Yucatecan Black Bean Dinner

Recipe from Season 5 Mexico--One Plate at a Time

Serves 6 as a meal
Ingredients

1 pound (about 2 ½ cups) dry black beans, picked over to remove any stones or debris
1 ½ to 2 pounds boneless pork shoulder, trimmed of extraneous fat and cut into 2-inch cubes
Salt
About 3 tablespoons fresh pork lard or vegetable oil
2 medium white onions, thinly sliced (divided use)
2 15-ounce cans of diced tomatoes in juice (preferably fire-roasted), undrained
1 to 2 habanero chiles, stemmed
1 ½ cups rice, preferably medium-grain
6 garlic cloves, peeled and finely chopped
1 large ripe avocado, peeled, pitted and sliced for garnish
Sprigs of cilantro, for garnish
3 limes quartered, for garnish
About 1 cup xnipec salsa (optional) (recipe below)
Directions

1. The Beans. Rinse the beans, then scoop them into a large (6-quart) pot (preferably a Dutch oven or Mexican earthenware olla) and add 2 quarts water. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to medium-low and simmer, partially covered for 1 hour.

2. The Pork. While the beans are cooking, sprinkle the pork liberally with salt. In a very large (12-inch) skillet, heat 1 tablespoon of the lard or oil over medium-high, and brown the pork on all sides in an uncrowded layer—it’ll take about 10 minutes. (With a smaller skillet you’ll have to brown the pork in 2 batches.) Remove the pork to a plate and set the pan aside. When the beans have cooked an hour, add the pork to the pot, along with more water, if necessary, so that everything is submerged. Partially cover the pot and continue simmering, until meat and beans are tender, about an hour more.

3. The Tomato-Habanero Sauce. Return the pork-frying skillet to medium heat and drizzle in a little more lard or oil, if necessary, to coat the bottom. Add half of the sliced onion and fry until golden, about 7 minutes. In a blender, coarsely purée the tomatoes and the juices. Now, either cut a slit in the side of the habanero(s)—this will give you some habanero fruity flavor without much heat—or cut the habanero(s) in half. Add to the onions along with the tomato purée, then simmer, partially covered, stirring often for 10 minutes or so, until reduced to the consistency of a thick sauce (it shouldn’t be dry). Taste and season with salt, usually 1 teaspoon.

4. Finishing the beans. When the beans are tender, scrape half the tomato sauce into them, add a little more water to the pot, if necessary, to ensure that the pork and beans are nicely covered with liquid. Taste and season the beans with salt, usually about 1 ½ teaspoons.
With a large spoon, carefully remove the pork from the beans and transfer it to an ovenproof dish, cover with foil and keep warm in a low oven. Pour the beans into a colander set over a large bowl, return the beans to the pot and measure 2 ½ cups of the broth into a saucepan to use for the rice. Return the remaining bean broth to the beans. There should still be enough broth to yield somewhat soupy beans; if not add more water.

5. The rice. Add ½ teaspoon salt to the pan of bean broth and set over medium heat. In a medium-size (3-quart) saucepan, heat the remaining 2 tablespoons of the lard or oil over medium. Add the rice and remaining onion and cook, stirring regularly, until the rice turns from translucent to milky-white, about 5 minutes. Stir in the garlic and cook a minute longer, then pour in the hot bean broth. Stir once, scrape down any rice kernels clinging to the side of the pan, cover and cook over medium-low for about 15 minutes; uncover and check a grain of rice—it should be nearly cooked through. If the rice is just about ready, turn off the heat, re-cover and let stand for 5 to 10 minutes longer to complete the cooking. If the rice seems far from done, continue cooking for 5 minutes or so, retest, then turn off the heat and let stand for a few minutes more.

6. Serving. When you’re ready to serve, reheat the tomato sauce and remove the habanero chiles. Ladle the beans into six small bowls. Spoon the rice onto each of 6 large warm dinner plate and nestle the pork in the center. Spoon a little of the warm sauce onto one side of each plate. Onto the other side, arrange a few slices of avocado. Garnish with sprigs of cilantro. Serve right away, passing the lime wedges and chopped xnipec salsa, if you wish.

