Black beans and rice - to nice to be mild

Some nights, I just want something hot and filling for dinner; and I don't really seem to care what that contains. There's a specific texture I'm looking for--silken without sauce--that always comes to mind when I think of rice and beans. I think it's a perfect dinner for any night. My SO thinks its bland. We live in two different worlds of taste. He's a fire-eater and I, alas, am not.

So this is my non-fire-eating version, which he thinks is just OK. More for me!

I like making beans from scratch, but in the spring--when the beans take 2+ hours to cook, being that they are so very old, I use canned. I drained 1 can of black beans and 1 can of navy beans and rinsed the beans well. This gets rid of a lot of salt, and I've always found the thick bean liquid in cans rather disgusting.

Once well-drained, I carefully diced up a yellow onion, red bell pepper, chipotle pepper in adobe sauce, two-ounces of medium chorizo, and 4 garlic cloves. I warmed olive oil in a pan, then added the onions and bell peppers, stirring occasionally until the onions wilted.

Then I added the rest of the vegetables. I cooked the rice separately (in water). When it was done, I added the beans and rice to the pan along with 2 cups of home-made chicken broth. This replaces the bean cooking liquid required by the original recipe and adds a lot of flavour.

Stir well to incorporate, add the spices, and allow to simmer. The cooked rice will absorb a lot of the liquid. If it comes to a boil, turn off the heat and uncover to allow the steam to escape. Serve it hot topped with cilantro and lime.

Ingredients
1 cup dried black beans (3 cups cooked)
1 two-ounce link chorizo, diced
1 onion, coarsely chopped
1 red bell pepper, coarseley chopped
1 chipotle pepper in adobe sauce, diced
4 garlic cloves
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 tablespoon cumin
1 cup white rice
1/4 cup chopped cilantro leaves
1 lime, juiced

Directions
1. Bring 1 1/2 cups water and 1/2 teaspoon salt to a boil; add the rice, reduce heat to low, and cook, covered, for 15 minutes. Remove from heat and let stand for 5 minutes more. Fluff with a fork and then spoon some rice into each bowl.

2. Drain the beans. Dice the onion, pepper, and garlic. Heat the oil over medium-high in a large sauce pan, and add the minced vegetables, chorizo, and cumin. Cook, stirring often, until the vegetables soften somewhat, about 5 minutes. Add the drained beans, cilantro, cooked rice, and 2 cups of broth. Bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer and cook off any extra liquid.

3. Remove the beans from the heat and stir in the lime juice and top with cilantro. Serve hot.

A lunch-time salad

A brightly colored and crunchy salad that doesn't use lettuce. A great summer time lunch or a side-dish for grilled meats.

Prep time: 10 minutes
Cooking time: 0 minutes
Serves: 5 (main course), 10 (side dish)
Version: 2.0
Original: Colorful black bean and crab salad.
Posted by Just Call Me Martha on Oct 2, 2002

Notes/Modifications

I was looking for a low-gi lunch salad that didin't use lettuce. I'm really not sure how well I did, but I do enjoy this salad.

The salad recipe originates on Recipezaar. I liked the idea of the salad, but not the corn or the jalapeno peppers. The sauce is very strong and not office-friendly. In future I'd cut the garlic down to 1 clove, and grate it instead of mincing. I'm currently serving the salad with an extra-virgin olive oil based Italian dressing, although it goes well with almost any vinagrette.

Equipment required

• Cutting board & knife.
• Measuring cups & spoons.
• Non-reactive salad bowl & salad tongs.
• Non-reactive mixing bowl and whisk.

