Warm and Spicy Black Bean

I have been looking for some sort of warm bean dip recipe to make for quite some time. I've looked at all of my favorite recipe spots and through a few cookbooks, but nothing has really jumped out at me. It wasn't until I had some fresh sofrito in my refrigerator that made me think that it would be the perfect thing to start the recipe.

Looking for a quick and easy recipe to make for impromptu guests? This is definitely it! All ingredients can be kept on hand and it literally takes about 10 minutes to throw together. If you don't have any fresh sofrito, use the jarred type. No matter how this quick and easy dip is made, I guarantee it'll be a hit at the party!



Warm and Spicy Black Bean Dip
Serves 3-4

1 (15 oz) can black beans, drained and rinsed
1 (3 oz) package cream cheese, room temperature
1/3 cup shredded sharp cheddar (plus more to top, if desired)
1 fresh jalapeno pepper, diced (optional)
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp chili powder
2 tbsp sofrito

Preheat oven to 375. In a large bowl, mash black beans with cream cheese, retaining some texture of the beans. Stir in remaining ingredients. Top with additional shredded cheese if desired. Spread into a greased baking dish and place into oven. Bake 20-25 minutes, until dip is bubbly. Serve with tortilla chips.

Sofrito

So I have been craving Mexican and Spanish food like nobody's business. Perhaps it's the coming of Cinco de May, although to be honest, it wasn't until I was writing this blog post that I realized it's only 2 days away!

I'm almost embarrassed to admit that this is the first time I made my own Sofrito. As you may or may not be aware, sofrito is the basis of many hispanic dishes. It's the perfect flavoring base for all sorts of dishes. The onion and garlic and cilantro add just the right flavor notes.

As I said, this was my first time making it, and as easy as it was, I can definitely guarantee this will be a repeat recipe. It literally took about 20 minutes, start to finish. It freezes perfectly, so I freeze it in 1/2 cup portions so that I always have it on hand when the craving for Spanish food strikes!

And be sure to check back later this week for more recipes utilizing this wonderful item.

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Sofrito
Yields 6 cups

12-16 cloves garlic, peeled
3 jalapenos, roughly chopped
2 green peppers, seeded and roughly chopped (about 2 cups)
1 red bell pepper, seeded and roughly chopped (about 1 cup)
2 medium onions, peeled and roughly chopped (about 2 cups)
4 plum tomatoes
1 bunch cilantro, washed and torn

In a food processor, pulse garlic and jalapenos until chopped. Add bell peppers and onions, and pulse. Add tomatoes and cilantro, and process until well combined. Store in the refrigerator for use within 3-5 days, or freeze in 1/2 cup portions for later use.

Buffalo Tempeh "Wings"

So I've got this fear of faux meats and all things tofu, tempeh, and seitan. I think it all stems from the first time I ever tried tofu. I was 16 and found a recipe for a seasoned tofu burger in a Cooking Light magazine. For some reason, I can remember the recipe taking me forever to make. I think there was pressing, marinating, cooking, frying, and probably a zillion other steps. (Actually, probably not, but you know how years have a tendency to exaggerate things) Anyway, I finally finished the recipe, sat down at the table, took a huge bite, and promptly spit it out. I absolutely hated it. The texture was completely different than I expected. And since I'm such a huge texture person, I was done. I swore off tofu for years.

Since I became a vegetarian, I still haven't really ever forgiven tofu. Sure, I have a few recipes that have tofu in them, but it's usually so well disguised that it's not discernable. I avoid the faux meats case in the grocery store, although my little vegetarian heart feels guilty for not giving it a try.

So today I did it. I recently purchased a great cookbook, Veganomicon, and have been reading all of the tempeh and seitan recipes. It got me thinking that maybe I was being just a bit harsh writing it all off over 1 bad experience. After a few days, I finally decided it was time to stop being a baby and give it the old college try. I found this recipe on the internet, made a few modifications, threw it in the oven, and crossed my fingers.

Let me tell you - delicious. No, seriously. They're delicious. Now I'm not getting crazy and saying meat eaters are going to eat this and instantly convert, but it's seriously tasty. The texture is different, but good different. The panko crumbs on the outside really give it a crunchy texture, and there's nothing a little wing sauce can't make tasty. Although the directions look lengthy, it really doesn't take more than 35-40 minutes to have these on the table. If you haven't tried tempeh, let this be your first recipe. And if you have, then you'd be crazy for not trying this recipe. Now it's your turn to give it the old college try.

