This recipe has become one of my standards over the last few years. It’s cheap, easy, tasty as left-overs and I am always sure to have the ingredients on hand. I have never really measured anything when I make this but I have written down fairly closely the proportions I use.
Red Beans and Rice
1-2 Tbsps olive oil
1 large onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, pressed
1 Tbsp organic Mexican chili powder*
2 tsps cumin seed, ground
1 28oz can tomatoes
2 tsps dried oregano
1 can kidney or black beans, drained and rinsed or 2 cups cooked
1 small zucchini, diced
salt to taste
hot chilis to taste, optional
Heat the oil in a large frying pan on a low flame. Add the onion and fry until slightly softened then add the garlic and stir fry for about a minute. Sprinkle in the ground cumin and stir fry 15 seconds or so then add the Mexican chili powder and fry a few seconds more. Add the tomatoes with the juice, breaking them up with your spoon. Add the oregano and hot chilies if desired then leave on low heat to simmer for a good hour or so, stirring now and then. When the sauce is beginning to thicken nicely, add the drained beans and diced zucchini. Continue to simmer for another 30 minutes or so until quite thick. Season with salt to taste (1/4-1/2 tsp should be plenty.)
Serve on brown rice.
Sprinkle with cheddar cheese, (optional).
Makes 4 servings.
* Organic Mexican chili powder -found in many health food stores- is a radically different product than the commercial type you find in regular grocery stores. Commercial brands often have anti-caking agents, sugar, fillers and dyes added. The taste is quite different as well. Go for the good stuff!
Showing posts with label beans. Show all posts
Showing posts with label beans. Show all posts
Monday, February 25, 2008
Sunday, February 17, 2008
Garlicky Black Bean Soup
I don’t remember where I found this great soup recipe but surely somewhere on the internet. Quick and hearty, this a simple fix on a cold day. The original suggested garnishing each bowl with both cheddar cheese and sour cream but I omit both and find it very satisfying anyway. Feel free to go for it if you like.
Black Bean Soup
2 tsp olive oil
1/2 cup chopped onion
1 medium carrot, diced
5 cloves of garlic, crushed and divided in two portions
1 tsp cumin
black pepper to taste
1/2 tsp salt
1 jalapeño pepper, seeds scraped and set aside, flesh scraped of pith and diced
1 can black beans with liquid or two cups with ½ cup cooking liquid
3/4 cup orange juice
2 Italian tomatoes, diced
optional toppings:
grated cheddar cheese
red or green onion, diced, fine
chopped cilantro
avocado
sour cream
In a medium saucepan, sauté the onion, carrot and half the garlic in the olive oil over low heat until very tender; about 5-10 minutes. Add the diced jalapeño pepper and seeds with the rest of the garlic, cumin, pepper and salt and sauté another 2 minutes. Add the cooked beans and mix thoroughly.
Add in the orange juice and tomatoes. Pureé some or all of the soup in a food processor then return to the pot.
If you prefer a thinner soup, add a cup of water. Simmer over medium-low heat for 10-15 minutes. Ladle into bowls, add selected toppings and serve.
Black Bean Soup
2 tsp olive oil
1/2 cup chopped onion
1 medium carrot, diced
5 cloves of garlic, crushed and divided in two portions
1 tsp cumin
black pepper to taste
1/2 tsp salt
1 jalapeño pepper, seeds scraped and set aside, flesh scraped of pith and diced
1 can black beans with liquid or two cups with ½ cup cooking liquid
3/4 cup orange juice
2 Italian tomatoes, diced
optional toppings:
grated cheddar cheese
red or green onion, diced, fine
chopped cilantro
avocado
sour cream
In a medium saucepan, sauté the onion, carrot and half the garlic in the olive oil over low heat until very tender; about 5-10 minutes. Add the diced jalapeño pepper and seeds with the rest of the garlic, cumin, pepper and salt and sauté another 2 minutes. Add the cooked beans and mix thoroughly.
