Frijoles
Refritos - (Refried
Beans)
Classic Latin American
Recipe
Serves:
4 to 6
Ingredients:
2 cups Dried Pink Beans or Dried Red Kidney Beans
6 cups Cold Water
1 cup Onions (coarsely chopped)
2 Medium Tomatoes, peeled (seeded and coarsely chopped, or substitute
2/3 cup chopped, drained, canned Italian plum tomatoes)
1/2 tspn. Garlic (finely chopped)
1 tspn. Crumbled and Seeded Dried Pequin Chili
1/4 tspn. Crumbled Epazate, if available
1/4 tspn. Freshly Ground Black Pepper
1/2 cup Lard
1 tspn. Salt
Procedure:
1. Place the beans in a colander or sieve and
run cold water over them until the draining water runs clear.
Pick out and discard any black or shriveled beans. In a 3-quart
heavy pot, combine the water, 1/2 cup of the onions, 1/4 Cup of
the tomatoes, 1/4 teaspoon of the garlic, the chili, epazete (if
used) and pepper, and drop in the beans. Bring the water to a
boil over high heat, then half-cover the pan and reduce the heat
to low. Simmer the beans for about 15 minutes and stir in 1 tablespoon
of the lard. Simmer, half covered, for 1 l/2 hours, add the teaspoon
of salt, and over the lowest possible heat, simmer for another
30 minutes, or until the beans are very tender and have absorbed
all their cooking liquid. During the last half hour of cooking,
stir the beans gently now and then to prevent their sticking to
the bottom of the pan. Remove the pan from the heat, and cover
it to keep the beans warm.
2.
In a heavy 12-inch skillet, melt 2 more tablespoons of the lard
over moderate heat until a light haze forms above it. Add the
remaining chopped onions and garlic, turn the heat down to moderate,
and fry for about 5 minutes, or until the onions are transparent
but not brown. Stir in the remaining tomatoes and simmer for 2
or 3 minutes. Fry the cooked beans in the following fashion: Add
3 tablespoons of the beans to the pan of simmering sauce, mash
them with a fork, then stir in 1 tablespoon of the remaining lard.
Continue adding and mashing the beans in similar amounts, following
each addition with another tablespoon of lard until all the beans
and lard have been used. Cook over low heat for 10 minutes, stirring
frequently, until the beans are fairly dry.
To
Serve: Transfer the beans to a serving bowl or
individual dishes. Frijoles refritos are a traditional accompaniment
to tortilla dishes.
Other
Related Links:
Classic
Latin American Recipes