Creative cooks, what can we do with Black Beans? Love them but

[Paper Roses]

have no recipe other than 3 bean salad. Surely you have ideas.

My diet includes a lot of dried legumes. Peas, Beans, whatever. I love black beans but don't know what to do with them.

[The empressof all]

1. Well....There's always the infamous black bean brownies

http://www.101cookbooks.com/archives/amazing-black-bean-brownies-recipe.html

I've heard some folks swear by them...

[Lucinda]

5. I am soooo going to try this!

My neighbor and I are constantly trying to find the best brownie recipe. His are pretty good - and i'm still looking for perfection. :)

[The empressof all]

7. Let us know how it turns out

I've never tried this particular recipe. I have tried several others using Splenda and I wound up tossing them. This particular recipe looks far better than the ones I've tried and I love Agave as a sweetener. This recipe uses real butter instead of oil too so I can't imagine they won't be at least eatible.

[Lucinda]

11. Will do!

I'm not a splenda fan either. It always tastes "off" to me somehow.

[Arkansas Granny]

29. This brownie recipe has been knocking around our family for years.

I'm not even sure where it first came from, but it makes a great brownie.

SAUCEPAN BROWNIES

1 cup butter or margarine (two sticks)
¾ cup cocoa
2-1/4 cups sugar
1 tsp vanilla
½ tsp salt
3 eggs
1-1/4 cups flour
½ tsp baking powder
1 cup nuts (optional)

Melt butter/margarine in saucepan – add cocoa and stir till smooth
Remove from heat and cool slightly
Add sugar, vanilla, salt and eggs – blend well
Add flour and baking powder – blend well
Add nuts (optional)

Spread into 13 x 9 pan and bake at 350 degrees about 30 minutes, or until toothpick inserted in center comes out almost clean.

[kestrel91316]

26. Probably every bit as yummy as my Pinto Bean Fudge.

[Lucinda]

2. I use them in lots of things. Love them!

They make excellent refried beans if you eat much Mexican food.

I like them in a mix of green peas and black eyes peas that I use to make veggie burritos. I keep the mix in a container in the fridge...then spoon the mixture onto tortillas with a tiny bit of cheese and some cajun seasoning. Sweet, spicy, meaty, and yummy. It's also good with corn too.

I add them to a vinagrette, and then marinate to add to salads.

I've often thought of trying to make a good garlic-y bean dip with them but I haven't tried it yet.

[cbayer]

3. I made this over the weekend and loved it.

After reading the reviews, I did make some changes. I used fresh chicken broth and cooked for a significantly longer period of time. I also reduced the amount of OJ and cinnamon by half.

It was even better the second day.


Vegetarian Black Bean Chili with Orange and Cumin
Bon Appétit | January 2009
by The Bon Appétit Test Kitchen


yield: Makes 4 servings (plus leftovers)
active time: 30 minutes
total time: 30 minutes


ingredients

2 oranges
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 cups chopped onions
4 garlic cloves, pressed
4 teaspoons chili powder
4 teaspoons ground cumin
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
3 15.5-ounce cans seasoned black beans, drained
2 14.5-ounce cans diced tomatoes in juice
Hot pepper sauce
Sour cream or plain yogurt
Chopped fresh cilantro

preparation

Grate enough orange peel to measure 1 1/2 teaspoons. Juice oranges. Heat oil in heavy large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add onions; sauté 5 minutes. Mix in garlic and spices. Add beans, tomatoes, and half of orange juice. Simmer over medium heat until heated through and flavors blend, stirring often, about 15 minutes. Mix in orange peel and remaining orange juice. Season to taste with hot sauce, salt, and pepper. Ladle chili into bowls. Top with sour cream and cilantro. Pass extra hot sauce alongside.


Read More http://www.epicurious.com/articlesguides/everydaycooking/weeklydinnerplanners/013009/recipes/food/views/Vegetarian-Black-Bean-Chili-with-Orange-and-Cumin-351017#ixzz1CkQw1EtL

Read More http://www.epicurious.com/articlesguides/everydaycooking/weeklydinnerplanners/013009/recipes/food/views/Vegetarian-Black-Bean-Chili-with-Orange-and-Cumin-351017#ixzz1CkQluCaX

[Lucinda]

6. That sounds great. Another one to try!

:hi:

[japple]

4. Corn and black bean salad. Chili with black beans. Burritos

with veggies and black bean sauce (puree'd black beans over steamed veggies--squash, broccoli, cauliflower, etc. topped with cheese and rolled up in a tortilla. heat til warmed through and topped with salsa & sour cream if you like)

[Tesha]

8. Soup -

We have a favorite soup for when time is short
it takes around 20 minutes and is really easy.

