Sweet Potato and Black Bean Turnovers

Guys, I made the tastiest enchiladas last night.  They ran away into our mouths too fast for me to get any photos.  But the foresightful recipe makes extra of the scrumptious filling, and I got plenty of pictures of what I did with that.  You are going to want to use that extra filling in tacos, or salads, or scramble it up plain for breakfast.  Or, as I did, pop it into some puff pastry for an easy, triangular treat.  It's a dinner, it's a snack; it's really, really good.  The warmth of sweet potatoes is complemented by sharp tomatoes and chilis and filled out with my beloved black beans.  It's filling, healthy, and pushes all my Southwestern buttons.

The news item of the week is that I found a place that's a quick bike ride away where I can buy salsa verde.  I used one and a half of the small bottles for this recipe and I'm going back for more!  Also, last week I discovered that I managed to stockpile SIX cans of Hatch green chilis.  I love them so very much and would never want to live without them... which is why I never use them!  So I used one for this recipe.  Another will go into a loaf of Thanksgivukkah corn bread in a few weeks.

Sweet Potato and Black Bean Turnovers

recipe adapted from Munchin with Munchkin

filling recipe serves 4 (that's enough for enchiladas for 2 and turnovers for 2)

prep time: 40 minutes
cook time: 30 minutes
bake time: 10 minutes (turnovers) or 25 minutes (enchiladas)

ingredients:

2 sweet potatoes
1 tbsp olive oil
1 medium yellow onion, diced
1 can (2 tbsp) roasted, chopped green chilis (Hatch or similar) - or to taste

1 clove garlic, minced
1/2 can diced tomatoes
1 can black beans, rinsed
juice from 1/2 a lime
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp chipotle powder or chili powder

chopped cilantro, to garnish

Extra ingredients, enchilada version:

8 corn tortillas

2 small (250g) bottles salsa verde
1 cup (115 grams) cheddar cheese
¼ cup sour cream

Extra ingredients, turnover version:

2-3 sheets puff pastry

1/4 cup each salsa verde and sour cream, for dipping

directions:

Preheat oven to 200C/400F.  

Wash and peel the sweet potatoes.  Cut into 1-inch cubes and toss in 1 tbsp olive oil.  Spread on a baking sheet and cook for 20 minutes.  If you have a fan oven, check after 12-15 minutes.  When the tops are browned, turn the cubes over and cook for another 10 minutes.  Remove from the oven and set aside.

Lower oven temperature to 175C/350F.

In a large pan, heat 1 tbsp olive oil over medium heat.  Add the diced onion and the green chilis and cook for about 2 minutes.  Add the garlic and cook for 30 more seconds. 

Stir in the tomatoes, black beans, sweet potato cubes, lime juice, cumin and chipotle powder.  Cook over medium heat for about 5 minutes, until heated through and flavors start to meld.

This is where the paths diverge.  For enchiladas, see my previous enchilada recipe; you put filling and cheese in the tortilla; roll and place it in a baking dish, seam-side down; cover with salsa verde and more cheese.  Oven for 25 minutes.

For the turnovers, read on.

Defrost the puff pastry for 2 minutes at room temperature.  Flour the counter and a rolling pin; roll the pastry until it is half its original thickness.  Cut into quarters.  (Mine was old and freezer-burned.  I am sure yours will look nicer.)

Spoon 1 teaspoon of filling into one corner of a pastry square.  Add cheese if you like.  Dip your finger in water and moisten the edges, then fold over and press firmly to seal.  Repeat for the remaining squares.

Bake according to the package directions - ours was 175C for 10-15 minutes.

Garnish with chopped cilantro and serve with sour cream and salsa verde for dipping.