Category Archives: Recipe

Black Bean Salad with Corn, Red Peppers, Avocado

and  Lime-Cilantro Vinaigrette 

2 15-ounce cans black beans, rinsed and drained

3 ears fresh cooked corn, kernels cut off the cob

2 red bell peppers, diced

2 cloves garlic, minced

2 tablespoons minced shallots, from one medium shallot

2 teaspoons salt

¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper

2 tablespoons sugar

9 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, best quality such as Colavita

1 teaspoon lime zest (be sure to zest limes before juicing them)

6 tablespoons fresh lime juice

½ cup chopped fresh cilantro, plus more for garnish

2 Haas avocados, chopped 

Instructions 

Combine all ingredients except for avocados in a large bowl and mix well.  Cover and chill for a few hours or overnight.  Right before serving, add avocados and mix gently, being careful not to mash avocados.  Garnish with more chopped cilantro, if desired.

Serve at room temperature. 

Servings: 6-8

Linda

Cilantro Cream Sauce: 

3 cups heavy whipping cream

¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper

1 ½ teaspoons coarse salt

3 cups chopped cilantro leaves (about 1 bunch)

5 teaspoons cornstarch dissolved in 5 teaspoons cold water 

Mix together the cream, cayenne, salt, cilantro and the dissolved cornstarch in a 2-quart saucepan over medium heat.   Cook and stir until thickened, about 10 to 15 minutes.

Enchiladas: 

1 teaspoon butter

½ large onion, diced

8 ounces fresh button mushrooms, stemmed and quartered

20 ounces frozen chopped spinach, cooked

½ cup stale bread crumbs

1 teaspoon white pepper

1/8 teaspoon nutmeg

¼ teaspoon chili powder

1 egg

coarse salt

2 cups shredded Mexican blend cheese, divided

10 flour tortillas 

 Preheat the oven to 350F.  Melt the butter in a skillet over medium heat.  Add the onions and mushrooms, and sauté until the onions are transparent.  Remove from heat and set aside.  Squeeze the excess water out of the cooked spinach.  Place the spinach, bread crumbs, white pepper, nutmeg, chili powder and egg in a food processor and pulse until blended thoroughly; season with salt.  Transfer the spinach mixture to a large mixing bowl and stir in the reserved onion-mushroom mixture and 1 cup of the cheese.  Spoon about ¼ cup of the filling onto each flour tortilla, roll up and place seam side down in a 9 x 13-inch baking dish.  Pour the Cilantro Cream Sauce evenly over the enchiladas and sprinkle with the remaining 1 cup of cheese.  Bake for 30 minutes or until brown and bubbly. 

Note:  For a special presentation, line the center of the tortillas with fresh spinach leaves before filling and rolling them and garnish with *Spicy Sauce.

Adapted from “Peace Meals”

*Spicy Sauce 

1 large tomato, finely chopped

½ cup finely chopped onion

2 canned jalapeno peppers, seeded and chopped

¼ cup tomato juice

½ teaspoon salt 

Combine all ingredients; stir well.  Chill until serving time.  Yield 1 cup

Linda

Pictures by Linda and Starla