black bean and corn stew March 26, 2007

i love black beans – always looking for a new recipe that involves them! garnish with cheese, chopped scallions, some tortilla chips or a heated flour tortilla.

Black Bean and Corn Stew
4 tsp olive oil
1 med onion, diced
4 garlic cloves, minced
2 tsp ground cumin
1 can (4.5 oz) chopped green chilies
2 cans black beans, drained, rinsed
2 cans diced tomatoes
salt
1 package (10 oz) frozen corn

1. Heat oil over med heat. Add onion; cook until softened. Add garlic and cumin; cook, stirring frequently, until fragrant, about 2 min more.
2. Add chilies, beans, tomatoes (with their juice) to the pan. Add 2 c water and 1 tsp salt. Bring to a boil; reduce heat to low and simmer, until it thickens slightly, about 20 min.
3. Puree 2 cups of stew in a blender or processor. Return puree to the pan, and add the frozen corn; simmer until heated through, about 5 min.

pepper-crusted filet mignon March 3, 2007

i found filet mignon on clearance at the grocery today, so i splurged. and, on my goodness, was it worth it. this was my first time making filet mignon, so i wanted to do something simple! i served this with carmelized shallots, roasted potatoes and roasted asparagus.

Pepper-Crusted Filet Mignon

2 filet mignons (mine were about 8 oz each)
coarse salt, ground pepper
2 tsp olive oil
1 cup red wine
2 tbsp butter

1. Season filets very generously on both sides with salt and lots of pepper, patting it into the meat.
2. Heat oil in a small skillet over medium meat. Cook filets for about 3 minutes a side, to brown. Transfer to 400-degree oven to finish cooking, about 10 minutes more. 
3. Meanwhile, bring wine to a boil in a small saucepan. Let boil down for about 8 minutes. Remove from heat and add butter. Swirl pan until butter is melted and sauce is a bit thickened. Serve over filet.

Recipe Origin: adapted from a Everyday Food recipe.