Category Archives: Beans & Legumes

Lia’s Black Beans

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These have become our favorite black beans to accompany Latin American meals. I recently made these for a class I taught with Ana Maria from Guatemala and got the coveted thumbs up.Lia's Black Beans

1 tablespoon canola oil
1 onion, chopped
2 large poblano chiles, seeded and chopped
4 cloves garlic, smashed
2 guajillo chiles, soaked, seeded and chopped
2 teaspoons ground cumin
2 teaspoons ground coriander
2 teaspoons oregano
2 teaspoons ground ancho chile
½ teaspoon cinnamon
1-1/2 cups dried black beans, rinsed and soaked overnight (or fast-soaked in a pressure cooker)
Generous hit of sea salt
2 cups water
1 cup vegetable or chicken broth

Heat canola oil over medium-high heat in a large, heavy-bottomed pot. Add onion, poblanos and garlic, and sauté 15 minutes, stirring frequently, until deep golden brown. Add guajillo chiles and spices, and sauté 1 minute, until fragrant.

Add beans, salt, broth and water, and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer, uncovered, for 1-1/2 hours, until beans are very tender.

Using a potato masher, mash the beans until there’s a mix of whole beans and creamy mashed beans.

Serves 10-12

Mississippi Caviar with Black-Eyed Peas & Cider Vinaigrette

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I learned about Mississippi caviar, in which black-eyed peas stand in for fish roe, when I lived in the South. Sometimes it’s called Texas caviar, but I’ll leave it to those states to duke it out for naming rights. This zesty, summery side dish comes together in a flash when you use steamed, ready-to-eat blacked-eyed peas, and I’ve added precooked brown rice to introduce a little whole grain to the mix. You can use other beans or legumes, or even canned beans, in place of the peas. Mississippi caviar works as a light supper or as a side dish with grilled fare. Leftovers are even tastier, since the flavors continue to develop with time.

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Spanish-Leaning Spinach and Chickpea Dip

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I waffled about whether to name this “hummus” or “chickpea dip,” but ultimately thought it veered far enough from tradition — thanks to the addition of spinach and smoked paprika — to go with the latter. (And my choice should satisfy purists like Cheryl Sternman Rule — check out her tongue-in-cheek thoughts on the matter the hummus debate here.) It is, in any case, delicious. If you’ve ever had any doubt as to the strength of pounded garlic, this little dish will set you straight.

spinach-and-chickpea-dip

3 cloves garlic, peeled and pounded to a paste in a mortar and pestle with a pinch of salt
2 cups cooked chickpeas
12 ounces frozen spinach, thawed and squeezed dry
2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
2 tablespoons tahini
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon smoked paprika
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon ground fennel
1/4 teaspoon ground coriander
Sea salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste

Combine garlic, chickpeas, spinach, lemon juice and tahini in a food processor, and blend until smooth.

Warm olive oil in a small pan over medium-low heat and add spices. Stir and cook for 1-2 minutes, until just fragrant. Scrape oil and spices into bowl of food processor, add a pinch of salt and process until well blended.

Serves 8

All-Purpose French Lentils

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This lentil recipe is the little black dress of dinner. Toss a cup or two with a frisee salad. Serve it as a side with duck confit, or roasted or grilled salmon Or top a bowl with some honey-ginger carrots to make them the star of the show. Leftovers make a fab lunch, gently warmed and sprinkled with a little crumbled goat cheese or feta.

[amd-zlrecipe-recipe:30]

Mushroom, White Bean and Sage Soup

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If you have mushroom stems stashed away, make this with homemade Mushroom Stock. This gluten-free, vegan soup is hearty enough to make a meal with nothing more than a hunk of good bread.

[amd-zlrecipe-recipe:27]

 

Grilled Crostini with Fava Bean Spread

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This nibble comes together super-quick once the fava beans are shelled, so you can whip it up and be back outside before the conversation even hits a lull.

fava-beans-crostini-recipe

Note: Fava beans need to be shelled twice–once from their pods and again from the skins that hold the bean itself.

1 baguette, cut crosswise into 1/2-inch slices
3 cloves garlic, peeled and divided
3 pounds fava beans, shelled from the pod (about 2 cups)
1/4 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano
1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

Grill or broil the baguette slices until crisp and use a halved clove of garlic to rub both sides of each. (can be done ahead of time)

Bring a pot of salted water to boil and drop fava beans in for 20 seconds. Drain. Then slip each bean out of its skin and into the bowl of a food processor.

Add remaining 2 cloves of garlic, Parmigiano-Reggiano and lemon juice to the bowl and process until smooth. Drizzle in extra-virgin olive oil and blend until emulsified. Season to taste with sea salt and freshly ground pepper and spoon into a serving bowl.

Serve fava bean spread with the crostini.

Serves 6-8