Ingredients

2 cups	cauliflower, chopped into bite-sized pieces
2 cups	black beans, drained and rinsed
1	red bell pepper, seeded and chopped
1	chili, I used a cubanello, seeded and chopped
1/8 cup	cilantro, minced
1/8 cup	parsley, minced
4	green onions, chopped
12 ounces	artificial crab meat
1 clove	garlic, grated
1 teaspoon	cumin
1/4 teaspoon	black pepper, freshly ground
2 teaspoons	white wine vinegar
2 teaspoons	lime juice
2 teaspoons	water
3 tablespoons	extra virgin olive oil
1 cup	sugar snap green beans, chopped

Directions

1. Mix together thecauliflower, black beans, red pepper, chili, cilantro, green onions, sugar snap peas, and crab meat.
2. Add the cumin and pepper to the grated garlic.
3. Mix into a paste.
4. Add the vinegar, lime juice and water to garlic mixture.
5. Mix well.
6. Whisk in olive oil.
7. Pour dressing over bean mixture and stir well.

The failure of a new paella recipe

I wanted to try a "new" paella recipe that I found on the ABC website. It sounded like it should taste good, if a bit too spicy for me. The following is the recipe with the changes I made to make it less hot. It was still too hot for me though, and something was definitely not to my taste. Paella to me brings to mind the taste of saffron and short-grain rice. This recipe lacks the saffron and uses minute-rice instead, which while absorbant, isn't quite the same.

The recipe was supposed to come in under $15 and serve 4 (which explains the lack of saffron and the specialty rice). The spices used are pretty costly when initially bought, but I had them all in my pantry and, based on the amount used, my cost should still be under the $15 goal.

Paella has a long tradition in Spain, and it's a wonderful community dish that has numerous cultural variations. Chicken and shrimp paella is one of my favourite versions, but I've also made vegetarian paella too (replacing the meat with beans and adding more vegetables).

Browning chicken in oil (with the skin on) is something that takes more practice than I have. My pieces were only lightly browned, and when served, the skin was gummy and unpleasant. It would have been better to leave the chicken in the pan to crisp more before removing it to a plate. Also, I think I overcooked it. The meat itself was very tasty, but the skin ... ug.

Medium salsa is hot for me. Hot salsa is inedible. This mix is something far north of hot salsa. The depth of flavour I was expecting might very well have been there, but I couldn't taste it. I couldn't taste much of anything--even with a glass of milk and a sour cream chaser.

Without thinking, I cooked 2 cups of basmati rice beside the dish. So now I have lots of cooked basmati rice and leftover chicken (hrm... I see chicken fried rice in my near future). Regardless, here was the failure along with a few changes for next time.

Ingredients

8 cups chicken stock

2 chipotle peppers in adobo (next time I'd leave this out)

1 tsp red chili flake (next time I'll reduce this to 1/4 tsp)

1 tsp chili powder (next time I'll reduce this to 1/4 tsp)

2 tsps extra virgin olive oil

1 two-pound chicken, cut into 8 pieces

1 med yellow onion, diced

2 tbsps fresh ginger, julienned

2 tbsps paprika

2 tsp red curry powder (next time I'll leave this out)

8 whole cloves garlic, peeled (next time I'll use 4 and mash them with salt & parsley)

1 red bell pepper, cut into 1-inch pieces (next time I'll use 2 red bell peppers)

1/2 lb kielbasa sausage, sliced into 1-inch pieces

2 cups five-minute white rice (next time I'll use 2 cups short-grain spanish rice)

kosher salt (to taste)

black pepper, fresh ground (to taste)

saffron (to taste) (next time I'll add this in)

Directions

1. In a 6 quart saucepan, combine stock, chipotles, chili flake, and chili powder and bring to a boil.
   
2. Lower the heat to a simmer, and reduce the heat to minimum.
   
3. In a large 12-14-inch sauté pan, heat olive oil until almost smoking.
   
4. Season the chicken pieces generously with salt & pepper.
   
5. Brown them carefully and slowly until the skin is a deep, dark, golden brown. Work in batches so as not to overcrowd the pan.
   
6. When chicken is browned on both sides, remove it to a plate.
7. In the same pan, add the onion, paprika, red curry powder, garlic cloves, red bell pepper, and ginger.
8. Sauté until soft and golden brown, about 8 minutes.
   
9. Add the chicken stock to the onion/pepper mixture and bring to a boil.
   
10. Lower the heat and allow to simmer 10 minutes.
11. Place the browned chicken pieces in the broth and cook for 15 minutes.
    
