Quick Black Bean Burger to the Rescue

I love food, trying out new recipes and cooking. But sometimes, the idea of planning, shopping and cooking for the family can be overwhelming. Especially when this grand plan needs to include who is eating when, and where (like the car, between evening activities). Most nights, someone is on the go. We try to sit down and eat together as often as possible, but it just is not always possible.

This week I was feeling uninspired about what to make so I did what so many do, and I took my problem to facebook. I got so many great answers, and most importantly, I got inspiration and encouragement. "OH yeah, that is one of my family's favorites also...." But I also got a new recipe. And I am so excited about it! We love Mexican meals, and we love meals that offer toppings, which means everyone can make it the way they like it. We also happen to love black beans, and eat them in so many ways, but I had never made black beans before. When a facebook friend shared her quick black bean burger recipe from myrecipes.com, I knew we had to try it. Well, we had them last night, and I can tell you, they were a HUGE success! Everyone loved them and they were super easy! Win-win! I adapted the recipe slightly. Here is what I did. I doubled it and that was perfect for our family. Next time I may triple to have some leftovers, because I think this would be a great next day lunch or to freeze a few to have when needed.

1 c. bread crumbs

3 Tbsp olive oil, divided

2 tsp chopped garlic

1 (15.25 oz) can black beans, rinsed and drained

1 tsp grated lime rind

1 Tbsp chopped cilantro

3/4 tsp chili powder

3/4 tsp cumin

1/2 tsp oregano

1/4 tsp salt

1 large egg, lightly beaten

1 large egg white, lightly beaten

Combine 1 Tbsp oil, garlic and beans in processor. Pulse until beans make a thick paste. Stir in remaining ingredients. With moistened hands, divide mixture into 4 equal portions. Heat remaining oil in a large skillet or grill pan over med-high heat. Add patties to pan; reduce heat to medium and cook for 4 minutes or until bottom edges are browned. Carefully turn patties over and cook additional 3 minutes. 

I placed some monterey jack cheese on top and broiled before serving.

We served on buns with the following toppings: spicy mayo (mayo, Sirachi sauce, sweet chili sauce), avocado slices, tomato slices, black bean corn salsa. Also with green salad and a roasted corn salad. It was a quick, easy and complain-less meal! Will make again.

Today is unseasonably cold in New England, sunny but cold. I’m taking advantage of it to clean out the freezer and the pantry and make a tasty treat for my family to each when we come in, freezing, from baseball somewhere between 5:30 and 7 pm.

This is an easy, yummy, spicy black bean soup. It can be made in the crockpot, and tailored to your family’s specific &ldqou;spicy quotient” (add less salsa or less spicy salsa—smoky or smoked garlic salsa works very well with black beans, just omit the extra garlic), thickness preference (add more broth or stock, or fewer beans), and other likes and dislikes (omit garlic and red pepper, add onions or diced tomatoes, use vegetable broth rather than chicken for a vegetarian soup).

I had 4 cups of chicken stock in the freezer, so I used that, but canned (or boxed) stock is fine too.
Black bean soup

2 t olive oil
1 t minced garlic
1 red peppers, diced small
6 15-oz cans black beans
½ 14-oz jar Mrs. Renfro’s Green Salsa, more for spicier soup, less for milder soup (Mrs. Renfro’s also has a very good Smoky Garlic Salsa that is excellent with black beans, if you use this one, omit the extra garlic and the oil above, the oil is only for cooking the strong taste out of the garlic)
4 c chicken stock

Heat olive oil in stockpot or crockpot. Add garlic and peppers, cook until garlic is translucent and peppers start to soften. Process 3 cans of beans in the blender with salsa (in batches). Add stock, bean mixture, and whole beans (rinsed) to the garlic and peppers.

Simmer for at least 30 minutes, until soup is warm and flavors have blended. Flavor will benefit from additional simmering, so feel free to let it simmer longer, just keep it over a low flame and stir occasionally so beans don’t stick to bottom of pan and burn. If you like, garnish with additional diced red peppers or thinly sliced scallions.

