I Relish Black Beans and Roasted Corn

3 06 2010

Sorry, sometimes I just can’t pass up a good (or bad) pun!

This black bean and roasted corn relish will help get you through those meat-centric summer BBQs! Use it to spice up your veggie burger, bring it as a healthy and flavorful side salad or just serve it with some corn chips.


Ingredients:

•extra virgin olive oil
•28 oz black beans, rinsed and drained
•2 tsp garlic powder
•2 Tbs ground cumin
•cayenne pepper (to taste)
•2 cups frozen corn kernels, thawed
•4 cloves garlic, minced
•1/2 small red onion, finely chopped
•1/2 small green bell pepper, finely chopped
•juice of 1 lime
•2 Tbs apple cider vinegar
•salt
•ground black pepper


Directions:

1. Heat about 1 Tbs of olive oil in a medium saucepan over medium-low heat.
2. Add beans, garlic powder, 1 Tbs of cumin and cayenne pepper to taste (I use about 1/2 tsp). Heat until thoroughly warmed and beans just start to soften (about 5 minutes). Chill.
3. Heat about 2 tsp olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add thawed corn and remaining cumin. Heat until cooked thoroughly and some edges begin to turn dark. Chill.
4. After beans and corn have thoroughly chilled (about 30-45 minutes), combine together and add garlic, onion, pepper, lime juice and vinegar. Season with a pinch of salt and some freshly ground black pepper.
5. Gently mix, seal and chill for at least 45 minutes.


Recommended Serving Instructions:

Serve as a light side dish to any meal, with chips as a party dip, or over greens as a summery salad (no dressing needed). But my favorite use of this is to spruce up those veggie burger/fake chicken sandwiches you are left eating at summer BBQs! This one has avocado, a chik patty, monterey jack cheese, the black bean and roasted corn relish and baby spinach.


Tips:

•If you want your corn a little drier and crunchier, thoroughly squeeze kernels in a fine strainer or paper towel to remove some moisture before cooking.
•I use frozen organic sweet yellow corn for this dish. However, feel free to take this out to the grill! Just by fresh corn, season with the same seasonings and roast over a grill. After it is slightly charred, remove from the grill and chill fully. Once chilled, slice kernels off of cob.
•Make sure you thoroughly chill the beans before mixing with the other ingredients – particularly if you maybe overcooked them some. This will ensure they better keep their shape and you can avoid having a mushy (good-tasting) mess!


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Butter and Milk Biscuits

30 05 2010

This biscuit recipe is a combination of several different recipes I’ve tried over time. This version is (to me) the perfect balance of flaky and doughy, sweet and salty, and most importantly, they’re super easy to make!

butter and milk biscuits

These are the biscuits I use when I make my red lentil gravy. Not only is this probably my favorite breakfast, but it’s a great crowd-pleaser for when you host brunch.


Ingredients:

•3 cups unbleached flour
•2 Tbs granulated sugar
•2 1/2 tsp baking powder
•1/2 tsp baking soda
•1/2 tsp and 1 pinch salt
•1/2 cup unsalted butter (at room temperature)
•1 cup low-fat milk


Directions:

butter and milk biscuits 11. Preheat oven to 450ºF.
butter and milk biscuits 22. Combine dry ingredients in a medium bowl.
3. Cut butter into the mixture with a fork until it looks like cornmeal.
4. Gradually add milk (1/3 cup at a time), stirring constantly until well mixed.
butter and milk biscuits 35. Gently knead the dough on a lightly floured surface 3 to 4 times.
6. Flatten dough until it is about 1/2″ thick. Cut with a 2-inch biscuit cutter.
7. Place biscuits on an ungreased cookie sheet (leaving at least a 1/2″ between biscuits). Bake for 13 minutes or until golden brown.


Recommended Serving Instructions:

Serve with red lentil gravy and home fries or grilled veggies.