12. Add 2 cups rice and the sausage to the pan.
    
13. Bring the mixture to a boil for 5 minutes, turn off heat and let sit for 5 additional minutes, uncovered.
    
14. Serve with a spring green salad.
    

Carnitas, my way

What follows is actually 2 recipes; the first takes a bit of preparation, and the second can be thrown together easily for a quick and delicious week night meal.

Beef brisket

This dish takes a bit of planning, but once made can be the source of several delicious meals.

Notes

There are tons of recipes like this out on the internet, and they're all about the same. Cover the meat with some kind of sauce, season to taste and cook until the meat's ready to fall apart. Most briskets are really fatty--but most of the fat dissolves into the sauce while cooking.

This recipe produces a very beefy-flavored beef brisket. It has no kick for a reason -- namely that, as the ingredient for other recipes, I wanted something fairly mild in flavor.

As always, season to taste.

Prep time: 20 minutes
Cooking time: 10 hours
Serves: 6-10

Equipment

• Chopping board and knife.
• Measuring cups and spoons.
• Deep frying pan with cover.
• Wooden spoon.
• Crock pot

Ingredients

1	Onion, roughly diced
3 cups	Chicken stock
1	Carrot, roughly diced
1 stalk	Celery, roughly diced (leaves included)
2 cloves	Garlic, skinned and chopped in half
1	Bay leaf
2 cups	Ketchup
1 teaspoon	Cumin
1 teaspoon	Oregano
1/2 teaspoon	Salt
1 teaspoon	Black pepper, freshly ground
1	green bell pepper, seeded and rougly chopped

Directions

1. Combine the ingredients in the crock pot.
2. Set on low and cook for 8-10 hours.
3. Remove the meat from the crock pot and pull it apart with 2 forks.
4. Reserve the liquid separately.

Carnitas Tacos

A great way to use up pulled beef, this quick and easy meal can be served dozens of ways (covered in sauce, fried, etc); but this is the recipe that works best for me.

Notes

Caramelizing onions is a neat trick to add sweetness to a dish, but it's not always necessary. If you're in a rush, just cook the onions until they are translucent.

You can use flour tortillas (or any kind of flat bread) for this dish, but I prefer corn tortillas (the non-deep fried not from El Paso kind).

I like to add my heat at the table (thus I serve this with salsa). Feel free to add some kick with a blend of chili pepper, red pepper flakes and a few drops of choice chipotle peppers or hot sauce.

As always, season to taste.

Prep time: 10 minutes
Cooking time: 30 minutes
Serves: 4 with leftovers

Equipment

• Chopping board and knife.
• Measuring cups and spoons.
• Deep frying pan with cover.
• Wooden spoon.

Ingredients

1	Onion, finely diced
1/2 cup	Chicken stock
2 cloves	garlic, finely diced
1 teaspoon	Cumin
1 teaspoon	Oregano
1 teaspoon	Olive oil
2 cups	Beef brisket, pulled
1/2 cup	Beef brisket sauce
1 cup	Cheese, finely grated
12	Corn tortillas
2 cups	Salsa (optional)

Directions

1. Put the olive oil in the bottom of a cold pan and bring it to temperature.
2. Add the onions and stir to coat.
3. Cook until the onions have caramalized, reducing the temperature as needed to make sure they don't stick or burn. Stir often.
4. Add the garlic and herbs and cook until fraigrant.
5. Add the beef brisket and sauce, stiring to incorporate.
6. Add another teaspoon of olive oil in a second pan.
7. Warm a corn tortilla, flipping when pockets begin to form.
8. Fill the tortia with 3 teaspoons of the meat and sauce mixture.
9. Add a pinch of cheese and roll.
10. Place on a plate, seam side down.
11. Cover to keep warm.
12. Repeat until the beef mixture and/or the tortilla are gone.
13. Serve immediately with salsa.

