Beer Glazed Black Beans

I got a new cook book for my birthday, How to Cook Everything Vegetarian by Mark Bittman.  A food writer for the New York Times, Mark is know as the “Minimalist” and I’ve been a regular reader of his blog Bitten Blog for a few years.

I adapted his recipe for beer glazed black beans for dinner and they were very tasty.  The flavor of beer and beans go together really well, and I’m sure this dish would work with pinto, kidney or white beans. This recipe is quick and easy and could be made even faster if you use canned beans, however, I cooked by own.  Black beans cook in 15 minutes in a pressure cooker.

True to Mark’s minimalist style, there are very few ingredients in this recipe which makes it a perfect dinner for those nights when you’re running late.  

I used Rolling Rock beer because that's what we had in the fridge, but you could use any kind.  The darker the beer, the stronger the beer flavor.  I added corn, tomatoes and some avocado to boost the flavor and appearance.  A big piece of cornbread would be tasty with this dish...next time.

Beer Glazed Black Beans

Makes 2 main dish servings or 4 side dish - use organic ingredients whenever possible

Adapted from a Mark Bittman recipe

1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil

1 small onion, chopped

1 clove garlic, minced

1 cup beer (light or dark)

3 cups cooked black beans, drained

2 teaspoons chili powder

1 tablespoon molasses

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup corn, fresh or defrosted frozen

1 cup quartered cherry tomatoes

1/2 avocado, sliced

Heat a skillet over a medium heat.

Add the oil and swirl it around to coat the pan.

Add the onions, stir and cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Add the garlic, stir and cook for 1 minute.

Add the beer, beans, chili powder, molasses, and salt.

Continue cooking on medium low and let the liquid bubble and thicken for 15 minutes.

Turn off the heat and stir in the corn.

Plate the beans and top with tomato and avocado.