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Simmered Black Beans

I love workhorses in the kitchen: versatile ingredients and dishes are a lifesaver for busy people who don’t have time to cook from scratch every day, but get bored eating the same leftovers more than once or twice (especially if you’re cooking for one or two people).

Black beans might top my list of kitchen workhorses. Black bean soup, fish tacos, Chipotle-style “burrito bowls,” breakfast burritos or tostadas, nachos, veggie burgers, tossed into a salad, or simply heated up and served in a bowl, over rice or quinoa or alone…. really hard to go wrong. They’re also one of the most economical protein sources, and vegetarian to boot.

Canned black beans are easy and inexpensive, and if you opt for the kind without added salt, your fingers won’t swell up from sodium overdose.

But if you make them from scratch?

You may never want to buy canned beans again. You will, of course, but you’ll forever be comparing them to their fragrant, thick, nutrient-dense homemade cousins.

And there really is no comparison.

Do yourself a favor, and knock out a batch of these this weekend.

Simmered Black Beans

From The New York Times

Yield: 6 servings

1 pound black beans
2 quarts water
1 tablespoon canola oil or extra virgin olive oil
1 medium onion, chopped
4 large garlic cloves (or more), minced
1/4 cup chopped cilantro, plus additional for garnish if desired
Kosher salt to taste

Rinse the beans; soak in water for at least six hours or overnight. (If they will be soaking for a long time in warm weather, put them in the refrigerator.)

Heat the oil over medium heat in a large, heavy soup pot or Dutch oven, and add the onion. Cook, stirring, until it begins to soften, about three minutes. Add half the garlic. Cook, stirring, until fragrant, about one minute. Add the beans and soaking water. The beans should be covered by at least an inch of water. Add more as necessary, and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to low, and skim off any foam that rises. Cover and simmer one hour.

Add the salt, remaining garlic and cilantro. Continue to simmer another hour, until the beans are quite soft and the broth is thick and fragrant. Taste. Add additional salt and/or garlic if needed. Let sit overnight in the refrigerator for the best flavor.

Advance preparation: The cooked beans will keep for several days in the refrigerator and will freeze well.

Corn Risotto-Stuffed Poblanos

One of my fabulous Christmas gifts was the new cookbook from one of my favorite food bloggers, Deb Perlman at Smitten Kitchen. Only problem is, I hadn’t actually gotten around to using this delightful gift.

For shame!

Enter stuffed poblano peppers. Amidst a couple hundred pages of gorgeous pictures, these appetizers jumped out to me. I served them with make-your-own nachos for an Easter egg decorating party.

The peppers are charred and peeled, and then stuffed with a nontraditional risotto that’s just different enough to work. The salty-sweet filling — beer, corn, cheese, and cilantro — cuts the spice of the peppers.

Be careful when handling the peppers. Carefully remove the seeds, and remember not to touch your face. Wear gloves if you’re particularly sensitive.

Corn Risotto-Stuffed Poblanos

Adapted from The Smitten Kitchen Cookbook, by Deb Perlman

Yield: 3 main dish servings or 6 appetizer servings

6 large poblano peppers
4 cups vegetable stock
2 Tbs olive oil, plus a little more
1/2 medium onion, finely chopped
1 garlic clove, minced
1 1/2 cups arborio or other short-grained rice
1/2 cup beer, light or medium in color
1 cup fresh corn kernels or frozen, defrosted kernels
1 1/2 oz Monterey Jack cheese, grated
1/4 tsp salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1/4 c crumbled queso fresco (substitute ricotta salata, feta, or other crumbly cheese)
2 Tbs sour cream mixed with 2 tsp milk and a pinch of salt
2 Tbs chopped cilantro

Preheat a grill or broiler. Lightly brush clean, dry chilies with oil. Place the chilies 3-4 inches under the broiler or over the hottest part of the fire. Allow the peppers to char to black in spots, turning as necessary to char all surfaces. Remove and place in a heatproof bowl. Cover with a plate or lid for 5 minutes. (Do not leave covered for longer, or the peppers will continue to cook in their own steam.)

Remove the bowl cover and allow the peppers to cool to room temperature. Slip off the skins. Using your finger or a knife, open one side and remove seeds and membranes. Keep the stems intact.

In a 1 1/2 quart saucepan, heat the stock to a low simmer. On a separate burner, heat a larger saucepan over medium heat. When the pan is hot, add oil and heat through; add onion and saute until softened and translucent, about 8 minutes. Add garlic and cook for 1 minute. Add the rice and stir for a minute or two until it becomes lightly toasty. Pour in the beer, scraping up any stuck bits from the bottom of the pan. Let the beer simmer for roughly a minute; it will mostly disappear.

Ladle 1 cup of warm stock into rice, and simmer until the liquid is fully absorbed. Add remaining stock, 1/2 cup at a time, allowing stock to flly absorb before adding more and stirring often. With the final addition of stock, add the corn. The total cooking time is about 30 minutes. The risotto should be creamy and tender, and a little bit thicker than a standard risotto. Stir in the cheese, salt, and pepper. Adjust seasonings to taste. Remove risotto from heat.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Fill each pepper with risotto and arrange tightly in a baking dish. Sprinkle with queso fresco. Bake for 10-15 minutes until bronzed on top.

In a small dish, whisk together sour cream, milk and salt. Drizzle over hot chiles. Garnish with cilantro. Serve hot.

Sausage Breakfast Casserole

Sometimes I wonder if I’m the only one in the DC metro area who doesn’t love brunch. It’s not that I hate brunch — really, I don’t — I just don’t see what the big deal is.

Whenever I go out for brunch, I can’t shake the feeling I’m being herded through like cattle. The restaurants are overcrowded and understaffed. I don’t feel like I have time to taste my food, let alone enjoy a leisurely meal or enjoy the conversation. Sometimes I don’t think the wait staff even refills my water… because I haven’t had enough time to drink it.

Maybe my problem with brunch isn’t brunch so much as it’s going out for brunch. I enjoy a hearty breakfast after my Sunday morning BODYPUMP class, especially if it involves something I can’t readily make on a weekday before work. And I love the company.

So when a work trip was unexpectedly canceled and I found myself hosting a friend for Easter, brunch seemed like the ideal choice. This casserole comes together quickly the night before, and falls somewhere between a bread pudding and egg casserole. I served it with a spinach salad, a bowl of fresh strawberries, and mimosas. We decorated a bunny cake, watched a movie, and caught up on life. If you ask me, as holidays go, this one was pretty perfect.

Sausage Breakfast Casserole

Yield: 4-5 servings

8 oz. ciabatta bread, cut into 1″ cubes
1 lb. pork breakfast sausage (or substitute turkey)
1 1/4 cup milk
6 eggs + enough egg whites to make 1 1/2 cups
4 oz. extra sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
Salt & pepper

Preheat oven to 400°.

Arrange bread cubes in a single layer on a baking sheet. Bake at 400° for 8 minutes or until toasted.

Heat a medium skillet over medium-high heat. Remove any casings from sausage and add to pan. Cook 6 minutes or until browned, stirring to crumble. (If using turkey sausage, you may need to add a little grease to your pan.)

Combine sausage and bread in a large bowl. Combine milk, cheese, eggs and salt and pepper in a medium bowl, stirring with a whisk. Add milk mixture to bread mixture, tossing to coat bread. Spoon mixture into a 2-quart baking dish generously coated with cooking spray. Cover and refrigerate 8 hours or overnight.

Preheat oven to 350°. Uncover casserole. Toss the ingredients. Bake at 350° for 1 hour or until set and lightly browned. Serve immediately, and store any leftovers in the refrigerator.