Quick Take Tuesday

Quick Black Bean Tacos
Tuesdays, usually call for a quick dinner, and Bon Appétit (2/09) has a recipe that fits the bill. I noticed this recipe in my quick flip through the magazine, and then I saw it again on Smitten Kitchen’s blog (I have to try her Whole Lemon Tart). She didn’t like the coleslaw in the taco recipe, and she recommended using a Bobby Flay recipe instead. I decided to take her word for it, and make the Bobby Flay coleslaw. I just had to hope my kids would like a black bean taco with coleslaw and feta cheese. Hmm…it was worth a try.

I made small changes to both the taco and the coleslaw recipes. I only used ¼ teaspoon of the cumin in the black beans. I like cumin, but only in small quantities. And, in the slaw recipe, I used the jalapeno chili sauce I make and keep in my freezer instead of the serrano peppers the recipe called for.

I knew my daughter would try the tacos, and probably like them, but I was worried my son wouldn’t like them. I had him try the coleslaw and he said he liked it. So, I left off the feta cheese from his tacos, but piled on the coleslaw. He ate them and asked for seconds. My daughter liked them too. Both kids said I should make the tacos again. High praise indeed!

Black Bean Tacos
1 15-ounce can black beans drained
¼ teaspoon ground cumin
White or yellow corn tortillas
½ cup crumbled feta cheese
3 teaspoons canola oil
Green Onion Slaw

Place the black beans and cumin in a bowl and partially mash. Heat oil in a large non-stick skillet over medium high heat. Place tortillas in skillet. Add ¼ cup of bean mixture in the middle of the tortilla, and cook one minute. Fold in half and cook about one minute on each side or until golden brown. Fill tacos with feta cheese and Green Onion Slaw.

Green Onion Slaw

1 cup green onions, coarsely chopped
1/4 cup red wine vinegar
2 tablespoons mayonnaise
Salt and pepper
1/2 cup pure olive oil
1 head purple cabbage, finely shredded
 (I used pre-packaged coleslaw mix)
1 small red onion halved and thinly sliced
1/4 cup chopped cilantro leaves
Blend, vinegar, chili sauce, mayonnaise, salt, pepper and oil with a whisk until emulsified. Place cabbage, green onions and red onions in a bowl, add the dressing and stir until combined. Stir in the cilantro and season with salt and pepper to taste.