*This recipe is dedicated to a longtime reader of 28 Cooks, LJ, who recently became a vegan. Enjoy, LJ!*



Buffalo Tempeh "Wings"
1 (8 oz) pkg tempeh
1/3 c soy milk
1/3 c flour
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp thyme leaves
1 tsp paprika
1/2 tsp garlic powder
Freshly ground pepper to taste
1 cup Italian seasoninged panko crumbs

Wing Sauce
1/2 c Louisiana-style hot sauce
2 tbsp butter
1 tbsp ketchup

Bring 4 cups of water to boil over high heat. Meanwhile, remove tempeh from package. Slice into 8 strips. (If you are a first time tempheh eater and have texture issues, I recommend slicing into 10-12 strips) Once water is boiling, lower heat to medium high, add tempeh, and boil for 15 minutes. Drain and rinse with cool water.
Set out 3 bowls. In one, pour in soy milk. In the second, combine flour and seasonings. In third bowl, add panko crumbs. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
Place each strip in milk. Coat in flour mixture, then briefly re-dip into milk. Toss with panko crumbs, coating well. Set on slightly oiled baking sheet. Repeat with remaining tempeh strips. Once all are coated and on baking sheet, lightly spray all "wings" with cooking spray. Place into oven and bake for 10 minutes. Flip "wings" over and bake for an additional 10 minutes.
While they are baking, place wing sauce ingredients in a medium sized bowl. Cover with Saran wrap and heat in microwave on medium high setting for a minute and a half. Remove from heat and whisk ingredients together.
When wings are finished baking, toss with sauce. Serve immediately.

Figs in Red Winea

Mele Cotte is hosting a food event that I just had to take part in. Cooking to Combat Cancer is a great event for foodies to get involved in promoting cancer awareness and to create recipes that include some of the cancer fighting foods and spices.

Although my family has not been immediately touched by cancer, I have quite a few friends who have been. One of my very best friends lost her mother to cancer, then her aunt a few short months later. It wasn't long before she was diagnosed with cancer as well. Thankfully, it was caught early enough and after a few rounds of chemo and radiation, she's been cancer free for the past few years. But how many haven't been that lucky??

That's why prevention and awareness is so important. According to the National Cancer Institute, nearly one-third of all cancer deaths may be diet related. That's crazy, isn't it?? The food we eat has a direct correlation to our health. Why wouldn't we want to eat as healthy as possible?? (As an aside, if you haven't yet read the book The China Study, I strongly suggest you do. It is an amazing research study about the relationship between diet and disease, and it's done in a very readable format. I highly recommend it!)

When I read the list of Cancer Fighting Foods and Spices on The Cancer Cure Foundation website, figs and red wine immediately jumped out. I have had a recipe for Figs in Red Wine scribbled down in my food notebook that I believe came from The Zuni Cafe Cookbook. Although I don't have the book and can't vouch for its content, I did like the idea of this recipe.

According to the list of foods, figs contain vitamins A and C, and calcium, magnesium and potassium, may curtail appetite and improve weight-loss efforts. They also contain a derivative of benzaldehyde, which investigators at the Institute of Physical and Chemical Research in Tokyo say is highly effective at shrinking tumors. Red wine has polyphenols that may protect against various types of cancer. Polyphenols are potent antioxidants, compounds that help neutralize disease-causing free radicals.

These figs are perfect by their own, but would be a fantastic addition to a cheese plate. A jar of these would also make a lovely gift to a fellow foodie.



Figs in Red Wine

1 1/2 c dry fruity red wine
2 bay leaves
10 peppercorns
1 strip orange zest
1 tsp honey
8 oz dried mission figs

In a small saucepan, bring red wine, bay leaves, and peppercorns to a boil. Lower heat and simmer uncovered, until wine is reduced to 1/2 cup. While wine is simmering, cut figs in half. Place in small jar with wine and add remaining ingredients. Cover, shake, and store in refrigerator.

Thai Curry Seafood Bruschetta

hen it first opened, and I absolutely did not like it. I think part of it was the fact that I was expecting more of a traditional bruschetta, and secondly, the dish was overcooked.

Obviously, it wasn't enough to keep me away, from either the dish or the establishment. I've ordered it since quite a few times, and it seems to get better and better.

For this dish, I wanted to try and recreate the seafood mixture part, but kick up the flavor of the broth. This time, I've used a mixture of flounder, scallops, shrimp, and mussels, but you can easily mix and match any seafood you want. I added some coconut milk and red curry paste for a serious dose of taste. The fresh cilantro tossed in at the end adds just the right kick.

The best part of this dish?? It's one of those "Ace In the Hole" recipes. I've talked about this before, but every cook needs an arsenal of recipes that can be whipped up in the least amount of time possible, uses ingredients that are usually stocked in your kitchen, yet looks like you spent hours slaving over the stove. This recipe has some serious "Impress" factor, and is perfect to whip up when you are serving guests, or better yet, that special someone.



Thai Curry Seafood Bruschetta
Serves 4

2 tbsp olive oil
1 1/2 cups diced plum tomatoes
1 tbsp fresh ginger, minced
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 (15 oz) cans coconut milk
1 1/2 tbsp red curry paste
3 lb assorted seafood
1/4 c fresh cilantro, chopped
salt to taste

In large pot, heat olive oil over medium high heat. Add tomatoes, ginger, and garlic, and saute for 1 minute. Add coconut milk and curry paste, stir well, and bring to a boil. Add seafood and lower heat to a simmer. (It may be necessary to add seafood in stages, judging by how fast it cooks - please see chart at the end) Simmer until seafood is done. Add cilantro, stir well, and served with crusty bread.

The following are guidelines on roughly how long my seafood took to cook:

5-7 minutes
Large clams
Large scallops
Large shrimp

3-5 minutes
Fish (flounder, tilapia, etc), cut into 1-2" pieces
Smaller shrimp
Bay scallops
Mussels