Belize Garnache

Garnaches are easy to make!

     Garnache is popular throughout Central America, especially in Belize.  It is traditionally served as a dinner appetizer or as an afternoon snack.  Garnache is also nice as a refreshing light lunch on a hot summer day.
     There are only a few ingredients on a garnache.  Refried beans are the featured ingredient.  Everything else on a garnache is meant to accompany the refritos.  Garnaches are very healthy and they are light on the tummy.  No meat or chile peppers are on a garnache.  Hot sauce is served on the side, for customers like spicy flavors.  Belize garnache is a special recipe with a strict list of ingredients that include cabbage.  When vinegar and salt are sprinkle on the cabbage, it becomes a cool refreshing flavor.
     Central America has dry mountain climates as well as breezy tropical ocean climates.  On a hot humid tropical day, garnaches gives relief to the heat.  The light ingredients and vinegar in a garnache cause a very nice cooling sensation.
  
     Belize Garnache:
     Heat some refried beans in a sauce pot over low heat.  (Fresh home made refried beans are the best, but canned refried beans are good for this recipe too.  You may have to add a splash of water to canned refritos.)
     Heat a large saute pan over medium/medium low heat.
     Add 2 tablespoons of vegetable oil.
     Place 1 large flour tortilla or corn tortilla in the pan.  An 8" to 10" flour tortilla is good.
     Grill both sides of the tortilla, till it becomes toasted crispy and till it becomes lightly browned.
     Remove the tortilla from the pan and place it on a counter top.
     Spread s layer of the warm refried beans over the tortilla.
     Sprinkle some shredded cabbage over the refried beans.  (Shredded kale or endive can be used too.  I used shredded endive for the garnache in the pictures.  Both are in the cabbage family of plants.)
     Sprinkle some thinly shredded carrot over the cabbage.
     Sprinkle some grated queso fresco over the carrots.
     Sprinkle a little bit of rice vinegar over the garnache.
     Sprinkle 1 or 2 pinches of sea salt over the garnache.
     Set the garnache on a plate.
     Garnish the garnache with a thick slice of lime.
     You can cut the garnache into pie shaped pieces or simply fold the garnache in half like a taco.  Garnaches are finger food!
  
     The ingredients in a garnache may sound very simple and bland, but after the first bite, the cool refreshing flavor sets in!  The vinegar and sea salt sets off the flavors of the cabbage, carrots and beans in a very pleasant way.  The lime is meant to be squeezed on the garnache.
     Belize Garnache is a very nice tasting Central American hot summer appetizer!  Delicious!  ...  Shawna