Add in the orange juice and tomatoes. Pureé some or all of the soup in a food processor then return to the pot.
If you prefer a thinner soup, add a cup of water. Simmer over medium-low heat for 10-15 minutes. Ladle into bowls, add selected toppings and serve.
Thursday, January 24, 2008
Michael's Black Bean and Lemon Salsa Burritos
Hello everyone! I thought I would start off my posting career here at Amanda's Kitchen Blog with one of my favorite and most appreciated recipes.
A few blocks away from me on Sherbrooke in NDG is a shoe-box restaurant called "Burritoville" which has a small but excellent menu of vegetarian, organic Mexican food. Owned and run by the ever-friendly Johno and his wife Ruby, Burritoville is a vegetarian oasis in a neighborhood sadly bereft of healthy food options. I often drop in and order a sweet potato burrito on those occasions when I am not in the mood to cook.
Inspired by Johno’s burritos, I developed my own--very different--recipe about a year ago. Unlike popping in to Burritoville, making the sauce is time consuming but well worth the wait. The intense lemon flavour of the sauce combines well with the brown rice, sharp cheddar and refried black beans. This has been a great hit with guests and because everything can be made ahead, reheated and assembled at the last minute, this recipe makes for an easy dinner party meal with a salad, some pickles, hot sauces (la Costena brand chipotle sauce is excellent with these) and guacamole with tortilla chips.
Also, a word about organics; aside from all the health and environmental benefits of organic and natural products, the truth is that not everyone can afford to eat all organic all the time. If you can, please do so. If not, please note that when I suggest that something be organic, it is usually because I have found that the non-organic equivalent is very markedly inferior in taste or texture and changes the over-all character of the recipe.
Lemon-Cumin Salsa
2- 28 oz cans of Italian tomatoes
2 largish onions, chopped (at least 2 cups worth)
2-4 cloves garlic, pressed- to taste
1 ½ cups freshly squeezed lemon juice*
2 medium jalapeno peppers, deveined, and minced with seeds
½ tsp pepper
2-3 tsp cumin seeds or more to taste; pan roasted, and ground finely in a mortar**
1 tsp organic sea salt***
organic sugar preferably sucanat, to taste (to reduce acidity)
Combine all ingredients up to but not including the salt and sugar in a saucepan, bring to a boil then simmer on a very low heat until extremely thick- a wooden spoon should stand in it. This may take 3-4 hours depending on the size pot you use. Stir every 15 minutes or so to avoid burning. Expect the sauce to be reduced by 1/3 - 1/2 in volume. Add 1/2 tsp of salt and taste. Add sugar by the teaspoon and taste after each addition- you just want to reduce the acidity, not make the sauce sweet so go easy. Add remainder of salt if needed. The flavour of the sauce should be bold to stand out in the finished burrito.This sauce does not freeze well- the lemon flavour dies off, but left-over sauce is great with tortilla chips and melted cheese as a snack.
*Use fresh squeezed lemon juice, not the bottled essence of long dead lemons. It really does make all the difference!
** Pre-ground cumin may be used but cumin is one spice that is easy to dry roast in a pan over low heat for 3-4 minutes and to grind yourself. The flavour is much better than store bought spice that has been sitting around awhile.
*** I strongly urge everyone to use unbleached organic sea-salt exclusively in cooking. It must be gray in colour which indicates that the natural minerals are still present. Aside from being denatured, bleached or white salt has an acrid taste which you will notice in everything made with it once you switch to the good stuff.
