Molletes con Frijol Negro

Delicious Mollete Click for Larger Photo

There is a wonderful Mexican Bread called Bolillo and they are great for tortas, and the subject of this post the wonderful Molletes. Simply delicious a Mollete is a Bolillo, relative of a French Baquette, piled with salsa, frijoles and queso and cooked for a bit until all is bubbly and heated through. As the ingredients are few it is very important that you use only the best, most flavorful ingredients.

Make your own refried beans with freshly cooked beans (a can works too) and salsa, venture into a panaderia and buy fresh bolillos. Skip the Rosarita pasty refried stuff and the overpriced picante sauce and go for the goo stuff! Fresh, vine ripened tomatoe, onions and chilies, frijoles and queso. Don’t get uptight about the bacon fat, it will make the dish excellent.

This was my Mollete today but could easily change tomorrow. Molletes are easily changed to suite your own taste; add meat if you like or keep it veggie and and cube some squash or red peppers. The possibilities are endless and enticing.

Molletes are good grub! Filling, delicious, really inexpensive, and good for you. Just a few minutes to table, very affordable and addictive. Give them a try!

2 Bolillo Rolls
1 can Black Beans
1 teaspoon Beef Base
2 teaspoons Bacon Drippings
1 cup of shredded Queso Chihuahua or if unavailable Monterrey Jack cheese
1/2 cup of Salsa

Method

Preheat the oven to 350°
Pour black beans into a saucepan with bacon drippings and beef base. Heat over medium low heat and smash beans with a bean or potato masher, mixing in the melted drippings and beef base. Continue cooking and mashing until the bans are the creaminess you prefer. Cook until thoroughly heated and creamy. You may also keep them kinda chunky if you prefer as I do.

Split the bolillos in half, lengthwise. Top each half with 1 tablespoon salsa, 1/4 cup of refried beans and 1/4 cup of cheese. Bake for 10 minutes or until cheese is melted. Serve with extra salsa and/or hot-sauce.

Optionally you can serve Molletes with tomatoes, sliced avocados, shredded cabbage or lettuce as you would another type of sandwich. I do not do this as the sandwiches are already very satisfying and large and adding extras makes them a bit unmanageable.