Frijoles Refritos Food

FRIJOLES REFRITOS (CLASSIC MEXICAN REFRIED BEANS)

Steps:

• Mash the beans in a bowl.
• In a medium skillet, heat the oil over medium heat.
• Add the onion and the garlic; cook and stir until onion is deep golden, about 10 minutes.
• Stir in the mashed beans and cook for about one minute.
• Add salt to taste.
• Makes about one pint.

REFRIED BEANS: FRIJOLES REFRITOS

Steps:

• In a large stockpot, bring the beans to a boil in 8 cups water. Let boil for 15 minutes and skim off any scum that rises to the surface. Drain beans in a colander and rinse. Wash out the pot and return the beans to the pot with 8 cups fresh water. Bring to a simmer, cover and let cook until tender, about 2 hours over low heat.
• In a large saute pan, heat oil over medium-high heat until it begins to shimmer. Add onion and garlic and saute until the onion turns translucent. Add chili powder, salt, and pepper, and cook for a few minutes to allow flavors to integrate. Drain beans and add to pan, mashing the ingredients together. Heat through and serve with minced cilantro or minced parsley sprinkled on top.

FRIJOLES REFRITOS (REFRIED BEANS)

Steps:

• Place beans and juice in blender or food processor. Blend just enough to break into small pieces.
• Cook and stir onion and jalapeno in hot lard or butter until tender. Stir in beans 1 cup at a time until they are all incorporated.
• Continue cooking and stirring constantly until mixture thickens and you can see the bottom of the pan as you stir.
• Add cheese and stir until well-blended. Add salt and pepper to taste.
• Note: My home cooked pinto beans tend to be spicy. If you are using mild beans or canned beans, you might want to add a couple cloves of minced garlic and 1/2-1 teaspoon cumin.

FRIJOLES REFRITOS

Steps:

• Heat the lard in a skillet over low heat, add the beans, and cook, mashing and stirring, until quite dry and a wooden spoon pulled through the center of the beans forms a long canyon, 15 to 20 minutes.
• If preparing the beans central Mexico-style, serve immediately, topped with a little cheese, if desired. If preparing rolled beans, continue to cook until the mass of beans pulls away from the side of the skillet. Shake the pan back and forth, sliding the beans to one side, then tilt the pan so the mass of beans flips over into a roll, like an omelet. A spatula may be used to help turn it. Transfer to a platter, sprinkle with the cheese and onion, and accompany with the totopos.

NEW STYLE REFRIED BEANS (FRIJOLES REFRITOS ESTILO NUEVO)

Steps:

• Heat the olive oil over medium-high heat in a medium saucepan. Add the onion and garlic and cook, stirring occasionally, until soft but not browned, about 4 minutes. Add the beans, ham hock, and cilantro. Pour in enough water to cover the ingredients by 2 inches. Toss in the bay leaves and bring the water to a boil, then adjust the heat so it is boiling gently. Cook the beans until tender, about 2 hours. Keep an eye on the beans; they should always be covered by liquid. When the liquid meets the level of the beans, top it off with cold water. Toward the end of cooking, ease up on the liquid you add; the goal is to have the beans barely covered with liquid by the time they're tender.
• Drain the beans, reserving the liquid. Discard the turkey wing or ham hock and the bay leaves. (Leave the cilantro in with the beans.) Put the bean mixture in a food processor and process, gradually adding enough of the reserved liquid, until the beans are the consistency of mashed potatoes. Season, to taste, with salt and pepper. Mound the beans on a platter and garnish with tortilla chips and radish slices, if using. (The beans can be prepared up to 30 minutes in advance. Return the beans to the saucepan and keep warm over very low heat.)

FRIJOLES REFRITOS (REFRIED BEANS)

Steps:

• Combine water, pinto beans, and garlic into a large pot and cover; Cook over low heat for 5 1/2 hours; stir salt into beans and continue cooking until beans are very soft, about 30 minutes more.
• Heat canola oil in a skillet over high heat. Spoon the beans into the skillet without draining excess water; mash beans using a potato masher until they begin to lose their shape, about 3 minutes.

FRIJOLES REFRITOS (REFRIED BEANS)

Steps:

• In a heavy 10- to 12-inch skillet over moderate heat, heat the lard. Gradually add the cooked beans and broth as necessary and use a bean or potato masher to gently mash them, lowering the heat if necessary to prevent scorching. Using a spatula or a flat wooden spoon, continue stirring and scraping the sides of the skillet until the beans dry out slightly and have cooked down to a paste. The beans should be moist and shiny.
• Serve the beans on a platter and garnish with the Queso Fresco and tortilla chips.