Cafe Pasqual's Beans & Polenta (2) -- x-posted

[Guest guest]

The black bean recipe has some variations included.

x-posted to RecipeCafe

JoAnn

 

* Exported from MasterCook *

 

Cafe Pasquale's Black Beans

 

Recipe By : Cafe Pasquale - Santa Fe, New Mexico

Serving Size : 6 Preparation Time :0:00

Categories : Restaurants Beans

 

Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method

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2 1/2 cups dried black beans

1/2 white onion -- finely diced

1/2 green bell pepper -- finely diced

Or red bell pepper

2 fresh jalapeno chilies -- minced

1/2 teaspoon ground cumin

1/2 bay leaf

3 quarts water

1 teaspoon salt -- or to taste

 

Seed and devein red or green bell peppers before dicing. Remove stems

and seeds from jalapenos before mincing.

 

Sort the beans by hand to remove small rocks and bits of organic debris,

and clean thoroughly, rinsing under running water. Combine all the

ingredients, except the salt, in a stockpot. Bring to a boil and then

reduce the heat to low. Simmer, uncovered, until the beans are soft,

about 1 1/2 hours. Add water as needed to keep the beans immersed during

cooking. When the beans are properly cooked, they are tender but their

remain unbroken.

 

Season with the salt. Cool the beans and store in their liquid to cover

in the refrigerator. The beans will keep up to five days in a container

with a tight fitting lid. You may freeze the beans for up to 2 months.

When thawed, they will be softer in texture.

 

Variations: Halfway through the cooking, add to the beans 2 lemons,

sliced, seeded, and coarsely chopped; and/or 1 1/2 teaspoons medium hot

New Mexico red chile powder (molido) and any leftover salsa. For more

piquant beans, add 1 fresh serrano chile, stemmed, seeded, and finely

chopped.

 

Note from author: Black beans, also known as turtle beans, are native to

Central and South America. I prefer them to the Southwest's more

traditional pinto, they have more flavor and seem to be more easily

digested. They also do not need the addition of meat for flavor the way

pinto beans do. Do NOT soak these beans overnight. Presoaking actually

seems to lengthen the cooking time. Also, to achieve soft, tender beans,

do not add salt until the end of the cooking process. Adding salt early

in the cooking will make the beans tough.

ISBN 0-8118-0293-0 Posted to RecipeCafe and Veg-Recipe 8/99 by JoAnn

Pellegrino

Recipe from Cafe Pasquale's Cookbook -- a collection of over 60 of the

most requested recipes from this critically acclaimed culinary hot spot.

 

 

 

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* Exported from MasterCook *

 

Polenta w Mascarpone & Grilled Portabello In Tomato Sauce

 

Recipe By : Cafe Pasquale - Santa Fe, New Mexico

Serving Size : 4 Preparation Time :0:00

Categories : Grilling Restaurants

Vegetables

 

Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method

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**Grilled Portabellos**

4 cloves garlic -- minced

2 tablespoons fresh thyme leaves -- stemmed

1/2 teaspoon nutmeg -- freshly ground

1 teaspoon black pepper -- freshly ground

juice of 2 lemons

zest of 2 lemons

1/3 cup balsamic vinegar

1/2 cup olive oil

5 portabello mushrooms -- fresh

**Tomato Sauce**

2 tablespoons olive oil

2 red bell peppers, roasted, peeled, seeded -- cut

in pieces

1 red onion -- sliced

4 cloves garlic -- minced

1/2 cup fresh oregano leaves, stemmed -- minced

1/4 cup fresh thyme leaves, stemmed -- minced

10 Italian plum tomatoes -- quartered

1 cup Merlot wine

Or Zinfandel wine

2 bay leaves

1 cup water

salt

freshly ground black pepper

**Polenta**

8 cups water

3/4 teaspoon safron threads

2 teaspoons salt

2 cups polenta

1/2 pound mascarpone cheese

1 cup Asiago cheese -- freshly grated

Or Parmesan cheese -- freshly grated

 

T prepare the mushrooms for grilling, combine the garlic, nutmeg,

peppper, lemon juice, vinegar, and olive oil in a bowl and whisk

together well. Add the mushrooms, turning to coat well, and marinate at

room temperature for 2 hours.

 

To prepare the tomato sauce, heat the olive oil in a large, nonreactive

saute pan over medium heat. Add the red peppers, onion, and garlic and

saute until soft, 7 to 10 minutes. Add all the other ingredients

including salt and pepper to taste, and cook, uncovered, until reduced

by half, 30 to 40 minutes.

 

Working in batches, transfer the sauce to a blender and puree until

smooth. Then pass the puree through a fine mesh strainer to make the

puree as smooth as possible. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

 

Prepare a fire in a charcoal grill. Crisscross grill racks to form a

meshed cooking surface, so the mushrooms do not fall through the grate.

Alternatively, lay a piece of well perforated aluminum foil across a

portion of the grill to act as a guard.

 

To prepare the polenta, place the water in a heavy bottomed saucepan and

add the saffron and salt. Bring to a rolling boil over high heat. Slowly

add the polents, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon. Cook over

medium heat, stirring constantly, until the raw taste disappears and the

polenta begins to " tear " away from the sides of the saucepan, 10 to 15

minutes. Add the cheeses, stirring well. Keep warm in a covered double

boiler over lowest heat.

 

Reheat the tomato puree in a saucepan and cover to keep warm.

 

Arrange the mushrooms on the grill rack over the hot coals and grill,

turning once, until heated through, 3 to 5 minutes on each side.

 

To serve, mound the polenta on a large heated platter. Spoon the tomato

sauce over all and top with the mushrooms.

Makes 4 to 6 servings.

ISBN 0-8118-0293-0 Posted to RecipeCafe and Veg-Recipe 8/99 by

JoAnn Pellegrino

Recipe from Cafe Pasquale's Cookbook -- a collection of over 60 of the

most requested recipes from this critically acclaimed culinary hot spot.

 

 

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