Recipe: Black Bean Sauce

Black Bean Sauce

Makes about 2 cups

Substitute bean sauce for the chile sauce in any enchilada recipe to turn "chilied" tortillas into "beaned" tortillas. For an elegant look, make "two-tone" enfrijoladas. Pour Black Bean Sauce on one half of the stuffed tortillas and White Bean Sauce on the other.

2 tablespoons olive oil
1/4 onion finely diced
1 clove garlic minced
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon paprika
1/2 teaspoon guajillo chile powder
1-1/2 cups cooked black beans
1/2 cup sour cream
Salt

In a large skillet, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the onion and garlic and sauté for 3 to 4 minutes, or until translucent. Add the cumin, paprika, and guajillo chile powder and sauté for 1 minute. Add the beans and sour cream and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to low and simmer for 3 minutes.

Transfer 1 cup of the bean mixture to a blender and purée until smooth. To remove the bean skins pass the purée through a sieve back into the skillet, then simmer for 2 minutes until heated through. If the sauce becomes too thick, thin with water. Season to taste with salt. Use warm, or cover and store in refrigerator; it will keep for up to 4 days.

From:
Nuevo Tex-Mex
By David Garrido and Robb Walsh
Chronicle Books
Full-color photographs and illustrations throughout
Paperback, $19.95
ISBN 0-8118-1612-5
Recipe Reprinted by permission.