Finger Pepper Black Bean Cakes with Roasted Vegetables

Yield: 8 bean cakes.

Ingredients:

• 8 cups vegetable stock
• 2 cups dried black beans, rinsed and sorted
• 3 finger peppers, minced (wear rubber gloves and carefully remove seeds)
• 2 large garlic cloves, peeled and minced
• 1 teaspoon cumin
• 2 tablespoons chopped cilantro leaves
• Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
• 1 pound zucchini, cut into 1/3 -inch rounds
• 3 large plum tomatoes, cut into 1/3 -inch slices
• 1 large red onion, cut into 1/3 -inch slices
• 1/2 cup olive oil, plus more if needed
• 3 tablespoons sour cream

Directions:

1. Bring vegetable stock to boil. Add dried beans, boil 2 minutes. Turn heat off, soaking beans in stock for 1 hour. Return to a boil, simmer for 1 hour until beans are tender.
2. Purée beans in a food processor with finger peppers, garlic, cumin and chopped cilantro. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
3. Form puréed beans into eight 4-inch cakes. Refrigerate at least 1 hour.
4. Preheat oven to 450 degrees F.
5. Brush a large baking sheet with olive oil and arrange the vegetables in one layer. Lightly brush vegetables with oil and season with salt and pepper. Roast vegetables on middle rack of oven until just tender and lightly browned, about 12 minutes.
6. Heat 1/4 cup olive oil in a large non-stick skillet. Sauté cakes over medium heat approximately 11/2 minutes on each side, adding oil as needed.
7. Arrange hot vegetables over the bean cakes and garnish with a dollop of sour cream and a sprig of cilantro. Serve immediately.