Sesame Refried Black Beans
1 can (540ml-19oz) black beans, drained with liquid reserved.*
2 Tbsp organic sesame oil (I use Soleil D’Or brand)
1 cup diced onion
3 cloves garlic, pressed
1 1/2 tsp cumin seeds or more to taste; pan roasted, and ground finely in a mortar
1/4 tsp pepper
1/2 tsp organic sea-salt- or to taste
Heat the oil in a large frying pan. Add onion and fry gently until well softened. Add garlic and fry 1 minute or so. Add cumin and pepper. Stir in 2-3 times then add the drained black beans and 1/2 cup of the reserved liquid. Add water if there wasn’t enough. Using a potato masher or the back of a large wooden spoon, mash the beans well. Cook over a medium heat, stirring frequently until the liquid is mostly absorbed but the beans are still spreadable. Add salt as desired. A good rule of thumb is when you start to see that the beans do not quickly flow back into place after you have stirred them, they are probably about right.
Use the beans right away in your burritos or if made ahead, reheat gently in a frying pan with a little extra water until bubbling and warm.
* Clic Brand is the only non-organic brand I have found that do not use EDTA in their canned black beans; I recommend them. If you prefer to soak and cook your own beans--more power to you! You will need about 2 cups of cooked beans.
To Assemble the Burritos
You will need:
1 recipe Lemon-Cumin Salsa
1 recipe Sesame Refried Black Beans
Cooked, hot brown rice
Grated medium or sharp cheddar cheese
Large wheat tortillas--I use whole wheat/flax ones
wax paper or time foil to wrap-–optional
Using a large, dry frying pan or griddle, warm a tortilla for a few seconds on each side. Place a large dollop of black beans in the center and spread out in a strip about two inches wide that goes from the top of the tortilla to about 2/3 of the way down it. Add about 1/3- 1/2 cup of brown rice and spread out on top of the refried beans. Cover the rice with a couple of spoonfuls of the sauce- be generous but not so much so that it becomes too slurpy- it will make it too difficult to hold and eat. Top sauce with 2-3 Tbsps grated cheddar.
Note: Try not to go overboard loading the tortillas--if you can’t fold them over enough, eating them will be definitely tricky and messy! Fold the empty bottom of the tortilla up over the layered ingredients. Pull one side of the tortilla over snugly and then the other, wrapping it up gently but firmly. If desired, wrap the bottom half of the burrito in wax paper or tin foil to facilitate holding. You may want to tap the bottoms of the burritos on the counter a couple times to tamp down the filling.
Make sure you have plenty of fixings on hand. Hearty as they are, many people want two.
Live, Love and Be Well!
A few blocks away from me on Sherbrooke in NDG is a shoe-box restaurant called "Burritoville" which has a small but excellent menu of vegetarian, organic Mexican food. Owned and run by the ever-friendly Johno and his wife Ruby, Burritoville is a vegetarian oasis in a neighborhood sadly bereft of healthy food options. I often drop in and order a sweet potato burrito on those occasions when I am not in the mood to cook.
Inspired by Johno’s burritos, I developed my own--very different--recipe about a year ago. Unlike popping in to Burritoville, making the sauce is time consuming but well worth the wait. The intense lemon flavour of the sauce combines well with the brown rice, sharp cheddar and refried black beans. This has been a great hit with guests and because everything can be made ahead, reheated and assembled at the last minute, this recipe makes for an easy dinner party meal with a salad, some pickles, hot sauces (la Costena brand chipotle sauce is excellent with these) and guacamole with tortilla chips.
Also, a word about organics; aside from all the health and environmental benefits of organic and natural products, the truth is that not everyone can afford to eat all organic all the time. If you can, please do so. If not, please note that when I suggest that something be organic, it is usually because I have found that the non-organic equivalent is very markedly inferior in taste or texture and changes the over-all character of the recipe.
