[recipe] Black Bean Cakes with Spicy Cilantro Sauce

[Guest guest]

Normally I don't post recipes I haven't tried

to cook myself, but recently I was at a domino

playing party and a friend of mine served these.

He did them in small bite-sized appetizer style

cakes instead of following this recipe and making

them into larger cakes. They were so delicious and

vegetarian that I had to ask him for the recipe.

At first he told me it was a secret Cuban recipe

passed down from his mother, but his wife

whispered that he was pulling my leg and I could find

it on FoodTV.com. *lol*

Give this a try. They are so moist and flavorful.

If you are not a cilantro fan, try making another sort

of dipping sauce. They would go well with just about

anything.

 

 

Black Bean Cakes with Spicy Cilantro Sauce

Recipe courtesy Gourmet magazine

Ê

Prep Time:Ê20 minutes Cook Time:Ê10 minutes

Yield:Ê4 servings Ê

 

2 tablespoons unsalted butter

1/2 cup finely chopped onion

1/2 cup finely chopped green bell pepper

2 large garlic cloves, minced

1 2/3 cups cooked black beans

2/3 cup fine dry bread crumbs

1/3 cup fresh cilantro leaves, chopped fine

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

2 large eggs, beaten lightly

1 cup yellow cornmeal

Vegetable oil, for frying

Spicy Cilantro Sauce, recipe follows

 

 

Heat the butter in a small skillet over medium

heat. Add the onion, bell pepper, and garlic and

cook, stirring occasionally, until softened. In a bowl,

mash 1/3 of the beans with a fork and stir in the

remaining beans, onion mixture, bread crumbs,

and cilantro and season with salt and pepper. Stir

in the eggs.

 

Form bean mixture into 8 (4-inch) patties (mixture

will be wet and soft.). Gently dredge patties in

cornmeal and transfer to a large plate lined with

plastic wrap. Refrigerate the cakes for 30 minutes

and up to 12 hours.

 

Pour enough oil into a heavy skillet to reach 1/4-inch

up the side. Heat the oil over medium heat until hot

but not smoking. Working in batches, cook the patties,

turning once, until well browned, about 1 1/2 minutes

per side. Transfer the cakes to paper towels to drain.

 

Divide the cakes among plates and serve with the sauce.

 

 

Spicy Cilantro Sauce:

3/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro leaves

1/3 cup vegetable oil

3 tablespoons soy sauce

1 clove garlic, minced

1 tablespoon fresh lime juice

1/2 jalapeno chile, minced

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

 

 

Stir together cilantro, vegetable oil, soy sauce, garlic,

lime juice, and chile. Season with salt and pepper.

 

Yield: about 1 cup