Chorizo, Black Bean and Rice Tacos

We picked up some fresh chorizo recently.  I didn't have a specific recipe in mind for it when we bought it, but eventually I decided to just mix it up with some beans and rice and make tacos with it.  The result was quite tasty, and made great leftovers, which provided me with several meals at work over the following few days.

Note that I used fresh chorizo with this, which cooks up as loose sausage and mixes in thoroughly with other ingredients and flavors everything.  You can also use smoked chorizo, by slicing it into thin slices and perhaps quartering the thin slices before cooking.  This will result in the chorizo flavor being more concentrated, but either option should be equally excellent.

Chorizo, Black Bean and Rice Tacos

yield = 20 tacos

1       tablespoon butter
1       cup long-grain rice, uncooked
2       teaspoons vegetable oil
12     ounces chorizo
1       onion, chopped fine
2       jalapeno peppers, seeded and chopped
2       teaspoons chipotle peppers in adobo sauce, chopped
1       teaspoon minced garlic
1       teaspoon ground cumin
1       can diced tomatoes
1       can black beans, drained
1 1/2 cup chicken broth
         fresh or store-bought tortillas
2-3   cups freshly-grated, white Mexican cheese
         (such as quesa blanco, quesa quesadilla, asadero or oaxaca)
         chopped lettuce, cilantro or jalapenos, sour cream or other toppings
         (optional)

Add the butter to a pan and heat to boiling over medium heat.  Add the rice and stir-fry, stirring almost constantly to prevent burning.  Cook the rice until it is golden-brown, then remove it from the pan.

Add the vegetable oil to the pan and heat it until it is shimmering.  Add the chorizo, onions, jalapenos, chipotles and garlic and stir-fry until the onion is softened.  Stir in the cumin and cook until fragrant, about 45 seconds, then add the diced tomatoes, the black beans, the chicken broth and the browned rice.  Cover and cook until all the liquid is absorbed and the rice is tender; add additional chicken broth or water if needed.

Warm as many tortillas as needed.  Spread a large spoon full of the sausage mixture on one side of each tortilla, then top with cheese and other toppings to taste, roll up and serve.