Spicy Black-Bean Cakes

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 4 scallions
• thinly sliced
• 6 garlic cloves
• pressed
• 1 to 2 jalapeno chiles
• finely chopped (ribs and seeds removed for less heat
• if desired)
• 1 tablespoon ground cumin
• 2 cans (15.5 ounces each) black beans
• drained and rinsed
• Coarse salt and fresh ground pepper
• 1 large sweet potato
• peeled and coarsely grated (2 cups)
• 1 large egg
• lightly beaten
• 1/2 cup plain dried breadcrumbs
• Lime Sour Cream (recipe below)
• 1/2 cup reduced-fat sour cream
• 2 teaspoons fresh lime juice
• 1 small jalapeno chile
• minced (ribs and seeds removed for less heat
• if desired)
• Coarse salt

Instructions

1. Heat the broiler.
2. In a small skillet over medium heat, warm 1 tablespoon of the oil.
3. Cook the scallions until softened, 1 minute.
4. Add the garlic, jalapeno, and cumin; cook until fragrant, 30 seconds.
5. Transfer to a large bowl.
6. Add the beans to the bowl; mash with a fork or a potato masher, leaving about one quarter of the beans whole.
7. Season generously with salt and pepper.
8. Fold in the sweet potato, egg, and breadcrumbs.
9. Divide into 8 balls of equal size; flatten into patties.
10. Brush a baking sheet with the remaining tablespoon oil; place the patties on the sheet, 1/2 inch apart.
11. Broil 4 inches from the heat until golden brown, 8 to 10 minutes.
12. With a thin metal spatula, carefully turn the cakes.
13. Broil until crisp, 2 to 3 minutes more.
14. Serve with the lime sour cream.
15. In a small bowl, combine the sour cream with the lime juice and jalapeno; season with salt.
16. If you want to grate the potatoes with a box grater (instead of a food processor), use the large holes, and work over a bowl.