When your job includes writing for magazines, sometimes a local caterer will share a great recipe for you and your readers. In this case, Roanoke's Tracy Hamilton marries flavors I would never have thought to bring together. When she makes it, she seeks out a special raspberry salsa to make the dish sing. I made it with raspberry preserves and diced serrano pepper and that version was lovely too. If you're looking for something different to try, stir this recipe up. It's a good one.
Ingredients
- 2 15-ounce cans black beans, rinsed and drained
- 1/4 tsp. fine sea salt
- 1/4 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
- 1 1/2 tsp. ground cumin
- 1 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
- 1/2 medium red onion (about 2/3 cup), finely diced
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 6 ounces cream cheese, softened
- 1/3 cup Robert Rothschild Farm’s Raspberry Salsa or 1/3 cup all-fruit raspberry preserves and one finely diced serrano pepper
- 1/3 cups freshly grated pepper jack cheese
- White corn chips
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400°F. In a small saucepan, heat beans, salt, pepper, and cumin until fully warmed. Taste and adjust seasonings, if needed. Set aside.
- Warm olive oil in medium skillet over medium heat. Add onions and cook until softened. Add garlic and cook about 2 minutes more. Remove this mixture to mixing bowl with cream cheese. Stir to combine.
- In the medium skillet or other similarly sized oven-safe baking dish, spread black beans on the bottom of the dish. Next add cream cheese-onion mixture in a smaller layer. Make a well to spoon the raspberry sauce in the center. Sprinkle pepper jack cheese evenly over the top.
- Bake for 12-15 minutes or until warmed through and bubbly. The cheese should be completely melted.
- Remove from oven and serve warm with white corn chips.