To make about a cup of xnipec salsa:
½ small red onion, finely chopped
1 tablespoons fresh lime or sour orange juice
6 radishes, chopped into small dice or matchsticks
½ fresh habanero chile, stemmed, seeded and finely chopped
A dozen or so large sprigs of cilantro, chopped
Salt, about ½ teaspoon

Scoop the onion into a strainer and rinse under cold water. Shake off as much water as possible, then transfer to a small bowl and stir in the juice. Add the remaining ingredients, season with salt, usually about ½ teaspoon, and it’s ready.

Black Bean Enchiladas

- 1 pot Simmered Black Beans
- 3 tablespoons canola oil
- 1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon cumin seeds, lightly toasted and ground
- 2 to 3 teaspoons mild chili powder (to taste)
- 1 8-ounce can tomato sauce
- Salt, preferably kosher salt, to taste
- 6 ounces medium or sharp white cheddar cheese, grated
- 12 to 14 corn tortillas
- 1/2 cup chopped walnuts (optional)
- Chopped cilantro for garnish
- Fresh salsa for serving

1. Make the black bean sauce. After making the beans as directed, pour off half the liquid and set aside. Puree half the beans in some of the remaining liquid and stir back into the pot. Heat 1 tablespoon of the oil over medium-high heat in a large, wide nonstick skillet, and add 1 tablespoon of the cumin and 1 to 2 teaspoons of the chili powder. Allow the spices to sizzle for about 30 seconds, then stir in the beans. Allow the beans to bubble and thicken for 10 to 15 minutes, stirring often and scraping the bottom and sides of the pan. They should resemble runny refried beans. Taste, adjust seasonings and transfer back to the bean pot. Clean and dry the pan.

2. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Oil two 2-quart baking dishes. Heat the skillet over medium-high heat, and add 1 tablespoon of the oil and a generous pinch each of cumin and chili powder. Add 3 tablespoons of the tomato sauce and stir together. One at a time, soften the tortillas in the mixture, turning as soon as the tortilla begins to buckle, about 10 seconds on each side. Use a spatula to scrape off excess sauce. Remove from the heat, and set aside in the baking dish or on a sheet pan. Add oil, spices and tomato sauce to the pan as needed, and continue to soften all of the tortillas.

3. Set aside 1 1/2 cups of the black bean sauce and 3/4 cup of the grated cheese. If necessary, thin out the bean sauce with the black bean broth that you set aside. To assemble the enchiladas, spread a large spoonful of black bean sauce over each tortilla, then a sprinkling of grated cheese. Roll up and place seam-side down in the baking dish. Fill each baking dish with one layer of the enchiladas; you should be able to get six enchiladas in each pan. When all of the tortillas have been filled, pour on the reserved sauce and sprinkle with the reserved cheese and the optional walnuts. Cover tightly with foil, and bake in the preheated oven for 30 to 40 minutes, until the cheese is bubbling. Uncover, garnish with chopped cilantro and serve using two spatulas, as these tend to fall apart. Pass salsa at the table.

Yield: Serves six

Advance preparation: The beans can be made through step 1 up to three days ahead. The enchiladas may be assembled and kept in the refrigerator overnight. Cover tightly with plastic and foil. Remember to remove the plastic before heating in the oven.

Tuna and Bean Salad

This easy, light meal salad offers both protein and omega-3 fatty acids. A more authentic version would call for tuna in olive oil, but I actually prefer water-packed tuna.

- 1 small red onion, peeled and very thinly sliced
- 1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon red wine vinegar or sherry vinegar
- 1 (6 1/2-ounce) can water-packed tuna, drained
- 1 (15-ounce) can cannellini beans or borlotti beans, drained through a strainer and rinsed
- 3 fresh sage leaves, slivered
- 2 tablespoons finely chopped flat-leaf parsley
- Salt and freshly ground pepper
- 1 small or medium garlic clove, finely minced
- 1/2 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1 tablespoon plain low-fat or nonfat yogurt (or omit and use 4 tablespoons olive oil)
- 1/2 Japanese cucumber, cut in half lengthwise and sliced, for garnish

1. Place the onion in a bowl and add 1 teaspoon of the vinegar and cold water to cover. Let sit for 5 minutes. Drain and rinse with cold water, then dry on paper towels.

