Like many others on the East Coast, I have been cooped up this weekend due to Hurricane Irene. Thankfully, the hurricane was not as severe in Brooklyn as it might have been, and I did not have to break into the bounty of canned goods that I had bought as a precaution. But I figured it was a good opportunity to share this recipe with everyone, since lots of folks affected by Irene may find that they have some extra black beans on hand right about now. And of course, they are a pantry staple for many people regardless.
This recipe is from Mark Bittman's "How To Cook Everything" Book. I actually don't have the book, but the iphone app! I really like the app - comes in handy when I am bored on the subway - I can just look through recipes and decide what to make for dinner when I get home. OK so here are the cast of characters for the recipe:
Ingredients:
2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 onion, chopped (sometimes I am lazy and leave out the onion, it's still good)
1 tbsp minced garlic
1 cup beer
3 cups cooked or canned black beans, drained but moist, liquid reserved
1 tbsp chili powder
1 tbsp honey
salt and pepper to taste
Directions
Put the oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. When hot, add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until soft, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic, cook for about a minute, then add the beer, beans, chili powder, honey and some salt and pepper.
Bring to a steady bubble and cook until the liquid is slightly reduced and thickened, about 15 minutes. Taste and adjust the seasoning. Serve immediately. Can also be stored in the refrigerator up to 3 days.
Also: dont forget!!! You can always adjust the proportions in the recipe to make less beans. I usually just make it with one can. Bittman also notes that you can add exciting things like bacon, tomatoes, or chipotle paste to the recipe. As you can see in the photo above, sometimes I add a bit of salsa.
I don't have a pic of the finished product (let's face it, black beans are not that photogenic.) But, the end result is rich and creamy and sorta sweet/spicy at the same time. It goes well with eggs, tortillas, avocado, rice, cheese, etc. Anything you would normally eat with black beans - go for it.
Also, it should be mentioned, that if you're in the NYC area and have extra food supplies due to the hurricane, you can always donate them to the Food Bank for New York City. Info HERE.
Hope everyone stayed safe during the hurricane.