Lemon-Cumin Salsa
2- 28 oz cans of Italian tomatoes
2 largish onions, chopped (at least 2 cups worth)
2-4 cloves garlic, pressed- to taste
1 ½ cups freshly squeezed lemon juice*
2 medium jalapeno peppers, deveined, and minced with seeds
½ tsp pepper
2-3 tsp cumin seeds or more to taste; pan roasted, and ground finely in a mortar**
1 tsp organic sea salt***
organic sugar preferably sucanat, to taste (to reduce acidity)
Combine all ingredients up to but not including the salt and sugar in a saucepan, bring to a boil then simmer on a very low heat until extremely thick- a wooden spoon should stand in it. This may take 3-4 hours depending on the size pot you use. Stir every 15 minutes or so to avoid burning. Expect the sauce to be reduced by 1/3 - 1/2 in volume. Add 1/2 tsp of salt and taste. Add sugar by the teaspoon and taste after each addition- you just want to reduce the acidity, not make the sauce sweet so go easy. Add remainder of salt if needed. The flavour of the sauce should be bold to stand out in the finished burrito.This sauce does not freeze well- the lemon flavour dies off, but left-over sauce is great with tortilla chips and melted cheese as a snack.
*Use fresh squeezed lemon juice, not the bottled essence of long dead lemons. It really does make all the difference!
** Pre-ground cumin may be used but cumin is one spice that is easy to dry roast in a pan over low heat for 3-4 minutes and to grind yourself. The flavour is much better than store bought spice that has been sitting around awhile.
*** I strongly urge everyone to use unbleached organic sea-salt exclusively in cooking. It must be gray in colour which indicates that the natural minerals are still present. Aside from being denatured, bleached or white salt has an acrid taste which you will notice in everything made with it once you switch to the good stuff.
Sesame Refried Black Beans
1 can (540ml-19oz) black beans, drained with liquid reserved.*
2 Tbsp organic sesame oil (I use Soleil D’Or brand)
1 cup diced onion
3 cloves garlic, pressed
1 1/2 tsp cumin seeds or more to taste; pan roasted, and ground finely in a mortar
1/4 tsp pepper
1/2 tsp organic sea-salt- or to taste
Heat the oil in a large frying pan. Add onion and fry gently until well softened. Add garlic and fry 1 minute or so. Add cumin and pepper. Stir in 2-3 times then add the drained black beans and 1/2 cup of the reserved liquid. Add water if there wasn’t enough. Using a potato masher or the back of a large wooden spoon, mash the beans well. Cook over a medium heat, stirring frequently until the liquid is mostly absorbed but the beans are still spreadable. Add salt as desired. A good rule of thumb is when you start to see that the beans do not quickly flow back into place after you have stirred them, they are probably about right.
Use the beans right away in your burritos or if made ahead, reheat gently in a frying pan with a little extra water until bubbling and warm.
* Clic Brand is the only non-organic brand I have found that do not use EDTA in their canned black beans; I recommend them. If you prefer to soak and cook your own beans--more power to you! You will need about 2 cups of cooked beans.
To Assemble the Burritos
You will need:
1 recipe Lemon-Cumin Salsa
1 recipe Sesame Refried Black Beans
Cooked, hot brown rice
Grated medium or sharp cheddar cheese
Large wheat tortillas--I use whole wheat/flax ones
wax paper or time foil to wrap-–optional
Using a large, dry frying pan or griddle, warm a tortilla for a few seconds on each side. Place a large dollop of black beans in the center and spread out in a strip about two inches wide that goes from the top of the tortilla to about 2/3 of the way down it. Add about 1/3- 1/2 cup of brown rice and spread out on top of the refried beans. Cover the rice with a couple of spoonfuls of the sauce- be generous but not so much so that it becomes too slurpy- it will make it too difficult to hold and eat. Top sauce with 2-3 Tbsps grated cheddar.
Note: Try not to go overboard loading the tortillas--if you can’t fold them over enough, eating them will be definitely tricky and messy! Fold the empty bottom of the tortilla up over the layered ingredients. Pull one side of the tortilla over snugly and then the other, wrapping it up gently but firmly. If desired, wrap the bottom half of the burrito in wax paper or tin foil to facilitate holding. You may want to tap the bottoms of the burritos on the counter a couple times to tamp down the filling.
Make sure you have plenty of fixings on hand. Hearty as they are, many people want two.
Live, Love and Be Well!
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