Black Bean Patties with Corn Relish and Avocado Cream

Black beans provided the protein component of our dinner tonight and did the job beautifully. I used canned beans today and blended half of the can with some roasted red bell peppers, an egg, some spices and a little chipotle in adobo in the food processor. I mashed the remaining beans in a bowl and added some finely diced onions and roasted red pepper. The two bean mixtures were combined and finally thickened with some cornmeal until no longer sticky. It got to chill out in the refrigerator for 30 minutes while I made the corn relish and avocado cream. This meal worked out great for a meatless Monday feature.

 Black Bean Patties with Corn Relish and Avocado Cream (2-4 Servings)

1 15 can black beans, drained and rinsed, divided
1/2 cup roasted red bell pepper, divided
1 egg
1/2 teaspoon oregano
1/2 teaspoon cumin
1/2 tablespoon chipotle in adobo, minced
1/4 cup onion, finely diced
1/4 cup cornmeal or panko (plus more as needed)
Salt and pepper to taste
1-2 tablespoons canola or vegetable oil

For the Relish
1 teaspoon canola oil
1/2 cup corn kernels
1 clove garlic, minced
1/2 jalapeno, seeded and minced
1/4 cup tomato, seeded and diced
Lime juice
1/2 tablespoon fresh cilantro, minced
Salt and pepper to taste

For the Avocado Cream
1/4 avocado, pitted and coarsely chopped
1/4 cup light sour cream
Lime juice
Salt and pepper to taste

To roast red peppers, preheat oven to 475 degrees. Place whole pepper on a foil lined baking sheet and cook 15 minutes turning several times to evenly brown. When browned and bubbling on all sides, remove to a bowl and cover with foil or plastic wrap. Allow to cool at least 15 minutes or until you can handle them. Remove seeds and skin and roughly chop. Set aside.

To make the patties, blend in food processor half of black beans, half of the roasted red bell pepper (roughly chopped), egg, oregano, cumin, and chipotle. In a large bowl, mash the remaining beans. Finely chop onion and remaining roasted pepper and stir into mashed beans. Stir in pureed bean mixture. Stir in cornmeal or breadcrumbs a little at a time until no longer sticky and it holds together. Chill 30 minutes.

 Meanwhile prepare relish. Heat oil in a skillet on medium. Cook corn 2-3 minutes until just browned. Add garlic and jalapeno and cook bout a minute until fragrant. Remove from heat and stir in tomato, lime, and cilantro. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

To prepare sauce, combine avocado, sour cream, lime juice, and salt and pepper to taste in a food processor or blender until smooth.

Form bean mixture into patties 3-4 inches across. Heat a few tablespoons of oil in a skillet and cook patties 3-4 minutes per side until browned and firm.

Adapted from Annie's Eats