Peruvian Beans and Rice (Tacu Tacu)

Salsa Criolla
1/2 small red onion, thinly sliced
2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro leaves
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
1/4 teaspoon aji amarillo paste (or 1 teaspoon Tabasco or other pepper sauce)
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt

Tacu Tacu
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
1/2 small red onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, chopped
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more to taste
1 teaspoon aji amarillo (chili) paste (or 2 teaspoons Tabasco or other pepper sauce)
2 cups cooked or canned canary (Peruano) beans, pinto beans, or kidney beans, drained and rinsed
1 cup cold (preferably day-old) cooked white rice
1 tablespoon chopped fresh flat leaf parsley leaves
1 tablespoon chopped fresh oregano or 1 1/2 teaspoons dried oregano
1 lime, cut into wedges

Make the salsa:
In a medium bowl, combine the onion with enough cold water to cover, and let sit for at least 10 minutes, then drain.  Toss with the cilantro, lime juice, chili paste/sauce, and salt.

Make the tacu tacu:
In a 10-inch nonstick skillet over medium-high heat, heat 1 tablespoon of the oil until shimmering.  Stir in the onion and garlic and cook, stirring, until lightly browned, 5 to 6 minutes.  Stir in the salt and chili paste/sauce, and scrape the mixture into the bowl of a food processor.  Wipe out the skillet.

Add 1 cup of the beans to the food processor and puree briefly until mostly smooth but still chunky.  Scrape the mixture into a large bowl.  Add the remaining 1 cup beans (left whole), rice, parsley, and oregano to the bowl and stir to thoroughly combine.  Taste, and add more salt if needed.

Return the skillet to medium heat and pour in another 1 tablespoon oil.  Add the rice-and-bean mixture and use a spatula to spread it around evenly and lightly pack it down.  Cook until deeply browned on the bottom, about 7 minutes.  Remove from the heat, invert a plate (preferably with no rim) on top of the skillet, and carefully flip both over to land the bean-and-rice cake bottom-side up onto the plate.  Return the skillet to medium heat, pour in the remaining 1 tablespoon oil, and slide the cake back into the skillet.  Cook for another 7 minutes, or until deeply browned on the other side, then invert the plate and flip the skillet over again to land the cake onto the plate.  If the cake cracks or breaks apart, just pat it back together.

Top with the salsa and serve with lime wedges.

Serves 2-4.

From the Washington Post, adapted from Cool Beans by Joe Yonan