Fare Exchange: Try black bean burgers, marinated green bean salad

Friday, January 1, 1904

To reach us

We welcome your recipes and your requests. Be sure to include precise instructions for every recipe you send.Mailing address: Jane Henegar, 913 Mount Olive Road, Lookout Mountain, GA 30750.E-mail: chattfare@gmail.com.Fax: 423-668-5092.

Good morning, June readers. Today we have two new requests and several others that have been waiting in the wings. The new ones are where to find fresh gnocchi in this area and also any recipes from the former Tick Tock Restaurant and owner Knox McCardell.

They are followed by requests for ripe olive hummus, cornbread to use as bread for a barbecue sandwich and recipes using Swiss chard.

"Longtime Reader" had a tasty flashback recently of "going to a party in the past and finding a buffet table bearing polished silver serving pieces being filled by Knox McCardell, who served legendary food from his Tick Tock Restaurant on Ringgold Road. I remember particularly a spinach dish and a German cheese pie but would be grateful for any of his recipes."

Marianne Halbrooks first read about sea salt of the Celtic variety in a column in this paper by Dalton Roberts. She said that "you can get Celtic sea salt either online at www.selina naturally.com, or they have smaller containers at Earth Fare. If you go online, be sure and read all about the nutrients. When I ordered from them, I was told that you get better results as far as the nutrients are concerned by grinding the coarser salt, as opposed to the finer salt that you sprinkle. I bought some of both and their grinder as well because my small grinder wouldn't handle it.

"I like Celtic sea salt a lot. The taste is lighter, so to speak, as the sodium content is so much less than regular table salt."

"Cookie in Ooltewah" sent a recipe from a Forks Over Knives blog. She wrote, "I think someone wrote you about the Forks Over Knives diet, and while I cannot follow it exactly, much of it makes sense. I have not tried the following recipe but it sounds really good."

Black Bean Burgers

This Mexican-inspired burger is a delicious and healthy alternative to greasy beef burgers. Use your favorite salsa as a topping, or replace salsa with ketchup. If you enjoy the spice, feel free to add a little bit of hot sauce. For a better hold in the meat, prepare the patties the day before and store in your refrigerator overnight.

1 cup cooked brown rice

1 (15-ounce) can black beans (or use cooked dried beans)

1/2 onion, diced

1/4 cup corn

1 teaspoon cumin

1 teaspoon garlic powder

1/4 teaspoon chili powder

1/4 cup cornmeal

2 tablespoons salsa

To cook the brown rice, bring 1/2 cup of rice and 1 cup of water to a boil in a pot. Once boiling, reduce heat to simmer. Once water is absorbed, taste rice to see if fully cooked. If not, add a little more water and let simmer until it's ready.

Drain canned beans. Pour beans in a medium-size bowl, and mash them with your hands, potato masher or fork.

Heat oven to 350 F. Lay a piece of parchment paper on a sheet pan.

Sweat the onion in a sauté pan. (Sweat means the moisture comes from the veggies, so no oil is needed.) Just remember to keep a lid on the pan. If the onions do start to stick, add a little bit of water. When onions become translucent, add corn and spices. Cook for a few more minutes.

Add cornmeal, salsa, veggies and rice to bean bowl. Mix everything together (you may use your hands) so there is an even consistency. Then form mixture into patties. A good size is about 1/2-inch thick and 3 inches in diameter.

Place patties onto parchment paper, and bake for 15 minutes at 350 degrees. Flip the patties, and bake for another 15 minutes. Serve between two leaves of romaine lettuce with tomato, onion, ketchup and mustard. Or try putting the burger on a bed of fresh spinach instead of the bun.

Makes 6 burgers.

Sabrina Daniels' family recommends the following salad with a caution. It can be sloshy, and if it is carried to a potluck event, it should be secured, well ... securely.

Green Bean Salad

1 (1-pound) can seasoned Del Monte green beans

1 (1-pound) can seasoned green peas

1 (10-ounce) can whole kernel corn

1 whole onion, chopped

3 blades celery, chopped

1/2 bell pepper, chopped

1/2 cup Wesson oil

1/4 to 1/2 cup sugar, depending on taste

1/2 cup vinegar

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon pepper

Drain green beans, green peas and corn, and put them in a bowl along with onion, celery and pepper.

In a saucepan, heat the oil, sugar, vinegar, salt and pepper until boiling. Pour over vegetables. Cover and marinate overnight.

From the Town and Country Restaurant collection, here is a fine use for three pounds of currently abundant squash.

Town and Country Squash Casserole

3 pounds squash, sliced

1 onion, chopped

1/4 pound butter

Sprinkle of flour

2 teaspoons salt

2 teaspoons white pepper

1 cup cheddar cheese, grated

Heat oven to 400 F. Steam squash until tender. Drain until all water is off. Mix in all ingredients. Place squash in casserole dish, and top with cheese. Bake for 30 minutes or until brown.

Just a Dash ...

Today's summery salad words came from Carren Bersch.

"For summertime, make a refreshing and healthy salad by cutting a ripe avocado into smallish chunks, then gently stir or toss those with either fresh or canned grapefruit, white or pink, and refrigerate. I have not experimented yet, but I would guess that using oranges, tangerines or a mixture of those with a tad of lemon and/or lime could work, too.

"I use canned grapefruit without sugar added, then drain juice out of the fruit. I can pour some (not all) of the juice back into the bowl. Other dressings could be used, perhaps poppy seed.

This is an inexpensive, simple summer lunch salad or a healthy snack to keep in the refrigerator during the hot summer months.

We hope to get a steady stream of kitchen hints from you for Just a Dash. What ideas, hints, easy menus and how-tos are making your kitchen life tastier and easier?