Beef fajitas for 3, spanish rice and guacamole

Beef fajitas are one of those recipes that I tend to make when I don't really want to cook. Funny, because it still involves a lot of cutting, measuring, and the like. But I've made it so often that I can almost make it with my eyes closed (but then I'd probably cut myself and that would be bad).

So, with company coming, I set to work preparing the meal.

First I made spanish rice.

I diced up a red onion (I didn't have any others, so red it would be), and put half in a pot with a nob of butter. Once the foam subsided I added a cup a rice and stirred it. This toasts the rice and provides it some initial flavour. Then I added some chicken stock (freshly thawed in the microwave) and some pureed tomatoes (canned diced tomatoes pureed with an immersion blender). I then covered the pot and brought it to a boil. Once boiling, I lowered the heat, set the timer and promptly forgot about it.

By then, my guest had arrived and joined me in the kitchen. We chatted as I dug out my favourite frying pan. I coated the bottom with a teaspoon of olive oil, and tossed in strips of sandwich steak to fry. As the meat cooked I diced a clove of garlic, mixed it with 1 rounded tablespoon of cumin and half a tablespoon of chili pepper, and added that and the remaining half of red onion in with the meat. I cleaned, and cut a red bell pepper and a green bell pepper into strips and added that to the hot pan.I stirred the mixture to coat everything with the spices and meat juice equally. Then I added a tablespoon of Worcestershire sauce and a cup of medium salsa to the mix. I stirred it again and let it cook until the rice was done.

I mixed another crushed and diced clove of garlic along with two tablespoons of crushed tomatos and two avocado's, adding another heaping teaspoon of cumin as I stirred. Once the lumps were mostly gone (or at least very small), I stopped and set it aside.

Taking out a second (and smaller) frying pan, I turned on the heat and cooked the corn tortillas until they were soft and pliable (8 seconds according to the package, less time in my experience). I then added a small amount of sour cream, an equal dollup of guacamole, a pinch of cheese and a ladel-ful of fajita mix. I then folded the hot tortilla around the mess and placed it seam side down onto the plate.

Three of these plus a third of the rice and another tablespoon of guacamole made the meal. It was delicious.

Beef fajitas

Serves 6.

Prep time: 10 minutes

Cooking time: 30 minutes

Ingredients

• 2 lbs sandwich steak (preferably lean)
  
• 2 bell peppers (1 red, 1 green) cut into slices
  
• 1/2 yellow onion, diced (I used red)
  
• 1 clove garlic, minced
  
• 1 cup salsa
  
• 1 tablespoon cumin
  
• 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
  
• 1/2 tablespoon chili pepper
  
• 1 teaspoon olive oil
  
• 1/2 cup guacamole
  
• 1/2 cup sour cream
  
• 1/2 cup cheddar cheese, grated
  

Directions

1. Coat the bottom of a frying pan with olive oil.
   
2. Cut the sandwich steak into strips and add them to the hot pan.
   
3. Mix the garlic, cumin and chili pepper together and add that to the pan, stir well to incorporate.
   
4. Cut the bell peppers into strips and add them to the pan. Stir well.
   
5. Mix the salsa and Worcestershire sauce together. Add them to the pan. Stir well.
   
6. Cook until the meat is cooked, the onions are nearly transulcent, and the peppers still crunchy.
   
7. Heat the tortillas slightly.
   
8. Fill in the following order: sour cream, guacamole, cheddar cheese, fajita mix.
   
9. Fold the tortilla and serve.

Spanish rice

Serves 3.

Prep time: 5 minutes

Cook time: 10 minutes

Ingredients

• 1 cup rice
  
• 1/2 cup tomato sauce
  
• 1/2 yellow onion
  
• 1 teaspoon butter
  
• 1 cup chicken stock
  
• 1/4 cup cheddar cheese, optional.
  

