Calico Black Beans and Corn

Serve this flavor-packed side dish, an easy recipe that you can make in minutes, with grilled meats, barbecued ribs, or as a vegetarian taco filler.

Ingredients:
2 tablespoons canola or corn oil
1 medium red onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and minced
3 cups cooked or canned and drained black beans
2 cups fresh or frozen and thawed corn kernels, preferably shoepeg corn
1/2 bunch fresh cilantro, chopped

Instructions:
1. Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the onion, garlic and jalapeno, and saute them until the onion is translucent, 6 to 8 minutes.
2. Stir in the black beans and corn. Reduce the heat to medium-low and cook, stirring occasionally, until the corn is tender, 8 to 10 minutes. Stir in the cilantro and serve.

Serves 4 to 6

This Recipe was taken from: Prairie Home Cooking with permission of Harvard Common Press, Boston, Massachusetts.

Bouquet garni

A combination of parsley, bay leaf, and thyme, tied with a string; or a ready-made mixture of herbs in cloth bag. Used for flavoring soups, stews, sauces, and braised foods. A small bouquet garni should contain 2 sprigs of parsley, 1/3 bay leaf and 1 sprig or 1/8 teaspoon of thyme.

Corned Beef and Carrots

March 17th is St.Patrick's Day, a day of celebration and merriment. Every year upon the arrival of this festive day, all Americans become just a little bit Irish. As far as food goes, Corned Beef and Cabbage is what comes to mind. Today a version that omits the cabbage, but you may add it of course. Unfortunately I haven't found a corned beef brisket in Germany but when I lived in New England it was one of my favorite meals.


Corned Beef and Carrots

Preparation Time: 30 minutes
Soaking Time: 3 hours
Cooking Time: 3-4 hours

Ingredients:
(serves 6)

4 pounds corned beef
1 large onion
4 cloves
Bouquet garni
6 peppercorns
2 bay leaves
1 slice bacon
10 small carrots
12 small onions
2 small turnips
1/2 cup dry white wine
1/2 teaspoon dry mustard
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Instructions:

Soak the corned beef in cold water for 3 hours. Remove and wash well in cold water.
Put the corned beef in a large saucepan. Peel the onion and stud it with the cloves, and add to the beef together with the bouquet garni, peppercorns, bay leaves, an bacon. Cover with cold water, bring to a boil, and after a few minutes remove the scum with a large spoon; keep the meat on the boil and continue skimming for about 10 minutes. Cover the pan with a tight fitting lid and reduce the heat, then simmer for 1 3/4 hours. Remove the pan from the heat and lift out the meat with a slotted spoon; strain the liquid into a bowl.
When the liquid has cooled, remove the congealed far from the surface. Peel the carrot and onions, and peel and coarsely slice the turnips. Arrange the vegetables in a deep pan, with the beef on top. Por over the wine and enough strained liquid to cover. Sprinkle in the mustard and cinnamon and cover the pan with a lid. Bring to a boil, then lower the heat and simmer for 1-2 hours more, or until meat is tender when tested with a fork.

Arrange the corned beef in the center of a large serving dish and surround with the vegetables. Cabbage, cut into large chunks, may be added to the simmering meat for the last 20 minutes of cooking.

Serve piping hot with plain boiled potatoes or buttered noodles and a crisp green salad.