Refried Beans

Directions

1. In a large pot, wash, sort, and soak the *beans overnight.

2. Discard soaking water, cover beans with at least 1 inch fresh water, and heat to boiling.

3. Mince garlic and set aside.

4. When water is boiling, add garlic, salt and reduce heat. Simmer until beans are soft (about 1-2 hours). Check beans periodically, add more water if necessary and stir to ensure beans aren’t sticking to the bottom.

5. When the beans are soft, remove from the head, drain and reserve the cooking liquid.

6. Mash the beans in the pot with a masher or fork. Add some of the cooking liquid of the beans are too dry.

7. Heat the beans over a very low flame (stir constantly to keep from burning or sticking).

8. Add white pepper, and the chilies. Adjust flavoring if necessary.

9. If you are serving these beans as is, (not as a filling) you may want to grate some cheese on to them, and stir it in so it’s nice and melted.

                                                              

Notes: This is actually a healthy variation on re-fried beans - they are not fried at all. If you want the true re-fried effect, pour the mashed and seasoned beans into a well greased skillet and fry for a few minutes. Lard is the most flavorful option for frying your beans.

 

Variations: This recipe for re-fried beans is quite mild, if you are eating them as is, you may want to add some kick. You can boost the heat with extra hot chili. Ground cumin and coriander can be hard to find in Romania, they are the ideal spices for these beans. To serve these beans as a side dish, you may want to add cheese, (as mentioned above) and top with sour cream and a little chopped green onion (or cilantro if you can find it). These beans are also a great vegetarian filler for many Mexican style dishes like burritos.

 

References: *Info about preparing BEANS can be found in the Food Tips section of the website