Recipes
Santa Fe Black Bean Stew
I found a "Feast of Santa Fe" cookbook when I was down there doing my artist's residency, and I've been making this (adapted) recipe from it ever since
2 jalapenos, veined, seeded and chopped very fine
2 cloves of garlic, minced
1 onion, finely chopped
3 tbsp ground red chilies (I use some wonderful chili powder I brought home with me....get really fresh if you can)
2 tbsp of cornmeal
2 tbsp vegetable oil
2 lbs of pork shoulder, fat trimmed and cut into 1/2" cubes
2 generous tbsp of honey
1-1/2 tsp of cumin
1-1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp. salt
1 can of black beans
Make a paste by combining chili powder, cornmeal and 1/2 cup of juice from the beans (add water if necessary to make it liquid enough to blend)
Heat oil and brown the pork in a Dutch oven over moderate heat, adding honey, cumin and cinnamon to the meat in the last stages of browning.
When that is well integrated and bubbling, add onions, garlic and jalapenos, and saute for a few minutes, allowing that to wilt while stirring.
Now add the cornmeal/chili paste, and stir up the brown bits from the bottom of the pot. Add the remaining bean liquid, and enough water to make 2 cups. Bring to a simmer, cover and simmer for 30 minutes. I usually have to add a bit more water. Add black beans and salt to taste and simmer another 1/2 hour. Again, you want this stew to have gravy, so I usually wind up adding more water here.
Serve with long grain white rice (I like Basmati). There's a salad that I really like with this stew. Yucatan Salad from the "Aces" cookbook. It has oranges and grapefruit and jicima and avocado & really goes perfect.
The great thing about this stew is that if there's any left I combine the remaining rice with the stew and the next day you have the BEST BURRITOS IN THE WORLD. Wrap in warm flour tortillas and use all the favorite garnishes.
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