Homemade Tortillas and Summer Black Bean Salsa

Ingredients

• 2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting
• 1/4 cup vegetable shortening
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 3/4 cup lukewarm water (105 to 115 degrees)

Instructions

1. Combine the flour, shortening, salt, and water in a large mixing bowl, and mix until fully combined and the dough no longer sticks to the sides of the bowl, but instead, sticks to itself.
2. Lightly dust your work surface with flour. Knead the dough gently for 1 to 2 minutes, until the dough is smooth. Form it into a ball and cut it into 8 equal-sized pie-shaped wedges. Roll each wedge into a small ball and then pat it down into a flat disc shape, approximately 1/2-inch thick. Cover the now disc-shaped dough bits with a kitchen towel and let sit for 20 minutes before forming into rounds. And I use the term "rounds" quite loosely, as they will resemble misshapen rounds at best. But that's part of the joy of handcrafting tortillas - the rustic edge and odd shapes confirm that you formed these bad boys yourself.
3. When it comes time to shape the tortillas, be sure that you have enough space upon which to leave the rounds while forming the remaining dough into rounds. If you don't have enough counter space, lightly dust a 9 by 13-inch rimmed baking sheet with flour and transfer the uncooked rounds to the baking sheet, placing a layer of parchment paper or waxed paper between each layer of formed tortillas.
4. Sprinkle additional flour on your work surface, and begin making those thick discs thin and round-ish. I use my hands to form the tortillas, gently pressing the dough down evenly until it has spread out to an 8-inch approximation of a circle that is no more than an eighth of an inch thick. It's okay if there are spots that are thicker and those that are thinner as well, and if you happen to have a tear in the dough, just patch it by pinching the dough over itself and wetting it slightly with water. Remember, we're rustic tortilla cooks, we are.
5. Just as you're getting to the last three tortillas needing to be formed, heat a large, well-seasoned cast iron skillet or saute pan over medium high heat. You'll want to heat it for 5 minutes minimum, and you want to cook the tortillas dry, so no oil or butter here. However, if you choose to make a quesadilla later, I always like to use a little oil in a nonstick saute pan to replicate that bad-for-me restaurant-style appetizer version of the dish. At this stage, though, we're staying with dry heat.
6. Line a dinner plate with a paper towel, and have 7 additional paper towels at the ready.
7. Carefully transfer the first tortilla to the skillet. The dough will stretch slightly as it's being transferred, and it is very likely that only one in eight tortillas will not fold back over itself to some degree as it hits the pan. You're trying to strike a balance between gently placing the tortilla into the pan and avoiding burning your fingers. And be sure to keep an eye on that handle - it's quite hot as well, so don't go grabbing onto it while cooking your tortillas, okay?
8. The cooking process takes between 30 seconds and one minute per side, depending upon the overall thickness of the tortilla. When you first place the tortilla into the pan, wait until the dough blisters up toward you before attempting to move it. Using tongs or a sturdy spatula, lift the dough up to see how the browning is going. You want a little char, but not a fully burnt tortilla. Once the charring is at a point with which you are content, flip the tortilla over. The second side generally takes a little longer as the pan has cooled slightly with the addition of the dough. Keep a vigilant eye on the browning-slash-charring of the second side, and when it is done to your liking, move it to the paper towel-lined plate.
9. Repeat this process with the seven remaining tortillas. If you prefer a softer tortilla, simply cook them for less time on each side, and if you'd like yours to be crunchier, cook them for slightly longer on each side.

Ingredients

• 1 (15-ounce) can black beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 cup corn, from approximately 1 large ear of corn or two small ears
• 1 medium tomato, chopped, seeds removed
• 1 medium red onion or 2 medium shallots if you prefer a more mild onion flavor
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantrothe juice of one lime
• Kosher salt
• Freshly ground black pepper

Instructions

1. Combine the black beans, corn, tomato, onion, and cilantro in a large mixing bowl. Stir well to evenly distribute all of our ingredients, then add the lime juice, stirring again to combine. Salt and pepper to taste, and serve it as we've discussed, or with oven-toasted homemade tortilla chips (cut the tortillas into your desired chip shape, lightly brush each side with olive oil, and toast on a 9 by 13-inch rimmed baking sheet in a 350 degree oven until lightly browned, 5 to 7 minutes, flipping midway through the cooking time and minding them carefully as you don't want burnt chips and cooking times will vary depending upon the girth of the tortillas).