Pinto Bean Breakfast Patty Melts & The New Southwest Giveaway

Have you had a chance to check out The New Southwest Cookbook by Meagan of Scarletta Bakes? If not then today is your lucky day because not only am I sharing a recipe from her new cookbook, but am also hosting a giveaway for one lucky reader to receive a copy!

To start, there’s a chapter which covers all the essentials for a southwest kitchen pantry as well as acceptable substitutions when you cannot locate a certain ingredient in a recipe, which I completely appreciated as sometimes it is difficult to find certain ingredients. Then there is a “building blocks” chapter covering all the condiments and foodstuffs seen in southwestern cooking from roasted chiles to homemade corn tortillas. Although it is not necessary to make your own tortillas, salsa, etc. from scratch, it certainly adds to the experience. I really want to try making my own tortillas once I get my hands on a tortilla press.

Browsing through the subsequent chapters, several recipes immediately struck me such as the fried sage smashed potatoes and the dulce de leche layer cake with sweet pecan “pesto”. The picture of that cake made me swoon, with pecan “pesto” dripping all over the place. But when I saw the pinto bean breakfast patty melts I knew it was time to treat myself to a hearty, spicy breakfast.

These breakfast patties were easy to throw together and I loved that they could be wrapped up before being cooked and saved for later since I typically only cook for myself. After being fried and topped with cheese, these patty melts were layered with spicy flavor – both in heat and spices. If you are a bit timid to spiciness you may want to consider removing the seeds from the jalapenos.

Want to win a copy? Use the Rafflecopter widget to enter after viewing the recipe below!

One year ago: Chewy Molasses Cookies

Two years ago: Andes Crème de Menthe Chocolate Cookies

PINTO BEAN BREAKFAST PATTY MELTS

Makes 7

Ingredients:

2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil, divided, plus more for frying

3/4 cup diced yellow onion

1 cup grated zucchini

2 jalapenos, stemmed and minced

2 Tbsp minced fresh garlic

3-1/2 cups cooked pinto beans

3/4 cup plain dry breadcrumbs

2 large eggs, beaten

2 Tbsp ground cumin

1 Tbsp freshly ground black pepper

1 tsp ground coriander

1 tsp salt

7 slices Monterey Jack cheese

7 English muffins, sliced, toasted

Directions:

1. Heat 1 tablespoon of the oil in a large heavy-bottomed skillet over medium heat. Add onion and saute until golden, translucent, and fragrant, approximately 5 minutes. Add the zucchini, jalapenos, and garlic and saute for just 2 more minutes. Remove pan from heat.
2. Meanwhile, place the beans in a large, heat-proof bowl and mash with a fork or potato masher. Stir in the breadcrumbs, eggs, cumin, black pepper, coriander, and salt. Fold in the cooked onion mixture. Using a half cup measure, portion off and form seven ‘burgers’. Refrigerate if not using right away.*
3. Once ready to cook and assemble your melts, heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a large heavy bottomed, lidded skillet over medium heat. Add the patties and cook for 3 to 4 minutes on each side, applying pressure to the top of the patties to flatten once you have a cooked side facing up. Note that you may need to work in batches so as not to overcrowd your pan, so you may need to refresh your oil between batches.
4. Once patties are crisp on the outside and cooked through, top each with a slice of cheese, replace the lid on the pan and steam just 30 to 60 seconds to melt the cheese. Remove each patty melt to a toasted English muffin bun and serve immediately.

* Note: The patties can be made in advance. Simply separate them with parchment paper so that they don’t stick to each other. Store in the refrigerator until ready to cook and serve.

Source: The New Southwest by Meagan Micozzi of Scarletta Bakes.

Disclosure: Recipe reprinted with permission. I received a complimentary copy of this cookbook and giveaway provided by Meagan Micozzi. I was not compensated for this post. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
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