A package of fake sausages italian flavor (you can use any meat or none)
2 cans of your favorite beans (1 is almost always back beans)
2 cans of stewed tomatoes
a can of mushrooms
a can of corn
some zucchini
and a couple of handfuls of small sized pasta

whatever spices you like, we prefer oregano and onion, or none

[Tesha]

15. oh, forgot...

and add
beef broth, chicken broth or better than bouillon

[Denninmi]

9. I had a recipe for a vegetarian patty made with black beans and corn muffin mix.

I've made these a few times. I don't really have an exact recipe, but it's pretty simple. You take a standard size can of black beans, rinse and drain them, and then smash them up just a bit -- not into mush, just enough to sort of "rupture" most of them. Separately, you mix a package of corn muffin mix with a tablespoon of oil, a couple of beaten eggs, and just enough milk to make a fairly thick batter -- should be a bit thicker than you would use to make corn muffins. Then, mix in either part of a package of taco seasoning mix, or the equivalent herbs and spices to taste -- salt, pepper, cumin, garlic, onion, oregano, chili pepper. Fold the black beans into the cornmeal mixture. Ladle into a saute pan with just a little bit of oil, making patties about 4 inches in diameter. Cook them basically like you would a pancake, until cooked through enough to flip them without having them break. Brown on both sides and cook until they are no longer doughy in the middle. Serve with a fresh or bottled salsa, some sour cream, maybe some diced avocado.

[Lucinda]

12. That sounds really good!

I want to try these! :toast:

[NMDemDist2]

13. now that's clever

and i bet they come out very tasty!

[Blues Heron]

10. Black Bean tacos

I like to cook up a pot of black beans with cumin, garlic, some hot peppers, maybe some salsa, and then make tacos or quesadillas with 'em

[Dover]

14. Brazilian Black Bean - I'm crazy about this recipe. Serve with cornbread.

Brazilian Black Bean
(from Moosewood Cookbook)

Soak 2 Cups dry black beans overnight. Then cook them in a thick pot with a tight fitting lid in 3 1/2 Cups of stock or water with 2 tsp. salt for 1 1/2 hrs. or however long it takes. Bring the stock/water to a boil, then reduce to simmer for the allotted time.

Ingredients: (A)

1 C. chopped onion
3 cloves crushed garlic
1 large chopped carrot
1 stalk chopped celery
1 C. chopped green pepper (optional)
1 tsp. ground coriander
1 1/2 tsp. ground cumin
Approx. 2 Tbs. oil

Ingredients: (B)

2 Oranges, peeled sectioned, seeded
1/2 C. orange juice
1 Tbs. dry sherry
1/4 tsp. black pepper
1/4 tsp. red pepper
1/2 tsp. fresh lemon juice

________



Saute ingredient group (A) beginning with onions and garlic. If necessary, ad a little water to the veggies to steam them along. When everything seems just as it should be, add saute to the beans. Let the soup continue to simmer over lowest possible heat.

Add ingredient group (B) to the soup. Give it a stir, cover for 10 minutes. Then look at the soup and determine if it suits you. Too thick? Then add water.

Serve topped with a dollop of sour cream or yogurt.

Serves 5 or 6.

[tigereye]

16. that sounds great!

Love the Moosewood cookbook.

[Dover]

23. Moosewood is to bean recipes as incense is to the 60's.

I also love that Brazilian Black Bean soup served with some avocado salad on the side.

If you keep this recipe thick it's similar to chili and might be delicious
served cupped in half of a cooked acorn squash too, with a dollop of sour cream on top.

I had some black bean chili today for lunch, with slices of turkey bacon chopped up in it, which got
me to thinking about this.

Beans can also be mashed and rolled up in a tortilla with added goodies like
long slivers of green onions, cheese, avocado, etc. similar to a sushi roll, and then sliced up.

I'm on a roll now...
Beans, beans beans....how do I love thee? Let me count the ways.

[Lucinda]

18. When does group A go into the pot?

And this does sound yummy!

