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Small red onion, sliced thinly (about 1 cup)

4 cloves garlic, minced

1 pound cremini mushrooms, sliced

Several pinches of freshly ground black pepper

¼ teaspoon salt

½ cup dry red cooking wine

¼ cup vegetable broth

2 teaspoons smoked paprika

2 tablespoons fresh chopped thyme

1 (16-ounce) can cannellini beans, drained and rinsed

¼ cup chopped fresh dill

1 recipe Scarlet Barley or Caulipots (to serve)

Preheat a 4-quart pot over medium-high heat. Sauté the onions in the oil until lightly browned, about 7 minutes. Add the garlic and sauté for about 30 seconds. Add the mushrooms, pepper, and salt; cook until lots of the moisture has been released, stirring occasionally, for about 5 minutes.

Add the wine, broth, smoked paprika, and thyme. Turn up the heat and bring the mixture to a low boil. Boil for about 3 minutes. Lower the heat and add the beans. Cook to heat through, about 5 more minutes. Use a strong fork to lightly mash some of the beans, to thicken the sauce. Just mash a few against the side of the pot and then mix ’em back in. Taste for salt and serve.

Serve over Scarlet Barley or Caulipots and litter with plenty of fresh dill.

Caribbean Curried Black-Eyed Peas with Plantains

SERVES 4 . ACTIVE TIME: 20 MINUTES TOTAL TIME: 30 MINUTES

PER SERVING

(¼ RECIPE):

Calories: 300

Calories from fat: 45

Total fat: 5 g

Saturated fat: 2.5 g

Trans fat: 0 g

Total carb: 57 g

Fiber: 10 g

Sugars: 18 g

Protein: 11 g

Cholesterol: 0 mg

Sodium: 320 mg

Vitamin A: 25%

Vitamin C: 40%

Calcium: 6%

Iron: 25%

In my old neighborhood in Brooklyn, the streets were lined with spicy, sexy, West Indian curries. I really miss the tropical flavors, but don’t miss the feeling of eating a small army’s ration of coconut milk. And those deep-fried plantains were killer, but they probably will kill you someday. In this revamped dish, just a touch of coconut milk really does the job, and steaming the plantains coaxes out their sweet flavor and succulent texture even better than frying does.

Jamaican curries were influenced by Indian curries, but with their own spin on the spice blend. The biggest difference is that Jamaican curry powder calls for star anise. Because preblended Jamaican curry powder can be hard to find, I rigged up this cheater blend simply by adding star anise to a regular old curry powder. Serve with brown basmati rice or Mashed Yuca with Cilantro & Lime (page 57) and Jerk Asparagus (page 91).

TIP

Habanero peppers are really hot, so proceed with caution. If you’re not absolutely crazy about spicy food, do half a habanero. Or for even milder flavor, use half a jalapeño pepper.

1 teaspoon olive oil

¼ cup finely chopped shallot

1 red bell pepper, seeded and diced finely

½ to 1 habanero pepper, seeded and minced

3 cloves garlic, minced

2 teaspoons minced fresh ginger

2 bay leaves

1 star anise

2 teaspoons mild curry powder

Pinch of ground cinnamon

About 3 sprigs of fresh thyme

½ teaspoon salt

¾ cup light coconut milk

¾ cup water

1 (16-ounce) can black-eyed peas, drained and rinsed

1 teaspoon light agave nectar

Juice from about ½ lime

2 very ripe plantains, split lengthwise and cut into 1-inch

chunks

Cooked rice or other grain, for serving

Bring your steamer apparatus to a boil and preheat a small, heavy-bottomed pot over medium heat. Sauté the shallot, red pepper, and habanero in the oil for about 5 minutes, until softened. Add the garlic, ginger, bay leaves, and star anise, and saute for about 2 minutes more. Add a splash of water and the curry powder, cinnamon, and thyme. Stir for about 30 seconds, just to toast the curry powder a bit.

Add the salt, coconut milk, water, and beans. Cover and heat through for about 5 minutes. Add the agave and lime. Taste for salt and seasoning. Turn off the heat and let the curry sit for 10 minutes to allow the flavors to meld. Remove the thyme, anise, and bay leaves.

In the meantime, steam the plantains for about 5 minutes. They should appear plump and bright yellow.

To assemble: Serve the beans over rice (or any grain)