Beans
Here are our recipes for bean stew using pinto and/or black beans for making refried beans or nachos; also includes a recipe for a bean casserole with zucchini, mushrooms, banana peppers and monterey jack: Mexican Pot Beans . Refried Beans . Refried Beans Casserole
Mexican Pot Beans
(for bean dip or refried beans casserole)
Ingredients
- 1 lb. dry pinto and/or black beans (yields about 1.5 litres cooked beans)
- 6 c. water
- 2 Tbsp. oil
- 1 small onion, chopped
- 1 Tbsp. fresh oregano (1 tsp. dry)
According to Sally and Martin Stone in The Brilliant Bean, most dried beans double in volume and weight after being soaked and cooked. Soybeans and chickpeas can triple.
"As a general rule, 1 cup (8oz) of dried beans increases to 2 to 2½ c (1 to 1¼ lb) of cooked beans. One cup of dried beans is usually enough to serve four as a side dish."
... (1 lb = 453.6 gm)
Preparation
- On the evening before you make the beans, sort (to remove stones) and wash the beans well. Place them in a bowl large enough for the beans to triple. Add plenty of cold water - the beans will expand - add a little more water than you think is necessary. Cover the bowl and leave to soak overnight.
- The next day, remove any beans that are floating. Drain and rinse the beans. Discard the soaking water. Put the drained beans in a big pot and cover with fresh cold water. DO NOT ADD SALT. Bring to a boil.
- Add other ingredients (DO NOT ADD SALT!!!) Cover, and simmer for one hour or until beans are tender. This makes lots. I freeze it at this point in 750 ml yoghurt containers.
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Refried beans
Ingredients
- 750 ml cooked beans (Mexican Pot Beans recipe above)
- 2 Tbsp oil
- ½ onion, chopped finely (optional)
- ¾ tsp. ground cumin
- ½ tsp. ground coriander
- ¼ tsp. garam masala (if available, or make your own garam masala)
- ½ Tbsp. fresh oregano (½ tsp. dry)
- salt & pepper to taste
Preparation
- In a heavy skillet at med-high heat put vegetable oil and powdered cumin and powdered coriander. Cook for about a minute until you smell the cumin.
- Add beans and mash. (Sometimes I use a hand blender; sometimes I use the potato masher.)
- Add oregano, pepper and salt (and garam masala, if using).
- Fry the beans, stirring often with a flat nosed wooden spoon. When you can see the bottom of the pan for a reasonable length of time (the whole thing will resemble a lava pool), the beans are ready.
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Refried Beans Casserole
revised April 2009
When we first started making this casserole, we put the corn chips in the bottom of the dish, because that's how we had always seen nachos being served. But relatively early on, we decided it was nicer to have the corn chips remain crispy so they are now always served on the side. To really crisp the chips, put them in the oven for the last 10 minutes of baking the casserole.
Ingredients
- Refried beans (Refried Beans recipe above)
- Monterey Jack cheese, grated (about 6" x 1" x 1" block)
- 1 large onion, chopped coarsely
- 1 zucchini, chopped coarsely
- 1 banana pepper, chopped coarsely
- 20 mushrooms, chopped coarsely
- 1 Italian tomato, chopped coarsely
Preparation
- Put the refried beans into ungreased pyrex baking dish and allow to cool to room temperature.
- Scatter coarsely chopped vegetables over top the beans. Bake uncovered at 375ºF for 25-30 minutes until the vegetables are almost done.
- Remove from oven and put the grated Monterey Jack cheese overtop. Bake uncovered at 375ºF for about 10 minutes more until the cheese is bubbly.
- Let stand for 5 or 10 minutes.
- Put corn tortilla chips in a large bowl and place in hot oven to crisp up.
Chow down!! (Beer is good with this.)
older method: Put the refried beans into glass baking dish. Sprinkle about a quarter of the grated Monterey Jack cheese over the beans. Over that put chopped vegetables. Bake uncovered at 375ºF for 25-30 minutes until the vegetables are almost done. Remove from oven and put the rest of grated Monterey Jack cheese overtop. Bake uncovered at 375ºF for about 10 minutes more. Let stand for 5 minutes before serving with lots of corn tortilla chips to use for dipping.
oldest method: Put the refried beans into glass baking dish. Put plenty of grated Monterey Jack cheese over the beans. Over that put chopped vegetables. Bake uncovered at 375ºF for 35-45 minutes. Let stand for 5 minutes before serving with lots of corn tortilla chips to use for dipping.
Serves four
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to blog from OUR kitchen yet another favourite: refried beans casserole
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ejm (aka llizard)
2000, 2002, 2009
Toronto Ontario Canada
