11.10.08: Blk bnz with sweetcorn polenta and Austrian gala dinner

Second night on his tod he cooked up the black bnz over some polenta with corn kernels garnished with big slices of avo. A salad of figs, tomato, radishes and sweetfire beetroot tried its best to keep Him company.

HE SAYS: Definitely not as fun to make and eat this one alone but felt better knowing that there was enough leftovers for tomorrow's meal too. This batch o' beans was pretty good but not spectacular. I managed to get the polenta's consistency pretty spot-on and the sweetcorn helped it out by giving it some crunchiness amongst the tasty goop. The salad took a break from fancy dressings and acted as a fresh and zingy closure to the lonely night.


Meanwhile, She sneaked a snap of the main course among five: pictured is the pork filet served in pepper crust and cream sauce with a vegetable bouquet and a healthy helping of spaetzle. Before that She managed to get down her neck some slices of duck breast over Waldorf salad; consomme with a splash of sherry; Rabbit filet served on a puff pastry pillow of juniperjus; and a small scoop of melon sorbet floating in campari. Afterwards, a small square of the prosaically titled chocolate cake managed to find a corner to squeeze into.

SHE SAYS: Thankfully, most portions were smaller than last nite's, and the quality mostly nipped up a notch. The duck and consomme are not much worth commenting on, and if there was sherry in that soup I'll eat my hat. The rabbit filet was actually a kind of rabbit sausage in a few little sections over some sort of thin grilled bread; nice herby flavour, but toughish. The fruity palate cleanser went straight to my head and put me in an expansive mood for the main course, which was rich and satisfying, if a bit bland. (I do love me some spaetzle.) Choccy cake was a thin but rich square of the German variety (I was hoping for sachertorte, but it's just as well this was a little lighter as I was uberstuffed).

10.07.08: Black bnz with polenta

She was out of rice, but She still made it nice...maybe even nicer. The now-classic black bnz stirred it up with the quickety polenta and some chunky avo. The now-familiar Jersey jewel tomatoes and even-more-familiar Sweetfire beetroot stepped up to the salad role.

HE SAYS: Loved the polenta substituting for rice big time. Made the dish creamier and less bulky. Rice is extremely expensive at the mo', so this is an all round fantastic accidental discovery. You can't beat the beet in the salad either, espesh' with a helping of those tomatoes thrown in.

SHE SAYS: I just couldn't face a last-minute run for rice, and anyway we've been pretty rice-heavy lately. How happy I am, tho', that the cupful of polenta in the cupboard called out my name and begged to be stirred up with some chicken broth and marge, toot-sweet. (Really.) It gave the bnz a creamy texture and a slightly grassy flavour - most pleasant. Salad was okay, did its job of filling in the corners.

15.04.08: Black bnz and salad

Wholesome filler: She gave her refomulated black bnz a second outing, and used some leftover sun-dried tomatoes and kalamata olives to liven up a salad of rocket and crunchy chicory and tatsoi leaves.

SHE SAYS: Pretty good, but without the depth of my last batch, and I know why; I forgot to add two tsp of chipotle paste. Will have to adjust the recipe. Salad was nice and sharp in flavour to complement the mellowness of the beans, adding crunch from the chicory and bite from the rocket.

HE SAYS: Nice healthy comfort food, definitely hit the spot. Agree it wasn't as good as last time but still heads above anything found on this continent. Salad again was a winner, with the surprisingly tasty sun-dried tomatoes from the unreliable Tesco's deli counter.

05.04.08: Brunch for dinner

She rolled up her sleeves, tied on the pinny, and set to work assembling this cheerful plate o' brunchish vittles: new and improved black beans adorned with avo, pan-fried polenta, balsamic cherry tomatoes, fried eggs (sunny-side for him, over hard for her), and your basic pear-n-mixed-leaves salad.

SHE SAYS: The polenta took rather a long time to brown, but it was such a treat. When you put a bit of fried egg, a touch of tangy tomato, a scoop of herby beans and a nice chunk of polenta all on one fork, you are on the verge of tastebud heaven! (If I do say so myself.) The beans were a revelation: no tomatoes, no store-bought sauces, just lots of herbs and the ever-present primo chicken broth. I'm not sure what possessed me to rethink the whole thing, but I do I think I've finally arrived at the best-ever black bnz recipe, so it's worth sharing. See below, and if you like it, please click the little Bite This fork and vote for it!

