Black Bean and Corn Cakes with a Sour Cream Sauce

Step 1: Vegetables ... Add a teaspoon or so of olive oil to a nonstick pan, and bring to medium heat. Add the onion, garlic, jalapeno, and red pepper; cook on medium heat until the vegetables are tender, about 4-5 minutes. Then, add the corn, oregano, chili powder, cumin, and salt, and mix well. Let it cook just another minute to combine all the flavors. Remove from the heat to cool.

Step 2: Beans ... As the vegetables cook, prepare the beans. You can do this by hand, or use a food processor. I find the basic "potato masher" works just as well, and easier. Mash the beans to break them up lightly; or pulse in a food processor a couple of times. You DO NOT want a smooth "mush." You want a nice texture.

Step 3: Add the cilantro and bread crumbs to the bean mixture, and mix very well. Then, add the sauteed 'cooled' vegetables and stir again to combine.

Step 4: Cakes/Patties ... I don't like to make these too big - I prefer smaller cakes, which is simply a personal preference. Line a small sheet pan/cookie sheet with parchment paper, for easy clean up; then, add the flour and corn meal to a small pie plate or dish and mix to combine. Add a scoop of the bean corn mix to the flour corn meal, and roll around until well coated. Transfer to the sheet pan and press down, using the palm of your hand to form a cake. Remember, you can make them any size you want - but, I really don't like these too thick. Cover with plastic wrap and freeze, 15-20 minutes to firm up - NOT solid. They really hold together much better during the cooking process by doing this.

Step 5: Sauce ... As the cakes firm up in the freezer, prepare your sauce. Add all the ingredients to a small bowl, and mix to combine. Cover with plastic wrap until ready to serve.

Step 6: Sauteing ... In the same pan you used earlier, wipe it clean, and add a thin layer of oil. Bring to medium high heat and add the chilled bean and corn cakes. Remember, you don't want them frozen, just firm. Cook 4-5 minutes per side until golden brown. Everything is already cooked, so you are just heating everything up. After the second side is golden brown; I remove from the heat, cover, and set to the side for a couple of minutes. This just ensures the cake is heated all the way through.

Step 7: Serve and ENJOY! ... As I mentioned, these can be served as a side dish or a main dish. Again, I like to keep them smaller in size, but that is up to you. Serve over a bed of greens for a salad type of dish as well. Finish with the sour cream sauce; and, garnish with avocado slices and chopped olives. They are absolutely delicious.

Step 8: Other Options ... You could also add a bit of cheese to the mix; or to the top of the cakes at the end of cooking; salsa is a nice addition to the mix; green chilies - or even chipotles. It is a really flexible recipe.