[Dover]

19. I usually wait to add group A until the black beans are pretty thoroughly cooked.

Then I'll add the sauted ingredients in group A to the beans and let that all cook down a bit before adding group B. Does that answer your question? Since the beans are mostly cooked and the veggies have already been mostly cooked (sauted) separately, all you're really doing is putting them together long enough to integrate their flavors (maybe 20-30 minutes). Or to save time you can use canned black beans and just heat them up briefly before adding the separately sauted group A.

I think you'll really enjoy this soup. Moosewood knows what they're doing.

[Lucinda]

20. Thankie! Yes, that helps me get a sense of what to do.

I'm looking forward to trying it. :)

[Mojorabbit]

17. A fav summer recipe

is to open a couple of cans and rinse them well, then add frozen or fresh corn, chopped red pepper, chopped onion or green onion, a jalepeno chopped, cilantro and a fresh lime juice. Nice and cool on a hot day.

[Lucinda]

21. Yep. Perfect combination of flavors.

Yummy. :)

[hippywife]

22. That was going to be the one I posted.

I use chopped fresh garden tomatoes instead of the pepper, tho. It is so delicious I could eat it every day with corn tortilla chips. Yum! :hi:

[Dover]

24. Ooooo yes! Yum.

And there are so many ways to get creative working from those basic ingredients.
Like using mint leaves, or chopped mango, some of the large round cooked couscous,
etc. Makes me hungry for summer!

[csziggy]

25. Black Bean Soup or served with Arroz con Pollo

AKA chicken and yellow rice.

Black Bean soup is easy - heat the beans and liquid from the can until beans are really soft. Serve with a dash of vinegar, olive oil and some chopped onion on top.

Chicken and Yellow Rice, my way:

1 fryer, cut up
1 yellow onion, chopped
1 bell pepper, chopped
2-3 cloves garlic, chopped
Olive oil
1 or 2 packets Vigo flavoring (http://www.vigo-alessi.com/products/itemView.php?id=478)
salt & pepper to taste
1/2-1 teaspoon Spanish smoked paprika
3 cups water or chicken broth
1-1/2 cup long grain brown rice
16 oz frozen or 1 15 oz can green peas (if you use the canned, drain the liquid and use it as part of the water)

Season the chicken with salt & pepper. Fry in olive oil until golden brown, set aside. sweat the onion, garlic, and bell pepper until partly done. Stir in Vigo seasoning and smoked paprika, then pour in liquid, bring to a boil and add rice. Reduce temperature and cook for 20 minutes. Stir in peas and put chicken in pan to finish cooking. Cook for 20 minutes or until chicken is completely cooked.

Meanwhile, heat black beans. Just before serving, stir in a little cider vinegar. Serve chicken pieces with rice and a nice big spoonful or three of black beans on top.


If you are OK with white rice, you can make the above with Vigo's Yellow Rice - the 16 oz. size is about right with a whole chicken. Skip the Vigo seasoning, but still add the smoked paprika

[The empressof all]

27. Try some black bean and Sweet Potato chili

It's one of our favorites here.

I brown onions in some EVOO and when they are soft I add chili powder and cumin. I meld that together and add some chopped garlic. Then I add some cubed sweet potatoes and a few cups of veggie broth. Simmer until potatoes are cooked through and liquid has reduced. I add a can of black beans and some frozen corn at the end.

That's the basics...You can adjust and add stuff to your own tastes. I sometimes add a bit of maple syrup. :shrug:

[NMDemDist2]

28. now that's a keeper!!

and how are you?? when's surgery?

[The empressof all]

30. You can also add a can of diced tomatoes instead of the broth

It`s a great combo and really good with Rice or Quinoa.

I`m hanging in there. My surgery is scheduled for the end of the month. Hopefully it won`t be delayed again. Just taking it a day at a time and trying to keep myself going to feed the vampires. I`ve been stuck and sucked dry at the lab too many times to count in the past two weeks.

[GoCubsGo]

31. A few of my favorites...

Black Bean Ful from the Moosewood Restaurant: http://www.food.com/recipe/black-bean-ful-134236

It's a Middle Eastern dish, normally made with fava beans. It's good warm or cold/room temperature. I always add extra garlic.

I also love black bean burgers. Here's on of many recipes: http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Black-Bean-Burgers-351297

And, I will use them in filling for stuffed peppers. There are tons of recipes on the Internet, but I usually just throw together whatever I have on hand: Rice, canned or fresh diced tomatoes, couscous, corn, quinoa, cheese, onions, more peppers or soy crumbles (or ground beef or turkey). Sometimes, I use poblanos, rather than bell peppers. I may or may not make them with a tomato sauce.