2. In a medium bowl or salad bowl, combine the tuna, beans, onions, sage, and parsley.

3. In a small bowl or measuring cup, mix together the remaining vinegar, salt to taste, freshly ground pepper, garlic, and Dijon mustard. Whisk in the olive oil and the yogurt. Toss with the tuna and beans and serve, garnishing each plate with cucumber slices.

Yield: Serves two as a main dish, four as a starter

Advance preparation: This salad will keep for a couple of days in the refrigerator.

Hearty Vegetable Bean Soup

For a comforting lunch or dinner, serve with grated Gruyère on top and chunks of country bread as an accompaniment.

4 Servings (About 6 Cups)

INGREDIENTS:

4 cups water
1 medium leek, split, washed, trimmed (retaining most of the green), and cut into 1/2-inch pieces (about 2 1/2 cups)
1 cup peeled and diced (1/2-inch) carrot
1 cup peeled and diced (1/2-inch) white turnip
1 cup diced (1/2-inch) celery
2 tablespoons good olive oil
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1 can (15.5 ounces) cannellini beans
1 cup grated Gruyère cheese, preferably an aged variety
Pieces of baguette or sturdy country bread
4 sprigs fresh parsley, for garnish (optional)

DIRECTIONS
Combine the water, leek, carrot, turnip, celery, oil, and salt in a large saucepan or pot. Bring to a boil, cover, reduce the heat to low, and boil gently for about 12 minutes. Add the beans, including the liquid, and bring to a boil again. Boil for a few minutes. Serve in bowls with a generous sprinkling of grated Gruyère and a parsley sprig (if desired) on top and bread alongside.

Butter Bean Canapés

I love beans and the big butter beans (habas grandes) available in cans at the supermarket are well suited for these canapés. The bean mixture also makes a great first-course salad or meat accompaniment. If made up to 3 hours ahead, the bread will, for the better, soak up the juices from the beans.

Mix together in a bowl 1 can (15.5 ounces) drained butter beans (large white beans), 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard, 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice, 3 tablespoons chopped onion, 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley or chives, 1 teaspoon chopped garlic, 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, and 1/2 teaspoon each salt and freshly ground black pepper. Cut twelve 1/3-inch-thick slices from a baguette. Mound the bean mixture on the bread slices. Serve.

Makes About 3 Dozen

Mock Fried Chick Peas

(or Baked Chick Peas with Herbs, which I think would be a nicer name and so that's what I will call them)
Recipe as seen in the January 2005 issue of Shape magazine
Serves 4
Total Prep and Cook Time: 40 Minutes

1 19-ounce can chick peas, well-drained, rinsed and patted dry
olive oil spray
coarse salt to taste
1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper, or more to taste
1/8 teaspoon garlic powder, or more to taste
1/4 teaspoon dried oregano, or more to taste

Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Place chick peas on a rimmed cookie sheet. Here are my chick peas before baking. (Note that I doubled the recipe, so I have a lot more chick peas than 19 ounces)

Bake, shaking tray every now and then, until golden brown and crunchy, about 35 minutes. Here are my chick peas emerging from the oven:

Pour into a large bowl. Lightly coat with olive oil spray; I used my trusty Misto for this. Add salt, cayenne, garlic powder, and oregano. Toss to coat evenly.

Fagioli all'uccelletto (Beans in tomato sauce)

INGREDIENTS:

Preparation time: 10 minutes.
Cooking time: 2 hours 30 minutes.
Standing time: 15 minutes.
600g dried cannellini beans.
4 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil.
300g tomatoes.
Garlic.
Sage.
Salt.
Black pepper.


Cook the beans as described in the previous recipe. Put the oil, garlic and sage into a large saucepan and warm over a medium heat. Add the beans with just a little moisture, cover and cook for five minutes to let the flavours come out. Add the puréed tomatoes, salt and pepper and cook for another ten minutes. Before serving, leave to stand for about fifteen minutes. These beans are delicious with boiled meats and sausages.

