Sandal-Shaped Masa Cakes with Diced Cactus Paddles and Beans | culture: the word on cheese

Ingredients

• 1 pound masa
• 1 tablespoon corn oil
• 2 cups dry black beans (rinsed)
• ½ small white onion (quartered)
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt (plus more to taste)
• 4 medium tomatillos (husks removed, coarsely chopped)
• 1 whole serrano pepper (stemmed (remove seeds for milder salsa))
• 2 medium cloves garlic
• 1 tablespoon finely chopped white onion
• ¼ small bunch cilantro (tough stems removed, roughly chopped)
• ½ teaspoon kosher salt (plus more to taste)
• 4 nopales (cactus paddles)
• 2 tablespoons pork lard
• 8 ounces quesillo cheese (shredded)