The weather was so hot outside last Sunday that I really wanted something light and simple. The solution was found in a cookbook I received two year ago for Christmas from my sister entitled, "A Year in a Vegetarian Kitchen," by Jack Bishop.
I grabbed the book and just started flipping through it when I came across a recipe for Southwestern Bean Bakes.
In a nutshell, these were easy to make. They also tasted surprisingly very flavorful, given the minimal number of ingredients required.
At the author's suggestion, I served these bean cakes alongside a simple baby spinach salad lightly dressed with olive oil, lemon juice and kosher salt.
Southwestern Bean Cakes
Makes approximately 7-8 cakes
- 2 15-oz cans cannelleni beans, rinsed and thoroughly drained
- 1/4 cup vegetable broth
- Juice from 1 lime
- 3 tablespoons fresh cilantro leaves, chopped
- 1 teaspoon minced jalapeno pepper (add more for extra heat)
- 2 teaspoons chili powder
- Salt and freshly ground pepper
- 1 cup (at least) cornmeal or polenta
- Extra virgin olive oil
Next, stir in the cilantro, pepper, and chili powder. Add salt and pepper to taste. Stir in 1/4 cup of cornmeal. Continue stirring in more cornmeal in small amounts until you can form the mixture into 3-inch cakes.
Heat 1 tablespoon of the oil in a pan over medium heat. Add the bean cakes and cook until browned, approximately 4 minutes per side. (Add more oil to the pan if necessary.) Serve immediately.
