When I was growing up, one of my mother’s holiday specialties was something she called “Texas Salad,” similar to something others call taco salad, although hers didn’t include ground beef. It was basically a head of iceberg lettuce, a couple cans of pinto beans, a block of Cheddar cheese, a bag of Fritos, and a whole bottle of Catalina French-style dressing, along with a red onion and a tomato or two. Okay, here’s my confession: I loved it, the first day more than the second (although others in my family would say the reverse). My tastes have gotten a little more sophisticated since then, but I still appreciate what my Mom was going for: sweet and sour, crunchy and fresh, a little protein, and a little fat. I’ve had fun updating it, but, Mom, you’ll notice, I’ve kept all your principles intact.

　　

Ingredients

2 tablespoons peanut oil

　　1 corn tortilla, preferably homemade (page 84)

　　2 cups packed, torn romaine lettuce leaves

　　1/2 cup cooked black beans, preferably homemade (page 47), rinsed and drained

　　1 scallion, white and green parts, thinly sliced on the diagonal

　　2 ounces feta cheese, crumbled

　　2 large pieces 12-Hour Tomatoes (page 2), drained

　　2 tablespoons Cilantro Vinaigrette (page 9)

　　

Step 1

Line a plate with paper towels. Pour the oil into a small skillet over medium-heat. When it starts to shimmer, add the tortilla and fry it on each side until crispy and golden brown, 1 to 2 minutes. Transfer the tortilla to the paper towel–lined plate. When it cools, break it up into bite-size pieces.

　　

Step 2

In a large bowl, toss the lettuce with the tortilla pieces, black beans, scallion, feta, tomatoes, and vinaigrette, and eat.

　　Cooks' Note

　　If you don’t have 12-Hour Tomatoes (page 2) in your refrigerator, you can substitute 3 or 4 oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes.

　　Reprinted with permission from Serve Yourself: Nightly Adventures in Cooking for One by Joe Yonan. Text copyright © 2011 by Joe Yonan; photographs copyright © 2011 by Ed Anderson. Published by Ten Speed Press, an imprint of the Crown Publishing Group, a division of Random House, Inc.Joe Yonan is the food and travel editor at the Washington Post, where he writes the award-winning "Cooking for One" column. Joe's work also earned the Post the 2009 and 2010 James Beard Foundation's award for best food section. He is the former travel editor at the Boston Globe. Visit www.joeyonan.com.