Frijoles Refritos (Refried Beans)

Time

Yield

4 servings

Ingredients

Ingredients

1-1/8 lb. dried red kidney, pinto or
black beans
2 yellow onions, finely chopped
2 garlic, crushed
2 serrano or
jalapeño chilies, chopped
1 tsp. Mexican chili powder or
1 bay leaf
4 tbsp. lard or
vegetable oil
1 tomato, peeled and chopped
Salt

Instructions

Put the beans into a large saucepan with cold water to cover by 2 cm. Add half onions and garlic with chilies and bay leaf. Bring to the boil; cover, reduce heat and simmer gently for 1-1/2 to 2 hours, or until the beans are tender. Add 1 tbsp. lard or oil after approximately 20 minutes, when beans have begun to wrinkle. Add water during cooking, if necessary. Approximately 30 minutes before the end of cooking time, add salt without adding any more water.

In a large frying pan, heat a tbsp. lard and sauté the remaining onion and garlic together until soft. Add the chopped tomatoes and fry gently a further few minutes. Take about 1/2 cup of the beans with some of the liquid from the saucepan and add them to the frying pan, mashing the beans into a paste. Continue adding and mashing the beans this way until all are added. Add a tbsp. of lard every now and then to fry the bean paste -- the amount is a matter of taste.

Author's Comments

Canned red kidney beans substitute very well for the dried beans, which need long, slow cooking.

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