Fennel, Bean and Tuna Salad

If you like these ingredients you will enjoy this salad. Some people aren't fond of fennel's licorice flavor but I love it. I'm having some friends over for brunch this Sunday and was thinking of what to serve that could be made in advance. This salad may be on the table along with some others. I found the recipe in The Farm to Table Cookbook by Ivy Manning. If you aren't into cooking dried bans from scratch, please feel free to use 2 cans of cannellini beans, well drained, rinsed and dried. I like Eden Organic brand.

1 cup dried cannellini beans

7 cups cold water

1 bay leaf

2 tsp. salt

1 garlic clove, peeled

1 small fennel bulb

1/2 cup thinly sliced red onion

1 6 ounce can tuna in oil, undrained

1 tbl. extra virgin olive oil

juice of 1 lemon

1 tb. apple cider vinegar

1/4 cup Italian parsley, finely chopped

salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

Soak the beans in cool water for at least 8 hours, or overnight. Drain, rinse well and put in a large saucepan. Add the water, bay leaf, salt and garlic; bring to a boil. simmer until the beans are tender, tasting frequently to determine doneness. They should be done in about 40 minutes. Drain the beans and refrigerate until cool.

Halve the fennel lengthwise, separate the feathery green fronds form the stalks and finely chop the fronds. Remove the tough fennel core. Slice the bulb and stalks as thinly as possible.

In a large bowl, combine the beans, fennel, onion, tuna and its oil, olive oil, lemon juice, vinegar and parsley. Toss together gently; add salt and pepper to taste before serving.

Adobo-Rubbed Pork Tenderloin with Black Bean Pico de Gallo

When I crave a break from the usual chicken or fish I think of pork tenderloin. It's very lean and cooks quickly. Does it taste great? Usually not. Pork tenderloin can be a little dry and boring. This dish is different. It has a bit of a spicy kick and the meat stays juicy and flavorful. The adobo rub is easy to put together and does wonders for the super lean pork. Black bean pico de gallo is a perfect partner. I served this with oven roasted sweet potatoes and asparagus. The sweet potatoes went into the oven first, followed by the asparagus and then the pork. The recipe makes extra adobo rub which you can try on, what else, chicken and fish of course. Thanks to Self magazine (4/03) for this excellent recipe which I changed slightly.

Pork

6 tbsp paprika

2 tbsp freshly ground pepper

2 tbsp coarse salt

1 tbsp chili powder

2 tbsp brown sugar

3 pinches cayenne pepper

24 oz. pork tenderloin, trimmed, cut into 3 to 4 ounce pieces

Pico de gallo

1 15 ounce can black beans

4 medium tomatoes, diced

1/2 cup diced red onion

1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro

2 tbsp minced jalapeno pepper

2 tbsp fresh lemon or lime juice

salt to taste

For pork: Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In small bowl, mix paprika, black pepper, salt, chili powder, sugar and cayenne. Rub all sides of each tenderloin piece with spice mixture. Preheat oven safe skillet over medium high heat and pan sear pices until golden brown on all sides. Transfer to oven until done (about 12 minutes- check at 10 minutes).

To make pico de gallo, mix all ingredients. Serve 1/2 cup over tenderloin pieces and place the remaining pico de gallo on the table.

Serves 4

Notes: My daughter Rachel and her wife Lisa make a very delicious corn relish during the corn season and often send us a few jars of it. I added some relish to the pico de gallo. The bright yellow corn looks beautiful combined with black beans and the taste is wonderful. If you have some corn on hand, add it. Chopped avocado would also be a great addition.

Spicy Black Bean Soup with Cumin and Jalapeno

The recipe for this wonderful soup was sent to me by Barbara, who is Alison's mother. What luck that there are so many food loving people in my family. Barbara was having guests over for dinner so, naturally, I asked what she planned to serve. The black bean soup was especially appealing to me. As noted before, I have a special affinity to black beans (there are worse things to confess) so don't be surprised if more recipes include them. Barbara found this recipe on Preston Maring MD's newsletter. Dr. Maring explains that beans are high in calcium so this soup is not only delicious but also good for you.

2 tbl. olive oil

1 onion, diced

1 medium carrot, diced

4 large cloves garlic, minced

2 tsp. ground cumin

1-2 tsp. finely chopped jalapeno chili with seeds, divided* (don't rub your eyes after doing this)

2 cans black beans, including liquid

4 medium tomatoes, diced (save the juice)

1 1/2 cups low-salt chicken broth

chopped fresh cilantro

chopped scallions

crumbled feta cheese

In a large soup pot, heat the oil. Cook the onion, carrot and garlic until soft.

Mix in the cumin and 1 tsp. jalapeno*. Add the beans, tomatoes with juice and broth. Bring to a boil, then cover and simmer for about 15 minutes.

Transfer three cups to a blender, puree until smooth and return to pot. Simmer a little more until slightly thickened. Season to taste by adding a little salt, pepper and jalapeno at a time and taste frequently so you aren't surprised. Ladle into bowls and garnish as you wish.

Notes: *Barbara uses only 1/2 tsp. of jalapeno so be forewarned. Start off with less and work your way up to suit your taste

I recommend Eden Organic canned beans

I might skip the feta cheese and garnish the soup with some yogurt

Black Bean Salad with Avocado and Red Pepper

I have a serious addiction to avocados and love to find new ways to use them. I also have a thing for black beans, so putting the two together makes perfect sense to me. The lime and chile flavors pair beautifully with the ingredients in this refreshing and colorful salad, which can be served throughout the year. The salad goes wonderfully with broiled fish or chicken, pork tenderloin and even as a main dish with some cheese and crusty bread. If that isn't enough, it can be made way in advance. The recipe was adapted from The Carefree Cook by Rick Rodgers.

Serves 4

Grated zest of 1 lime

1 tbl. fresh lime juice

1/2 tsp. sugar

1/2 tsp. chili powder

1 garlic clove, crushed through a press

1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil

1 15-19 ounce can black beans, very well drained and rinsed

1/3 cup finely chopped red onion

2 ripe Hass avocados, pitted, peeled, and cut into 1 inch dice

1 roasted red pepper, seeds and ribs removed, cut into 1/2 inch dice (see Notes)

salt and freshly ground back pepper to taste

To make the dressing, pulse the lime zest and juice, sugar, chili powder and garlic in a blender to combine. With the blender on, gradually add the oil through the top vent. Transfer to a medium bowl.

Add the beans, red onion, avocado, and red pepper and mix well. Season with salt and pepper. Cover and refrigerate until chilled, about 2 hours, before serving. Season with additional lime juice, salt and pepper before serving.

Notes: The salad can be made one day in advance.

The blender is not essential for the dressing, which can be made by hand.

Many canned black beans are mushy and salty. The brand that I like best is Eden Organic.

Hass avocados are smallish with a dark, pebbly skin. If not available, substitute a smooth skinned avocado.

If you don't have a roasted red pepper just add a diced uncooked red pepper.