BLACK BEAN CAKES WITH SOUR CREAM

Ingredients:

Cakes:

1- 12 ounce package black beans (3 cups cooked)

1 slice bacon

2 teaspoons ground cumin

2 teaspoons mild chili powder

1 small hot pepper, seeds removed, minced

1/3 cup cilantro leaves, coarsely chopped

1/2 teaspoon salt

vegetable oil

Assembly and Garnish:

1/2 cup sour cream

8 whole stems and cilantro leaves

Directions:

Cakes:  Rinse and pick over the beans.  Combine in a saucepan with bacon and pour in water to cover by 1".  Simmer the beans for 1 hour or until soft.  Drain and let the beans cool, saving 1/2 cup of cooking liquid.

Mash the beans adding water as needed to make a stiff batter-like consistency.  Stir in the cumin, chili powder, hot pepper, chopped cilantro pieces and salt.

Divide the bean mixture into small 8 balls.  Flatten them into 1/8" thick patties between sheets of wax paper patties.

Heat a 12" skillet with a film of oil.  When quite hot, add patties and brown on both sides turning once.  Keep warm while the others are cooked.

Serving: Serve individual cakes as an appetizer with 1 tablespoon of sour cream, some salsa and a sprig of cilantro.

Yield: 8 servings

This recipe is adapted from  Jeremiah Tower's New American Classics (Harper and Row, 1986).