SPICY BLACK BEANS WITH FRESH PLUMS

(This is taken from the book ALMOST VEGETARIAN by Diana Shaw, and slightly changed to be more Zone friendly.)

The entire recipe contains about 15C and 4F.

Takes about 60 minutes to prepare, start to finish.

This dish can be made up to 3 days in advance, stored well wrapped in the refrigerator, and then served hot or cold (I prefer it cold). To reheat, transfer to a heavy saucepan and warm slowly over medium-low heat.


Ingredients:

4 sweet plums, such as black friars or Santa Rosa
½ tablespoon light tasting olive oil (refined, not extra virgin), or almond oil
1 large white or yellow onion, chopped
1 large red pepper, cored, seeded and diced
1 large yellow pepper, cored, seeded and diced
2 garlic cloves, crushed and minced
2 whole cloves
2 tsp. ground cumin
1 tsp. crumbled dried oregano
Pinch cayenne pepper
1 tsp. light honey or agave syrup
2 tsp. lemon juice (adjust to less if plums are tart, or not so ripe)
2 cups cooked black beans, drained and rinsed
Sea salt to taste
Optional: 1/2 cup minced fresh cilantro


Directions:

Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add the plums and boil for 1 minute to loosen the skin. Remove the skin with a slotted spoon and set them aside to cool.

Heat the oil in a large skillet. Add the onion, red and yellow pepper, garlic, cloves, cumin, oregano, cayenne pepper, and optional cilantro. Sautee over medium heat, stirring often, until the onion is soft and translucent, about 7 minutes.

Peel the plums, remove the pits and chop the pulp.

Stir the lemon juice, honey, and plum pulp into the onion mixture. Add the beans, stir, and cover. Turn the heat down to low and continue to cook until peppers are soft, stirring often to prevent sticking, about 20 to 30 minutes. Season with salt and serve warm, at room temperature, or well chilled.

Is nice served with chicken, or with tofu browned on the stovetop.