Chopped Lacosecha Recipe

1. Wash and spin-dry romaine lettuce. Chop into roughly 1/2- to 3/4-inch pieces and place in a large mixing bowl.

2. Peel (if desired) and seed the cucumber, then dice into 1/2-inch pieces. Add to the bowl with romaine.

3. Halve the cherry tomatoes (or quarter if large). Add to the bowl.

4. Thinly slice radishes into half-moons and add to the bowl.

5. Roughly chop cilantro leaves and tender stems and add to the bowl. Toss gently to combine the salad base ingredients.

6. Rinse and drain cooked black beans well. Pat dry with a towel if they are very wet, then add to the salad bowl.

7. Cut the avocado in half, remove the pit, and dice into 1/2-inch pieces. If you prefer slices, slice instead. Gently fold avocado into the salad to avoid mashing.

8. Crumble cotija cheese over the assembled salad ingredients and lightly toss to distribute.

9. Prepare oven and tortillas

Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C). Stack the corn tortillas and cut each into 6 wedges (like pizza). Arrange wedges in a single layer on a parchment-lined baking sheet.

10. In a small bowl, mash the 1/2 avocado with lime juice, olive oil, salt, and pepper until relatively smooth but slightly chunky.

11. Lightly brush or smear about half of the avocado mixture onto each tortilla wedge (a thin coating is fine). Reserve any extra avocado for the salad if desired.

12. Bake the avocado-topped tortilla wedges for 8–10 minutes, until crisp and edges are golden. Remove from oven and let cool on a rack — they will continue to crisp as they cool.

13. In a medium bowl, whisk together mayonnaise, sour cream, and buttermilk until smooth and slightly thickened.

14. Add the chopped chives, dill, minced garlic, lemon juice, salt, and pepper. Whisk to combine and taste; adjust seasoning with more salt, pepper, or lemon as needed.

15. If you prefer a thinner dressing, whisk in additional buttermilk 1 tablespoon at a time until you reach the desired consistency. Refrigerate the dressing for at least 10 minutes to let flavors meld if time allows.

16. Drizzle the romaine/cucumber/tomato mixture with 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil and 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice. Toss gently to coat. Season lightly with salt and black pepper to taste.

17. Spoon or toss the buttermilk ranch over the salad just before serving — start with about 3–4 tablespoons for the full salad and serve extra on the side.

18. Scatter any remaining cotija and a few additional cilantro leaves over the top for garnish.

19. Place the tortilla avocado chips around or on top of the salad for crunch. Optionally serve additional chips on the side.