Black Bean and Rice Cakes with Chipotle Crema

Method7 steps

1. 1

   Step 1: Finely chop 1/4 onion, 1/2 jalapeño and the 3 bean-cake garlic cloves. Sauté the onion and jalapeño in a dollop of oil over medium heat for a few minutes until tender. Add the minced garlic and cook briefly, about 30–60 seconds.

   Uses 1/4 onion · 1/2 jalapeno · 3 garlic cloves for bean cakes · A dollop of oil for sautéing onion and jalapeño

2. 2

   Step 2: Drain and rinse the can of black beans (1 can). Add them to the sautéed aromatics from step 1 with 2 minced chipotles in adobo, the separate 1 tbsp adobo sauce, 1/2 tsp ground cumin, 1/2 tsp bean-cake salt, cracked black pepper (to taste) and a splash of water. Cook for a couple of minutes until heated through.

   Uses Sautéed onion, jalapeño and garlic · 1 can black beans, drained and rinsed · 2 chipotle peppers in adobo for bean cakes · 1 tablespoon adobo sauce · 1/2 tsp ground cumin · 1/2 tsp salt for bean cakes · Freshly cracked black pepper, to taste · A splash of water for bean mixture

3. 3

   Step 3: Transfer the warm bean mixture from step 2 to a mixing bowl. Mash with a fork, leaving some beans intact.

   Uses Warm cooked bean mixture

4. 4

   Step 4: Mix the 1 cup already cooked rice into the partially mashed beans from step 3. Plain cooked white rice works; do not add dry rice. The mixture shapes more reliably once cooled. If time allows, promptly refrigerate in a shallow container for about 2 hours until chilled and firmer; this optional chilling is additional to the active cooking guide. Warm mixture can be used immediately but the cakes may crumble.

   Uses Partially mashed bean mixture · 1 cup cooked rice

5. 5

   Step 5: Make the crema before the final frying: blend 1/2 cup plain Greek yogurt, 1 tbsp cream OR 1 tbsp mayonnaise, the separate crema chipotle, the separate 1 garlic clove, 1 pinch crema salt and a squeeze of lime juice until smooth. Refrigerate until serving.

   Uses 1/2 cup plain Greek yogurt · 1 tbsp cream OR mayonnaise for crema · 1 tbsp mayonnaise instead of the cream · 1 chipotle pepper in adobo for crema · 1 garlic clove for crema · 1 pinch salt for crema · A squeeze of lime juice for crema

6. 6

   Step 6: Put the 1/2 cup coating cornmeal on a plate. Shape the bean-and-rice mixture from step 4 into golf-ball-size rounds and roll them in a thin cornmeal coating; the source batch made about 8 cakes, flattened to roughly 1/2 inch thick. Use only as much coating as needed and discard any remaining cornmeal from the coating plate.

   Uses Bean-and-cooked-rice mixture · Cornmeal from the 1/2 cup coating supply, as needed; discard remainder

7. 7

   Step 7: Heat 2–3 tbsp frying oil in a wide skillet over medium heat until shimmering. Fry the coated cakes from step 6 for about 3–5 minutes per side, gently flattening to roughly 1/2 inch thick if needed. Flip when the coating is golden, and continue until golden on both sides and hot through the centre. If using chilled or leftover cooked rice, heat the centres to 74°C/165°F. Serve immediately with the prepared crema from step 5.

   First cake side: 3–5 minutes until golden, then flip · 4 minUses Cornmeal-coated bean-and-rice cakes · 2–3 tbsp oil for frying cakes · Prepared chipotle crema