Recipes From the Root Cellar_ 270 Fresh Ways to Enjoy Winter Vegetables - Andrea Chesman [81]
Cajun-Spiced Black Beans and Sausage
Serves 6
If I were making this dish in the summer, I would swap out the celery root for the more traditional celery and include a green bell pepper in the sauté along with the onion. Without these vegetables — the “holy trinity” of Cajun cooking — the dish isn’t really a Cajun dish. On the other hand, it is tasty and delicious with just the ingredients on hand in the winter.
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 large onion, diced
1 celery root, peeled and diced
3 garlic cloves, minced
2 cups dried black beans, soaked overnight and drained
8 cups water
2 bay leaves
1 tablespoon dried thyme
8 ounces andouille or other smoked pork sausage, cut into ½-inch lengths
2 tablespoons Louisiana-style hot pepper sauce, like Frank’s or Crystal, plus more as needed
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Cayenne pepper
Hot cooked white rice, for serving
2 scallions, white and tender green parts, chopped (optional), for garnish
1 Heat the oil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the onion and celery root and sauté until the vegetables are soft, 4 to 5 minutes. Add the garlic and sauté until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add the beans, water, bay leaves, and thyme. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to just a simmer and cook, uncovered and stirring occasionally, until the skin on the beans is tender and the beans are soft, 1 to 2 hours.
2 Add the sausage and continue to cook, stirring occasionally, until the beans are soft and creamy, about 1 hour longer. Remove the bay leaves. Stir in the hot sauce. Season with salt, black pepper, and cayenne.
3 Serve the beans and sausage over the white rice, garnished with scallions. Pass the hot sauce at the table.
Black Bean, Sweet Potato, and Chorizo Stew
Serves 6
Combining two superfoods in a stew — beans and sweet potatoes — makes a delectable, healthful dish. The sausage can be omitted for a vegetarian version. If you can’t find Mexican chorizo, which is a fresh sausage, substitute spicy Italian sausage.
2 cups dried black beans, soaked overnight and drained
6 cups water
1 onion, diced
2 tablespoons chili powder
1 tablespoon cumin seeds
2 small to medium sweet potatoes, peeled and diced
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
8 ounces Mexican chorizo, casing removed and meat crumbled
1½ cups diced tomatoes with juice, or 1 (15-ounce) can
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Warmed corn tortillas or hot white rice, for serving
1 Combine the beans, water, onion, chili powder, and cumin in a large saucepan. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer, partially covered, until the beans are completely tender, 1 to 2 hours.
2 Cover the sweet potatoes with salted water in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil and boil until the potatoes are just tender, about 5 minutes. Drain.
3 Heat the oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add the sausage and sauté until browned, about 5 minutes.
4 Add the sweet potatoes, sausage, and tomatoes to the beans. Season with salt and pepper. Bring just to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for 10 minutes. Taste and adjust the seasoning. Serve at once, accompanied by warm corn tortillas or spooned over rice.
Variation: Quick Black Bean, Sweet Potato, and Chorizo Stew
Omit the cooked beans and water. Rinse and drain three 15-ounce cans of cooked black beans. Heat the beans with 1 cup chicken broth or vegetable broth (pages 126–27), the chili powder, and the cumin seed. Cook the sweet potato as above. Sauté the onion with the sausage. Combine the ingredients and cook as above.
Chili Beans
Serves 4
These wonderful beans in a slightly spicy tomato sauce can serve as the basis for a simple meal of rice and beans or beans and cornbread. Or you can use these beans to make burritos, enchiladas, or tacos. They are a great dish to have in your repertoire. I add a little salt pork to most of my bean recipes — it adds an incomparable depth of flavor. You can skip the meat altogether for a vegetarian version, or you can substitute bacon, if you prefer.
2 cups