REFRIED BEANS - HARICOTS REFRITS

I have a genuine passion for Tex-Mex food (and naturally/logically for the foods of America and Mexico). I call it "The Food of the Gods", because it is sooooo scrumptious and gratifying that it is impossible not to get addicted to it's lusciousness...

I particularly love this type of unpretentious and convivial cuisine that fills you with warmth, makes you feel good and uplifts your soul in a quasi-medical way. Tex-Mex dishes might by humble, made with simple ingredients, yet they are cheerfully colorful, packed with taste, generosity as well as character and give you maximum pleasure. It is impossible to bore your palate with such groovy and yummy culinary creations!

Tex-Mex cuisine would not be what it is without it's tortillas, nachos, salsas or guacamole, but did you know that it would also be incomplete without it's almighty "Refried Beans" (Frijoles Refritos)? This traditional staple of the Mexican cuisine, Latin American cuisine, and the cuisine of the Southwestern United States is made with cooked and mashed pinto or black beans. It is a very healthy dish which is extremely versatile and can be used as an accompaniment to a Tex-Mex meal, as a dip or as a filling in various specialities.

"Refried Beans" is a hearty, generous and homey dish which will go right to your heart, especially if you are an amateur of simple and comforting foods. It is rich taste-wise, it has a gorgeous straightforward bean flavor as well as a great round "porky" savor and a smooth creamy texture. Believe me, it will delight you!

~ Refried Beans ~
Recipe taken from "Trader Vic's Pacific Island Cookbook" (1968) and adapted by Rosa @ Rosa's Yummy Yums

Makes 4-6 servings.

Ingredients:
1 Pound (500g) Dry pinto beans
1/4 Pound Salt pork, diced
3 Cloves garlic, chopped
1 Large Onion, chopped
Boiling chicken stock to cover
1/2 Cup Lard
Salt, to taste
1/3 Tsp Cumin powder (optional)
A pinch Chilli powder (optional)

Method:
1. Soak the beans in water overnight.
2. In the morning, drain the soaked beans.
3. In a large pan/cooking pot, sauté the salt pork.
4. Add the chopped garlic and onion.
5. Stir constantly until the garlic is golden and the onions transparent/translucid.
6. Add drained beans to pork mixture and stir to coat the beans with the fat.
7. Add the boiling chicken stock to cover the beans.
8. Stir once more and bring to the boil.
9. Cover and let simmer for 4 hours, stirring from time to time (to be sure the beans won't stick to the bottom of the pot).
10. When done, season with salt to taste and let cook 10 minutes more.

11. Drain the beans and reserve the liquid.
12. Heat a large skillet/frying pan and add lard.
13. Add some of the beans to the hot fat and mash thouroughly.
14. Keep adding more beans and mashing, then add some of the reserved liquid.
15. Continue adding more beans and liquid as well as mashing, until both the beans and liquid are used.
16. Keep stirring and cooking until the mashed bean mixture is thick.
17. Season with spices (optional) and serve.

Remarks:
You can also use "Borlotti Beans" or "Black Beans".
You can substitute bacon grease/fat/dripping, chicken, goose or duck schmalz/fat for lard. Or you can use 1/4 cup of peanut oil instead.

Serving suggestions:
Serve topped with grated Cheddar or Gruyère cheese and accompanied by nachos.
This speciality can be easily associated with Tex-Mex dishes such as molletes, tortillas, burritos or fried eggs (see my recipes here).
You may refrigerate the "Refried Beans" (a week maximum) and reheat them as required.

All my Tex-Mex recipes can be found here.

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~ Haricots Refrits ~
Recette tirée du livre "Trader Vic's Pacific Island Cookbook" (1968) et adaptée par Rosa @ Rosa's Yummy Yums

Pour 4-6 personnes/services.

Ingrédients:
500g de Haricots pinto/rouge
125g de Lard salé (non fumé), coupé en dés
3 Gousses d'ail, hachées
1 Gros onion, haché
Assez de bouillon de poulet chaud pour recouvrir les haricots
1/2 Tasse de Saindoux
Sel, à volonté
1/3 de CC de Cumin en poudre (en option)
Une pincée de piments en poudre (en option)

Méthode:
1. Faire tremper les haricots dans de l'eau pendant toute une nuit.
2. Le lendemain matin, les égoutter.
3. Dans une large casserole, faire revenir le porc salé.
4. Ajouter l'ail et l'oignon hachés.
5. Remuer en continu, jusqu'à ce que l'ail soit bien doré et l'oignon translucide.
6. Ajouter les haricots égouttés au mélange porc/ail/oignons et bien mélanger afin que les haricots soit recouverts d'une couche de graisse.
7. Recouvrir le contenu de la casserole avec le bouillon de poulet chaud.
8. Mélanger encore une fois et porter à ébulition.
9. Couvrir et laisser mijoter pendant 4 heures, en remuant de temps en temps (afin que les haricots ne collent pas au fond de la casserole).
10. A la fin des 4 heures, saler (à volonté) et cuire 10 minutes supplémentaires.

11. Egoutter et réserver le liquide de cuisson.
12. Chauffer une poêle/casserole et ajouter le saindoux.
13. Ajouter une petite portion de haricots et bien les écraser.
15. Ajouter une autre portion de haricots et procéder de la même manière tout en ajoutant du liquide de cuisson.
15. Continuer ce processus jusqu'à ce que tous les haricots et tout le liquide de cuisson soient utilisés.
16. Cuire et bien brasser les haricots jusqu'à ce que le mélange soit épais.
17. Epicer (cumin et piments en poudre) et servir.

Remarques:
A la place des haricots pinto, vous pouvez aussi utiliser des haricots borlotti ou noirs.
Il vous est possible de remplacer le saindoux par de la graisse de bacon, du "schmalz" de poulet, d'oie ou de canard. Autrement, l'huile d'arachide convient aussi tout à fait.

Idées de présentation:
Servir saupoudré avec du fromage (Cheddar ou Gruyère) rapé et accompagné de nachos.
Cette spécialité s'associe parfaitement à vos plats Tex-Mex (oeufs au plats, molletes, tortillas, burritos, etc.../voir mes recettes ici).
Vous pouvez garder les "Haricots Recuits" au frigo (pas plus d'une semaine) et les réchauffer au gré de vos envies.

Toutes mes recettes Tex-mex se trouvent ici.