some like it hot

underneath this mound of luscious salsa i give you:
jalapeno black bean burgers!


not the prettiest thing i've made, but it sure was tasty!

i got this recipe awhile back for walnut black bean burgers. i made them, and they were good, but something inside of me (i guess you could call it my "hotness factor") had been urging me to try it again with jalapenos as the companion item instead of tasty-but-totally-not-hot-at-all walnuts.

they turned out great! deb even cooked a fresh jalapeno (although due to the cough-inducing steamy kitchen haze that his process entails, i might just go with a canned jar next time), and we served the burgers with peach-mango salsa and homemade guacamole with red onion and lime.

jalapeno black bean burgers
serves 8
(umm....really? 'cause i halved the recipe, and it served one hungry annie and one hungry deb. oh well)

2 15 oz. cans black beans, rinsed and drained well
2 t ground cumin
3 t chilli powder
1/8 to 1/4 t cayenne pepper
1/2 cup cooked brown rice
diced jalapeno (to desired hotness. we used 1 jalapeno for 1/2 recipe)
1/3 c. chopped red onion
3 T canned corn
salt and pepper to taste
1/3 cup cornmeal
guacamole or salsa to garnish

- puree 2 1/2 c. beans with cumin, chilli powder, and cayenne until smooth
(you might need to add a bit of water to get the blender working)
- scoop into mixing bowl and add rice, jalapenos, onion, corn, and remaining beans
- mix evenly, adding salt and pepper to taste, and a bit of water if necessary
(mixture should be stiff but not dry)
- chill for 30 minutes
(oops. we skipped this step, but they turned out ok)
- roll burger patties with hands, dredge in cornmeal in a flat dish
- coat nonstick pan or grill with cooking spray, cook burgers over medium heat 4 minutes on each side, or until heated through
- garnish with salsa or guacamole, and enjoy!