Spicy Green Beans

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These beans go well with simple meats, such as turkey, or cheese dishes. They add color and just a mild heat to any meal. For a different taste, I’ve also used this recipe substituting zucchini squash for the beans and serrano chiles for more heat.

Ingredients

  • ½ cup chopped onions

  • 1 clove garlic, chopped

  • 1 tablespoon vegetable oil

  • 3 green New Mexico chiles, skinned, seeds removed, chopped

  • 1 pound French-cut green beans

  • 2 tomatoes, peeled and chopped

  • Salt to taste

Instructions

In a heavy skillet over medium heat, saute the onion and garlic in the oil until soft. Add the chiles and continue to saute for an additional 2 or 3 minutes. Add the remaining ingredients along with 1 cup of water, bring to a boil, reduce the heat, and simmer until the beans are done.

 

Pickled Green Beans

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NOTE: This recipe requires advanced preparation. These spicy beans are a great addition to an appetizer tray.

Ingredients

green beans, garlic, onions,dill seeds, black peppercorns

Instructions

Red Beans and Rice with Sausage

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Here is your basic Cajun side dish, elevated to entree status with the addition of the sausage. Note: This recipe requires advance preparation.

Ingredients

  • 1 pound dried red beans, not kidney beans, sorted and rinsed

  • 2 tablespoons vegetable oil (if using a fatty sausage, render some of the fat from the meat)

  • 1 large onion, chopped

  • 6 to 8 cloves garlic, chopped

  • 1 stalk celery, chopped

  • 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley

  • 1 bay leaf

  • 1 pound tasso, andouille, or other sausage, such as garlic sausage, cut diagonally into 3/4-inch slices

  • 1 to 2 teaspoons ground cayenne

  • 8 to 10 cups water

  • 4 to 5 cups cooked white rice

  • Chopped parsley for garnish

Instructions

Cover the beans with water and let stand overnight.

Heat the oil in a large pot. Saute the onion, garlic, and celery in the oil until soft. Add the beans, parsley, bay leaf, tasso, cayenne, and water. Bring to a boil, lower the heat and simmer until the beans are soft, about 1 to 2 hours.

As it cooks, the beans may start to get creamy. If the beans get soft and the broth is still thin, take a few beans, put them in a sieve, and mash through with a wooden spoon.

Serve over the rice and garnished with plenty of chopped parsley.

Potato Curry with Lima Beans

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Use this pungent curry to spice up a breakfast or to accompany the main meal. This simple curry from the Mangalore region in southwestern India makes a colorful, tasty addition to any meal. For a spicier curry, double or triple the amount of cayenne powder.

Ingredients

  • 1 tablespoon vegetable or olive oil

  • 3 large onions, chopped

  • 4 cloves garlic, minced

  • 1 1-inch piece of ginger, peeled and minced

  • 1 teaspoon cumin powder

  • 1 teaspoon coriander powder

  • 1 teaspoon cayenne powder

  • 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

  • 1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder

  • 6 large potatoes, peeled and diced

  • 4 large tomatoes, sliced

  • 1/2 cup water

  • 2 cups frozen lima beans

  • Salt to taste

  • 1/2 cup cilantro leaves for garnishing

Instructions

In a skillet, heat the oil over medium heat for 1 minute, add the onions, and fry them for about 1 minute. Add the garlic and ginger and continuing frying for 1 minute.

Add the dry powders, mix well, and then add the potatoes and tomatoes, along with water, and cook, covered, for 12 minutes. Add the lima beans, mix well, and cook for 5 minutes. Just before serving, add the salt and garnish with the cilantro.

Cuban Beans and Rice

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This is yet another variation of the classic and popular dish, black beans and rice or “Moors and Christians.” The recipe gets its name from the black of the beans and white of the rice. Not only a great entree, it can also be used as a filling for tacos and for burritos. Red kidney beans can be substituted in the recipe for a slightly different taste.

Ingredients

  • 2 tablespoons olive oil

  • 1 medium onion, cut in wedges and separated

  • 1 small green bell pepper, cut in strips

  • 2 cloves garlic, minced

  • 2 habanero chiles, minced

  • 1/4 cup tomato paste

  • 2 bay leaves

  • ½ teaspoon dried oregano

  • 1/4 teaspoon ground cumin

  • 1/4 teaspoon dried thyme

  • 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper

  • 1 cup long-grain raw white rice

  • 1 small tomato, cut into wedges

  • 1 15-ounce can black beans, drained and liquid reserved

  • Salt to taste

Instructions

Heat the oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Saute the onion, bell pepper, garlic, and habanero in the oil until the onions are softened, about 3 to 5 minutes. Add the tomato paste, bay leaves, thyme and black pepper.

Add the rice to the pan and saute until the rice becomes opaque. Stir in the tomato and beans.

Pour the bean liquid into a measuring cup and add enough water to make 2 ½ cups. Add to the rice and bean mixture, stirring once. Cover the pan and cook on low for 35 to 40 minutes, or until the liquid is absorbed and the rice is done.

To serve, remove the bay leaves and ladle onto a platter and serve with warmed flour tortillas.

Yield: 4 to 6 servings

Heat Scale: Hot