and Black Bean Tostadas with Avocado

• 2 lb garnet yams or sweet potatoes
• 2 c. cooked black beans
• 4 small corn tortillas
• 1 or 2 large eggs
• fine sea salt and pepper
• 2 T. unsalted butter or olive oil
• zest and juice of 1 lime (optional)
• 1 bunch watercress, washed and stemmed
• finishing oil for drizzling
• 1 large, ripe avocado, peeled, pitted and sliced

Preheat oven to 375.  Prick the yams with a fork and roast until they can easily be pierced with a fork, 35-45 minutes.

Warm the beans with 2-3 T. water--just enough to make them saucy--in a small skillet over low heat.  Keep warm.

Fry an egg or two sunny-side up.  Season the egg with salt and pepper.  Set aside.

Remove the yams from the oven, split open, and scoop out the flesh into a medium bowl.  Discard the skins.  Mash in the butter and lime zest and juice (if using) with a fork until smooth.  Season with salt.

Layer the yam mash of plates or a large platter and top with the tortillas.  Drizzle the watercress with finishing oil and season the avocado with pepper.  Layer the beans on the tortillas and top with the fried egg, watercress, and avocado.  Serve warm.

Serves 2-4.

VERDICT:  I've omitted a step from the cookbook here wherein you fried tortillas in oil on the stovetop.  Instead, I sprayed tortillas with oil and cooked them in the oven--a little over ten minutes, flipping a couple of times--then rested them on paper towels until called for.  I think the egg here is optional, but the lime in the yams is not.  Very good--keep.