Directions

1. Put the butter in a hot pan. Add the onion and the rice and stir to mix.
   
2. Once the onion starts to become translucent, add the tomato sauce and chicken stock.
   
3. Stir well.
   
4. Turn up the heat and wait for the liquid to boil.
   
5. Once boiling, cover and cook for the duration recommended for your rice.
   
6. Serve hot with a bit of cheese on top.

Barbecued Lemon Trout

This entry first appeared on Recipe Maven (LJ).
Entry: When I first met the fish - it was two frozen trout fillets and, while it had good color - it was frigid and almost without promise. A day or so in the dark and coolness of my fridge made the trout relent, and it was far more malleable when I got home. I didn't want any evidence - so no photos were taken.

By then, however, the lemon and the lime were barely on talking terms and had to be gotten rid of. They were hiding behind two bread heels that were no better than the citrus. Obviously they had to go too. Pepper is a great one for conspiracies - so there was no way I was going to leave him out of this. But the trout alone wasn't enough - it needed a sidekick, and in the summer a mixed salad is always available for any nefarious plot.

The trout took a bath and lost its packaging quickly enough, and, after toweling it off, I set it on a plate to rest. The microplaner made quick work of the lemon's peel, and after a quick squeeze over my fingers - the lemon wasn't keeping any secrets. The lemon juice made the trout wet and bitter - it was starting to cook before my very eyes. But I wasn't done yet. On the counter, watching the whole affair - the lime began to sweat; but I left it there, knowing it would perform better under stress. Naturally pepper had to get into it - a sprinkling of ground pepper atop the zest and lemon juice was hardly visible, but everyone would know its presence later.

The Box Grater changed the bread heels forever. No longer heels, they were now fresh bread crumbs. They were sprinkled over the trout so I couldn't see it cooking anymore. About the time I went out and lit the gas grill the lime had stopped sweating, and the trout looked presentable. The trout went onto the gas grill (skin side down) with a hiss and a whiff of steam, but the lemon and the pepper kept it fragrant and the bread crumbs were already soaking up most of juice and the smell.

Back inside I wiped away the scene of the crime and dug out my trusty salad spinner - all in front of the lime.
A large red bell pepper fell to my chef's knife and I gutted it and discarded the ends. Next came the lettuce. Romaine leaves - bright green and vibrant; I cut them into bite-sized pieces and stacked them all in my salad spinner. After a good rinsing I spun them dry and dumped them into my salad bowl. The bell pepper and romaine lettuce were already well entangled. Three tablespoons of mixed beans (with as little of the bean liquid as possible) fell into the center of the salad. To it I added 2 tablespoons of red wine vinegar and 1 of olive oil, and of course ground pepper. Now everything gleamed in a shine that only oil can provide. I stirred the mixed salad up quickly and put it in the fridge to get better acquainted.

Outside the fish was steaming, but not quite done when I checked on it (the edges flaked easily when poked with a fork, but the middle was still pretty wet). So I closed the lid and went away for 10 minutes. When I came back the fish was a nice even pink and the edges a bit charred. I quickly pulled the fish off the grill and turned off the gas. Back in the house I finally dealt with that lime. I rolled it around first, giving it a good workout before I diced it into eighths.

I plated the fish with a 1/2 lime splayed atop the fish. I filled the rest of the plate with the mixed salad and beans. It was a simple meal without regrets. I did it once, and I'd do it again.

Makes 2 servings.
Ingredients
* 1 lemon
* 1 lime
* 2 trout fillets, deboned but with skin
* 2 pieces bread, heels preferred
* 2 teaspoons pepper, freshly ground

* 1 tablespoon olive oil
* 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
* 3 tablespoons mixed beans, from a can
* 3 cups romaine lettuce, washed and diced
* 1 red bell pepper, gutted, washed and diced

Instructions
1. Wash the fish and pat dry.
2. Zest the lemon atop the fish.
3. Squeeze the lemon's juice atop the fish.
4. Sprinkle ground pepper atop the fish.
5. Grate the bread into bread crumbs and sprinkle atop the fish.
6. Place on a hot barbeque (preferably covered)
7. Cook until the center is done (about 20 minutes). Do not flip.
8. Wash the salad and mix all the ingredients together.
9. Dice the lime and add it atop the fish.
10. Serve 1/2 trout and 1/2 salad.