Refried Beans (Frijoles Refritos)

Refried beans are awesome with salsa and yoghurt.

  • olive oil
  • 2-3 rashers of bacon, chopped
  • 2 cloves of garlic, diced
  • 1 tsp whole cumin seeds
  • 1 tsp chili powder or paprika (to taste)
  • salt and pepper
  • 2-3 dollops of Frijoles Negros (see recipe)

Heat some olive oil in a pan and add the chopped bacon, garlic, and spices and fry for a couple of minutes. Ladle in some beans from the pot and mash with a potato masher. Continue to fry and stir for a good 10 minutes, or until the beans begin to brown and stick to the pan.

Serve in tortilla with yoghurt and a good fresh salsa made from diced deseeded tomato, red pepper, chili, garlic, spring onion and lemon juice.

YUM

Black Beans (Frijoles Negros)

Here’s the recipe I’ve been using lately to make Frijoles Negros – black beans, Mexican-styles. The Flying Burrito Brothers can go take a leap. This is also surely one of the easiest things to make.

  • 450 g (1 lb) dried black or turtle beans
  • 900 g (2 lb, two tins) tomatoes
  • 750 ml (3 cups, two tomato tins-ful) water, or stock
  • 2 onions, finely diced
  • 2-3 cloves of garlic, diced
  • chili (to taste), seeded and diced
  • 3-4 bay leaves
  • ½ cup red wine
  • 2 tsp cumin seeds
  • 1 tsp coriander seeds
  • 1 tsp black pepper
  • olive oil

Soak beans overnight in a large bowl with plenty of extra water to allow them to swell up.

Strain and discard the water from the beans and put them in a large casserole pot with the chopped tomatoes, water, onions, garlic, chili, bay leaves and wine. Bring to the boil gently and simmer for 2-3 hours or until the beans are al dente.

Crush the cumin seed, coriander seed and pepper together in a mortar and pestle. Heat a little olive oil in a pan and toast the spices until aromatic. pour into the beans and stir.