Cinco de Mayo

Good Food, Friends and Drink!

Black Bean Soup, topped with Monterey jack cheese, homemade salsa, guacamole, and sour cream

Corn filled tortilla with tasty toppings!

hmmmmm!

This black bean original recipe is so versatile, easy and DELICIOUS! Enjoy it as a soup, filling in a tortilla or let it thicken a bit, and eat it up as a dip! I hate to toot-toot my own horn, but without naming names, certain friends will stand over the bowl and eat it ALL if you let them, and I do (let them), because it is that good and I have been known to do it myself.

A little snap-shot of how the same great food can be served up a few different ways. I baked a few flour and corn tortillas in the oven to serve with the black bean soup. The tortilla chips added just the right crunch!

Black Bean Recipe

1 can black beans
The juice of 1/2 an orange (secret recipe part, shhh...don't tell anybody)
2 cloves garlic, chopped or minced
Dash of sea salt (it's just what I use)
A grind or two of black pepper
1 tsp cilantro, chopped
1 T parsley, chopped (I usually use flat leaf)

In a small saucepan, medium heat, add 1 can of black beans (do not rinse) to sauce pan, the juice of 1/2 a ripe sweet juicy orange (really squeeze it, the pulp is welcome to jump into the black beans), 2 cloves of chopped or minced garlic, the salt and pepper. Stir. Leave the lid off and the let the beans come to a boil for a minute or so, stir so they do not burn or stick to bottom of saucepan. Using a potato masher, mash the beans leaving some larger pieces (need a visual, reference the picture above).

Reduce heat to med-low setting, slightly cover with lid. Let it cook for about half and hour. About 10 minutes prior to serving, add the cilantro and parsley, stir. Feel free to add more cilantro if you're a fan, adding too much over powers the other flavors.

Here's a few tips I think are helpful: By leaving the lid off while cooking the beans will steam some, reducing the liquid making a perfect dip or base for a black bean taco! Keeping the lid on, (see where I am going with this) reduces loss of liquid and you have yourself a tasty soup. If your beans thicken up too much (after they have cooled and you decide to re-heat) add a bit of OJ or water.

This can be made ahead of time and stored in the refrigerator until ready to use. It will thicken up a bit, cooler beans tend to thicken...let me know if you really want to know why.heat on the stove top or in an oven safe bowl and serve.

Add some fresh SALSA! And don't be afraid to mix and match fruit, send me a note if you need suggestions.

Mango-Pineapple Salsa
1 ripe mango, chopped
1 c fresh pineapple, chopped
The juice of a 1/4 of a lime
1/4 c flat leaf parsley, chopped
1T purple onion, diced
A tad of jalapeno diced suits me just fine (because I like a bit of heat, but not too much. I'm leaving it up to you on how much to add)
A wee bit of salt, a real tiny pinch

Combine above ingredients into a glass bowl, and stir for a bit. It should get juicy, cover and chill in the refrigerator until ready to serve. The more ripe and in season the fruit is, the sweeter the salsa! Stir before serving.

Use as a salsa, and top as pictured above or serve over bake salmon (recipe follows).
This salsa is great with fish (salmon) tacos with shredded purple cabbage. Sometimes I use the salsa on top of a plain salad v. salad dressing. It jazzes it up a bit.

Tomato Salsa
3-5 fresh juicy tomatoes*, chopped and seeds removed (I don't always remove the seeds)
Juice of 1/2 a lemon
Juice of 1/2 a lime
1 green onion or scallions, chopped
1-2 cloves garlic, minced
1 smaller onion, chopped (purple, or sweet)
1/4 c chopped parsley, roughly chopped
1 T cilantro, roughly chopped
Dash of sea salt
grind or two of pepper
Jalapeno to your liking

Combine above ingredients into a glass bowl, stir. Cover and refrigerate. Try to make it a few hours ahead so flavors maximize and blend. Stir before serving.

My brother likes A LOT of cilantro in his salsa, so when he is coming for Mexican night, I use every sprig of cilantro.

*If using Roma tomatoes, use 5. If using larger beefsteak tomatoes 3-4 should be fine.

Salmon
Enjoy your OMEGA-3 Fatty Acids, your body will!
Note to self: fish should NOT smell like fishy! Don't buy it if it does and don't buy it from someone telling you that's just the way fish smells.

Don't ever be afraid to ask questions about the food you are buying. If delivery date and other product information is a big secret, find a new place to shop.

Place fresh salmon, skin side down, on a broiling pan. Squeeze fresh lemon juice over the salmon fillet, then sprinkle it with a bit of taco seasoning (yes, the stuff that comes in a little pouch by McCormick) and parsley. Bake at 350F until done, flakes with fork.

Once done, remove the skin and flake into chunks. Place a few pieces of salmon in a warmed flour or corn tortilla, then desired amount of shredded purple cabbage and top with mango-pineapple salsa. Try not to drool while eating this and refrain from talking with your mouth full, "yes, it is delicious!"

Prior to serving, remember to warm the tortillas. Preheat oven to 350F, place tortillas on oven racks for 3-5 minutes.

My sister Marcia used to make corn tortillas years and years ago. She shared the recipe with me and now I am sharing it with you. It's quick, easy, and economical! When you see her, be sure to tell her thanks! XX,OO!

Corn Tortillas
1 bag frozen corn (around 2 cups)
1/8 - 1/4c water
1-2 T fresh honey
1 T sweet Hungarian paprika
2 t chili powder, or to suit taste
1.5 c Monterey Jack cheese, shredded
Small or large flour or corn tortillas

Place the corn in a medium size saucepan with about 1/8-1/4 cup water, you don't want to burn-scorch the corn. Let cook a bit then add the honey, paprika, and chili powder. Cook until corn is tender.

Using medium heat, heat a tortilla in a cast-iron skillet. Cover tortilla with a single plus some layer of the corn mixture, then a helping of with Monterey jack cheese, top with another tortilla. Let slightly brown, then flip and brown the other side. Slice with a pizza cuter and serve with your favorite toppings.

NOTE: I like to use the small tortillas, easier to flip. Makes about 6-10 small tortillas and 3-5 large. Prep time 5 minutes. Prep-service time: 20-30 minutes. If you make them in the oven all at one time, my goodness you could be eating in 15 minutes!

Guacamole
1 avocado, cut and scooped out
Juice of 1/2 a lime
Pinch of salt

You can always add and mix in or as a garnish:
1tsp parsley, roughly chopped
1tsp cilantro, roughly chopped

Cut and scoop out meat of avocado into a glass bowl. Add the juice of 1/2 a lime. Mix together. Serve immediately or cover with plastic wrap, store and chill until ready to use. Plastic wrap should touch the guacamole mixture to reduce browning, less air. The lime juice will also reduce browning.

Best in health!
Helen