Black Bean Tacos

While I am not a vegetarian, I’ve been asked by many followers to include vegetarian dishes so that they feel included in this blog. So while I love meat-filled tacos, I decided to come up with one of my brother-in-law's recipes for black bean tacos that he used to serve in his restaurant before he died. So, in honor of Chef George R. Davis, here’s his recipe.

Ingredients

Black Bean Tacos

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 red onion, chopped

2 garlic cloves, minced

1 teaspoon ground cumin

½ teaspoon smoked paprika

2 (15-ounce) cans black beans, drained and rinsed

fine sea salt

1 tablespoon lime juice

Creamy Cilantro Sauce

½ cup cilantro

¼ avocado, pit removed

½ cup water

1 small shallot (approx. 2 tablespoons)

1 garlic clove

2 tablespoons red wine vinegar

¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes

½ teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon maple syrup

Taco Assembly

8 to 12 small tortillas

shredded lettuce

sliced cherry tomatoes

Instructions

George used to cook the black beans in a crockpot with enough water to cover the beans and cook for at least 5 hours or until completely tender. In a small saucepan pan he would combine cilantro, avocado, water, shallot, garlic, vinegar, red pepper flakes, salt, and maple syrup, then simmer over a medium heat until. Once cooked, he would blend everything until smooth, then pour the sauce into a storage jar with a lid. He would set it aside until ready to serve.

In a large skillet over medium heat, add the olive oil and chopped red onion. Stir until softened, about 5 minutes. Add minced garlic, cumin, and smoked paprika, and stir for 1 more minute, just until they smell fragrant.

Once beans are tender, drain them and place them in the skillet and season to taste with a 1/2 teaspoon of salt. Add in a 1/4 cup of water and use a spatula to scrape the bottom of the pan, making sure none of the spices are sticking. The water will evaporate as the beans reheat. Cook until the beans are warmed through, about 5 minutes, then use a potato masher to mash some of the beans.  Feel free to mash as many beans as you like or leave them all whole. It's up to you!

Taste the bean mixture, and add a squeeze of lime juice, if you like, to brighten the flavor. You can also add more salt, if needed. Then, this filling is ready to serve. Add the black bean mixture to each tortilla, then top with shredded lettuce, tomatoes, and a generous spoonful of the cilantro sauce. Serve right away. Leftover beans and sauce can be stored separately in airtight containers in the fridge for up to 4 days.

Elizabeth Kilbride is a Writer and Editor with forty years of experience in writing, with 12 of those years in the online content sphere. Author of 5 books and a Graduate with an Associate of Arts degree in Business Management, then a degree. Mass Communication and Cyber Analysis from Ashford University, then on to Walden University for her master’s in criminology with emphasis on Cybercrime and Identity Theft and is currently studying for her Ph.D. degree in Criminology. Her work portfolio includes coverage of politics, current affairs, elections, history, and true crime. Elizabeth is also a gourmet cook, life coach, and avid artist in her spare time, proficient in watercolor, acrylic, oil, pen and ink, gouache, and pastels. As a political operative who has worked on over 300 campaigns during her career, Elizabeth has turned many life events into books and movie scripts while using history to weave interesting storylines. She also runs 7 blogs ranging from art to life coaching, food, writing, Gardening, and opinion or history pieces each week.

Crockpot Cooking, Kilbride, Potpourri of Frugality, Homemade, Do it yourself