Thursday, September 23, 2010

Beer-Glazed Black Beans


You know that episode of Friends where Rachel makes the Thanksgiving dessert and she puts beef in the trifle?  That is one of the most quoted episodes in our house, and one of our favorite lines is "Custard?  Good.  Jam?  Good.  Meat?  Gooood."  I kind of felt that way about this dinner.  "Beans?  Good.  Beer?  Goood."  It does have molasses in it, which might cause you to scratch your head a little, just like meat in a trifle might, but trust me on this one and just go with it.  It provides a nice subtle sweetness to the dish.

I added some extra spices and flavors, and it should go without saying that we loved this meal.  I served the beans over rice, with jalapeno-cheddar cornbread on the side.  And just so you know, I ate the leftovers over a sweet potato topped with salsa, Greek yogurt, and cheddar, and that now holds the title for my favorite lunch ever.

One Year Ago:  Summer Squash Bruschetta




Beer-Glazed Black Beans
adapted from My Recession Kitchen, originally from Mark Bittman
  • 1 Tbs olive oil
  • 1/2 large onion, chopped
  • 1 jalapeno pepper, seeds and ribs removed, minced
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 2 tsp chili powder
  • 1 tsp cumin
  • 1/8 tsp cayenne pepper
  • 1 cup beer
  • 3 cups cooked black beans (about 2 cans)
  • 1 Tbs molasses
  • 1/2 tsp kosher salt
  • 1/4 cup roughly chopped cilantro
  • 2-3 cherry tomatoes, quartered
  • shredded cheese, for garnish
Heat the oil over medium heat in a large skillet.  Add the onion and jalapeno, and cook until softened and translucent, 5 minutes.  Add the garlic, chili powder, cumin, and cayenne, and cook until fragrant, 30 seconds to 1 minute.

Add the beer, beans, molasses, and salt, and bring to a simmer.  Cook, stirring occasionally, until most of the beer has evaporated and the mixture has thickened, about 15 minutes.

Stir in the cilantro and tomatoes, and season to taste with additional salt and pepper, if needed.


7 comments:

Roxan said...

LOL, josie, I totally remember that episode of friends! I saw on one of those 'specials' where the actors talk about the show, that this scene took like 9 takes because everyone kept laughing. 'Twas a good one.

My hubby doesn't like beans much but I think if I glaze them with beer he will be more likely to eat them!

Danielle said...

I'm not much of a bean person, but my dad loves them. I'll have to make these for him sometime!

JV said...

One of the best lines from Friends ever.

Unknown said...

Thinking about that dessert gives me the willies, the beans do not! :)

Cara said...

I love that episode too! My brothers and I are huge Friends fanatics and can have entire conversations made up of quotes, including that one :)

Maybe I'm the only one not scratching my head, because I thought this sounded great from the get-go. And I LOVE the leftovers-rendition better than the original. I bet this would be really tasty with spicy pumpkin beer!

eatme_delicious said...

I love the sound of this! I haven't tried beer with beans before. I think molasses is usually added to baked beans.

Anonymous said...

Hi Josie:
What would you recommend serving with the black beans? This looks great but I'm at a loss as to how it would be incorporated into a dinner menu. Thanks :)

Post a Comment

 
BLOG DESIGN BY: SHERBET BLOSSOM DESIGNS