Pellegrino Artusi wrote of: "Beans, cooked with the same ingredients as for small birds. These beans are a good accompaniment for boiled meat, if you don't want to eat them on their own".

Ribollita

Ribollita means reboiled. Traditionally, ribollita is a bread-thickened vegetable soup. This recipe comes from a restaurant in Florence, the Giannino in Florence. It is prepared with different ingredients from how my mother in law prepares it at home. There are many variations, try the one that seems the most appealing to you.

Servings: 8

INGREDIENTS

1 cup cannellini beans, uncooked
1 large red onion, sliced
2 carrots, diced
1 celery stalk, diced
4 potatoes, diced
10 zucchini, diced
1 1/2 cups swiss chard, shredded
1 leek
1 savoy cabbage, shredded
1 bunch kale, shredded
salt and pepper
2-3 tablespoons tomato paste
2 days old stale Tuscan white bread


Soak the beans overnight and then cook over low heat. It will take approximately 1 to 1 1/2 hours for them to cook.
In a pan, gently fry the onion. Add the other vegetables, with the exception of the cabbage, kale and beans which are added at a later point. When the vegetables have sweated out their juice, cover with hot water and then add all the cabbage and kale. Cover and simmer for an hour over medium heat.

Add the cooked beans (some of them whole and some puréed), salt and pepper. Leave to simmer for another 20 minutes, stirring frequently because the beans tend to stick to the bottom of the pan. Add the tomato paste.
Slice the stale bread and, in an earthenware casserole, alternate layers of bread with the soup until the bread is soaked. Let rest for one day.
To serve, remove the desired quantity from the casserole and reheat it, or "re-boil" it, as the name in Italian suggests.
Buon appetito!

Recipe Favorites: Black Bean and Pepper Salad with Cilantro and Lime

INGREDIENTS:

(4 servings but could easily be doubled, recipe created by Kalyn with inspiration from a blog that no longer exists)

1 can black beans, rinsed well and drained (about 1 1/2 cups cooked beans)
1 red pepper, chopped
1 yellow pepper, chopped
(could use any combination of colors for the pepper, or use 2 red peppers)
1/2 red onion, chopped
1 bunch cilantro, chopped

Dressing:
2 T lime juice (fresh lime juice recommended)
2 T extra virgin olive oil
1/4 tsp. ground Chipotle pepper (I use Penzeys)
(you could use Green Tabasco in place of the Chipotle pepper)
1/2 tsp. mild chile powder (New Mexico chile powder is best)
1/2 tsp. ground cumin
1/2 tsp. onion powder
zest of one lime (optional, but recommended)
Vege-sal or salt to taste
fresh ground pepper to taste

Put black beans in a colander placed in the sink and rinse with cold water until no more foam appears. Let beans drain, preferably 30 minutes or so, until beans are no longer wet. (If you're rushed for time, you could blot them dry with paper towels.)

Mix dressing ingredients. Put beans and dressing into a plastic bowl with a snap-on lid, put lid on, and turn bowl over a few times until the beans are well coated with the dressing. Let the beans marinate in the dressing for an hour or so if you have time, or at least while you chop the other ingredients.

Chop peppers and onion into pieces about 1/2 inch square. (I was aiming for the beans, peppers, and onions to be approximately the same size.) Wash cilantro, dry well then chop coarsely (I used a salad spinner.)

In large bowl, gently combine beans, peppers, and onion. (If mixture seems dry you can add a tiny bit more olive oil and lime juice at this point.) Season to taste with Vege-sal or salt and fresh ground pepper. Stir in cilantro and serve.

This will keep for a day or two in the refrigerator, although it's best when the cilantro is still crisp.

White Chicken Chili

Adjust the heat in this dish by adding the minced ribs and seeds from the jalapeño as directed in step 6. If Anaheim chiles cannot be found, add an additional poblano and jalapeño to the chili. This dish can also be successfully made by substituting chicken thighs for the chicken breasts. If using thighs, increase the cooking time in step 4 to about 40 minutes. Serve chili with sour cream, tortilla chips, and lime wedges.

