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Chickpeas with Lemon and Dill

This can be a great vegetarian lunch or dinner by omitting the chicken and substituting another element such as light red kidney beans or white hominy.

2 Tbsp better
1 Tbsp olive oil
1 carrot, finely diced
1 medium onion, diced
1 can chickpeas, drained
1 chicken breast, cooked and diced
½ tsp dill weed
juice of ½ lemon

Melt butter in the oil in a pan, and sauté the onion and carrot for about 10 minutes, until the veggies begin to soften and caramelize. Add the remaining ingredients and cook about another five minutes to heat through. Salt and pepper to taste.

Fish Tacos

6 Tilapia fillets
juice of 1 lime
1 tsp ground cumin
2 Tbsp olive oil
2-3 cloves garlic, minced
½ tsp red pepper flakes

1 dozen corn, or taco-size flour tortillas
1 red pepper, thinly sliced
1 yellow pepper, thinly sliced
1 large onion, thinly sliced
1 jalapeno pepper, diced
½ tsp cumin seeds
2 cloves garlic, minced

Toppings:
salsas (such as salsa verde)
sour cream
guacamole
1 lime, cut into eights

Mix the lime, cumin, oil, garlic and red pepper flakes in a wide casserole. Flip the tilapia in the marinade several times. Cover and marinate for up to an hour.

Warm the tortillas in a 200F oven, between moist towels. Sauté the peppers, onions and cumin in a bit of canola oil, until just beginning to brown. Add the garlic and cook another minute. Set aside and keep warm. Meanwhile, heat a non-stick grill pan to high and grill the tilapia on one side until browned, about 3-5 minutes. Flip and continue cooking on other side until brown grill marks show up, loud and clear, about another 3-5 minutes. Set aside on a plate, covered with foil.

Wrap a generous serving of tilapia and veggies in a tortilla, fold over and top with toppings of choice. Serve with lime wedge.

Frijoles Coco Negro

These beans are packed with flavor and are made rich with a touch of cocoa. They are a great side dish to accompany a Mexican meal or can be served with a grain for a vegetarian meal. Julie and I served these with Fish Tacos and fajitas at New Year's. We used a ginormous bulk can of beans - enough to serve a holiday crowd. You could halve the recipe for a group of 8-10 as a side or 4-6 as a main dish.

2 very large yellow onions, diced
2 carrots, peeled and finely diced
4 stalks celery, finely diced
6 cloves garlic, minced
2 jalapeno peppers, diced
1 108-oz black beans (about 6 16-oz cans), lightly drained
1-2 cups chicken or vegetable broth
1 Tbsp ground cumin
1 Tbsp dried herbes de Provence (or Italian herbs)
1 Tbsp pimenton, smoky paprika
2 Tbsp cocoa powder
Fresh cilantro leaves, chopped

In a large Dutch oven or heavy pot, sauté the onion, carrot and celery in a bit of canola oil over medium heat, until the veggies begin to brown and caramelize, at least 10-15 minutes. This step is important – be patient – as it will impart tons of flavor to the beans. Add the garlic and jalapeno and continue cooking another 1-2 minutes until fragrant. Add the beans, about a cup of broth, the cumin, herbs, paprika and cocoa. Bring the beans to a boil, stirring. Then lower the heat and simmer for at least an hour, covered, stirring often – a crock pot is good for this. Salt and pepper to taste, and add more broth as needed to maintain a creamy consistency. Serve topped with fresh cilantro.