Friday night cocktails and appetizers

Part deux. I have some homemade amaretto on the hutch staring me down. My friend Tammy has seasonal cocktails, and my husband usually loves them. I can’t remember what her summer cocktail is right now, but her winter cocktail is amaretto and ginger, and Fred loves it. I’m not a ginger ale person, but you can only drink so many amaretto on the rocks before you’re lying flat on your back, so I came up with amaretto and orange juice. Whether you prefer ginger ale or OJ, serve it in a highball glass, on the rocks.

This evening, we’ll be having our amaretto cocktails with black bean “hummus”. This is a recipe that originally came from my friend Eileen. It isn’t a Mediterranean inspired hummus, it’s more of a Mexican black bean dip, but because of it’s consistency and color, we had trouble coming up with a name for it [that didn’t sound like the punchline of a 5th grader’s off-color joke]. Thus, I’ve taken to calling it “hummus”. Again, one of my favorite things about it is that I usually have all the ingredients on hand, and if I don’t, they’re simple enough that I can remember what they are without writing them down.

Black bean hummus

1 can black beans, drain and reserve liquid
½ jar Mrs. Renfro’s Roasted Garlic Salsa, more if you like
1 clove garlic
juice of 1 lemon
½ bunch cilantro, more if you like

Put garlic in a blender and blend until garlic is chopped fine. Add beans, salsa, lemon, and cilantro to blender. Blend until smooth (a hummus-like consistency). Add as much reserved liquid as you like to reach your desired consistency.

For ease of getting the family to the dinner table, nothing beats a recipe that you can remember all the ingredients, unless, of course, it’s a recipe that you always have the ingredients on hand. My sister, Bridget, passed along this recipe for Fejoida (Brazilian Black Beans) years ago, and it is a family favorite.

When I buy ham hocks, they come packaged in 2 in my supermarket, I simply put the extra one in a baggie in the freezer. If that's all the meat I have, that is fine. This is versatile, it really can be made with whatever leftover sausage or pork you have on hand, I've even used pork chops. Yesterday, I used dried beans (wanted to test the pressure cooker precooking method) and the leftover ham and it's bone from our Palm Sunday brunch, yum! (My second son still prefers the chorizo.)

Keep canned black beans and rice in your pantry, then the only fresh ingredients you need to worry about are 2 onions, 2 cloves of garlic, 1 tomato, and cilantro. Nine out of 10 days I have onions and tomatoes on hand. Five out of 10 days I have cilantro, because we like the flavor and use it alot. You could substitute a little jarred pico de gallo or even salsa, or just serve the beans and rice alongside a salad. But even if you need to run to the market for a little produce, it’s about the easiest meal you can make.

I put mine in the crockpot yesterday, because it was a rainy, raw day, and I craved the comfort of having dinner ready at the end of the day, besides, my days get a little crazy after 2 pm when the boys get home from school (I may have mentioned that a time or two before, it’s a tired old refrain), but this can as easily be made in 30 minutes on the stovetop.

Fejoida (Brazilian Black Beans)

1 med onion
2-3 15oz cans black beans, drained*
1-2 T olive oil
1 lb cut up chorizo, liguica, smoked sauage, keilbasa, or ham
2 cloves garlic, chopped
8 oz can crushed tomatoes
1 c rice
1 med tomato
1 med onion
fresh cilantro chopped
Olive oil and vinegar to taste

In a large sauce pot, sauté onion and garlic in olive oil. Add meat to brown. Add crushed tomatoes and black beans. Simmer 20-30 minutes, if time permits flavor is enhanced with additional cooking time.

Meanwhile, prepare white rice. Dice the tomato, onion, and chop the cilantro. Mix together, season with salt and pepper, dress with olive oil and balsamic vinegar to hold together, but do not overdress.

Serve beans over rice. Garnish with cilantro-tomato mixture. Tastes even better the next day (but make the cilantro-tomato mixture fresh).

*To substitute dried beans, which are very affordable, soak them overnight according to the package directions, or place them in a pressure cooker, covered by an inch or more of water. Bring to full pressure and cook for 7 minutes. Turn burner off and let pressure release naturally. Use these beans in any recipe where canned beans is called for. Beans will keep in the refrigerator for a week.