HE SAYS: The new black bean variation was supremo, m-m-mmm, just like ya mamma's, could've-eaten-them-by-themselves good. Polenta was very nice with a little hint of parmesan cheese in the mix and grilled to a golden brown. Oh, and it also aided the mopping up duty for my eggs, which is always a plus. The tomatoes in balsamic were sweetly, tartly bliss and since the new beans forgo any hint of that veg, it delightfully offset the herby saltiness of the rest of the plate. Salad was raised to another level by probably the best pear I've EVER tasted EVER! Praise the Lord.

Herby Black Bnz
Ingredients

I bunch green onions
Tbl olive oil
2.5 Tbl cumin (yes, that much!)
1 Tbl chipotle paste (edit)

3 cans black beans, drained and rinsed
3/4 pint (400 ml) chicken stock
1 heaped tsp dried sage
1/2 tsp dried oregano (edit)

1/2 tsp dried thyme (edit)

good handful fresh coriander (cilantro), roughly chopped, stems incl
few pinches kosher salt
avocado

Directions

Chop the green onions, white and green bits.
Heat oil over med heat in a heavy-based saucepan or pot and saute the onions for a couple of minutes.
Add the cumin and stir in to toast the spice, then add the chipotle paste (edit).

Stir in the beans, then add the broth and all of the herbs.
Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to simmer until most of the liquid is gone.
Add salt to taste, then puree about half of the beans with a hand blender (easiest!) or food processor. This is essential to release the flavours, so don't give in to the temptation to skip this step. ;o)
Serve with slice sof avocado on top.
I paired this with pan-fried polenta, fried eggs, and balsamic tomatoes, and it was positively dreamy. I've been tweaking my black bean recipe for at least four years and this is the best combination yet!

27.03.08: Black bnz

It's another easy favourite for a busy week: Her black beans and brown rice plus ho-made salsa, with a simple salad of spinach and pear.

HE SAYS: I love dem beans! I don't tire of them. Thought this batch had the right spice and heat mixed with the creamy avo and citrusy salsa. It was a delight, but I was really hongry, hombre, which may have influenced my taste buds. The salad with the ripe pears, splashed with a little balsamic vinegar, just added to the flava-flav. I was in heaven!

SHE SAYS: Not bad, but not brilliant. I'm not sure what's missing...also we put two bell peppers in this time, and I think only one, if any at all, is the limit. Filling and relatively easy to throw together when it's getting late. Note to self: green onions in the salsa work a treat.

23.02.08: Black bnz

Nice 'n' easy for Saturday nite: the usual black beans, livened up with new and improved chipotle chiles in adobo, and topped with ho-made salsa and avo. Plain salad with tomatoes and radishes contributed cool overtones from the next bowl over.

SHE SAYS: Soothing and satisfying after a long day of running around. Could do two spoonfuls of the chipotle sauce next time. Slight disappointment in the radishes we bought at our local Saturday market - no kick to them, but they were more tender than supermarket ones.

HE SAYS: Love dem beans. I never seem to tire of them. Nearly ate two big bowls, but decided to leave some for leftovers tomorrow.

25.01.08: Friday Nite Frijoles

Hot out from under the grill: a multilayered treat of huevos rancheros to wind down a Friday nite.

HE SAYS: Great comfort food; the eggs were nice and runny. Never fails.

SHE SAYS: Hit the spot!

17.01.08: Huevos Rancheros

Recreating one of our favourite dishes from The Bluebird Cafe (original location on Prytania St. in New Orleans): the usual black beans arranged on a toasted corn tortilla, then topped with fajita sauce, ho-made salsa, and cheese, and popped under a hot grill for a few minutes to bring it all together. The organic Epicure beans used this time are definitely smaller, lighter in colour, and have a more velvety inner texture.

SHE SAYS: Mmm-mmm good! Meal o' the week, says I.

HE SAYS: This was a Hungry-Man meal! Really hit the spot. Made me think of many a weekend brekky at the Bluebird.