Black Bean Patties with Corn Relish

I'm pretty far from vegetarian, but I'm pretty open to delicious food. I also run out of food sometimes and have to be creative with what's in the fridge and pantry.

So one day I had leftover black beans, chipotle in adobo sauce and corn and needed to use them quick. I remembered this recipe from Annie and went for it!

I only made about 1/4 the amount the recipe calls for and I didn't have all of the ingredients it is quite forgiving! I'm not a fan of bell peppers (scandalous, I know) so I left them out. I also didn't have a jalapeno for the corn relish or avocado to make an avocado crema. I just subbed in my favorite chipotle ranch instead! It was plenty spicy enough.

These black bean patties were packed with flavor and were super filling. I didn't even finish two! These would be great for Meatless Monday or really any day of the week :)

Black Bean Patties
2 (15 oz.) cans black beans, drained and rinsed, divided
2 roasted red bell peppers, divided
2 eggs
1 tsp. oregano
1 tsp. cumin
2 cloves garlic
1/2 chipotle in adobo, chopped
1 onion, finely diced
1/2 – 2/3 cup cornmeal, breadcrumbs, or panko (or a combination)
salt and pepper
Canola oil

Place 1 can of drained black beans, 1 coarsely chopped red pepper, eggs, oregano, cumin, garlic, and chipotle in a food processor. Pulse process until well-combined and relatively smooth. Finely dice the remaining red pepper. In a bowl, lightly mash the remaining can of black beans (not completely, just enough to smash each one). Add the diced red pepper, onion, and the mixture from the food processor.  Season to taste with salt and pepper (I used about 3/4 tsp. salt). Stir in the cornmeal/breadcrumbs a little at a time, and mix lightly until the mixture firms up. It doesn’t have to be super firm, but enough that you can pick up a piece and roll it into a ball in your hands. Place the mixture in the fridge for 30 minutes or longer. Form the mixture into patties. Heat a nonstick skillet with a little canola oil over medium heat. Add the patties in batches and cook until done, flipping halfway through (about 5-6 minutes total for small patties and 8-12 minutes total for bigger burgers).

Corn Relish
2 tsp. canola oil
2 cups corn
1 clove garlic, minced
1 jalapeno, minced
1 medium tomato, seeded and diced
1 lime, juiced (about 2-3 Tbsp.)
2 Tbsp. chopped fresh cilantro or parsley
salt and pepper to taste

Heat a pan over medium-high heat and add the canola oil. Stir in the corn, and let it sit for about 1-2 minutes before stirring. Continue to saute until lightly browned. Stir in the garlic and jalapeno, just until fragrant – about 30-60 seconds. Place the mixture in a bowl. To the bowl, add the tomato, lime juice, cilantro/parsley, and salt and pepper to taste.

Avocado Cream
1 avocado, pitted and cut into a few pieces
1/2 cup light sour cream
1 lime, juiced
salt and pepper to taste

Puree all ingredients in a food processor until smooth.

Recipe from Annie's Eats, originally from Elly Says Opa

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