Serves 6 to 8
3 pounds bone-in, skin-on chicken breast halves , trimmed of excess fat and skin
Table salt and ground black pepper
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
3 medium jalapeño chiles
3 poblano chiles (medium), stemmed, seeded, and cut into large pieces
3 Anaheim chile peppers (medium), stemmed, seeded, and cut into large pieces
2 medium onions , cut into large pieces (2 cups)
6 medium cloves garlic , minced or pressed through garlic press (about 2 tablespoons)
1 tablespoon ground cumin
1 1/2 teaspoons ground coriander
2 (14.5-ounce) cans cannellini beans , drained and rinsed
3 cups low-sodium chicken broth
3 tablespoons fresh lime juice (from 2 to 3 limes)
1/4 cup minced fresh cilantro leaves
4 scallions , white and light green parts sliced thin


See Illustrations Below: Building Flavor in White Chicken Chili
1. Season chicken liberally with salt and pepper. Heat oil in large Dutch oven over medium-high heat until just smoking. Add chicken, skin side down, and cook without moving until skin is golden brown, about 4 minutes. Using tongs, turn chicken and lightly brown on other side, about 2 minutes. Transfer chicken to plate; remove and discard skin.

2. While chicken is browning, remove and discard ribs and seeds from 2 jalapeños; mince flesh. In food processor, process half of poblano chiles, Anaheim chiles, and onions until consistency of chunky salsa, ten to twelve 1-second pulses, scraping down sides of workbowl halfway through. Transfer mixture to medium bowl. Repeat with remaining poblano chiles, Anaheim chiles, and onions; combine with first batch (do not wash food processor blade or workbowl).

3. Pour off all but 1 tablespoon fat from Dutch oven (adding additional vegetable oil if necessary) and reduce heat to medium. Add minced jalapeños, chile-onion mixture, garlic, cumin, coriander, and 1/4 teaspoon salt. Cover and cook, stirring occasionally, until vegetables soften, about 10 minutes. Remove pot from heat.

4. Transfer 1 cup cooked vegetable mixture to now-empty food processor workbowl. Add 1 cup beans and 1 cup broth and process until smooth, about 20 seconds. Add vegetable-bean mixture, remaining 2 cups broth, and chicken breasts to Dutch oven and bring to boil over medium-high heat. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer, covered, stirring occasionally, until chicken registers 160 degrees (175 degrees if using thighs) on instant-read thermometer, 15 to 20 minutes (40 minutes if using thighs).

5. Using tongs, transfer chicken to large plate. Stir in remaining beans and continue to simmer, uncovered, until beans are heated through and chili has thickened slightly, about 10 minutes.

6. Mince remaining jalapeño, reserving and mincing ribs and seeds (see note above), and set aside. When cool enough to handle, shred chicken into bite-sized pieces, discarding bones. Stir shredded chicken, lime juice, cilantro, scallions, and remaining minced jalapeño (with seeds if desired) into chili and return to simmer. Adjust seasonings with salt and pepper and serve.

Per Serving:
Cal 370; Fat 6 g; Sat fat 1 g; Chol 115 mg; Carb 25 g; Protein 52 g; Fiber 7 g; Sodium 710 mg

Step-by-Step: Building Flavor in White Chicken Chili

1. Brown Chicken: Brown the bone-in, skin-on chicken breasts before poaching them to achieve deep chicken flavor.	2. Sauté Vegetables: To create a flavorful chile-centered base, sauté the trio of chiles and onion along with the spices and garlic.
3. Puree Vegetables: To thicken the chili, process 1 cup each of the sautéed chile mixture, beans, and broth in the food processor.	4. Stir in Fresh Chile: Add one minced raw jalapeño to the finished dish for a last-minute burst of chile flavor.

Step-by-Step: The Chosen Chiles

Jalapeños: This small, smooth-skinned, forest-green chile provides heat and a bitter, green bell pepper-like flavor.	Anaheim: This long, medium-green, mildly spicy chile has an acidic, lemony bitterness.
Poblano: This large, heart-shaped, blackish-green chile is mild to medium-hot and packs a rich, vegetal, slightly sweet flavor.