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.

***************

~ 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.

WEEKEND CAT BLOGGING #140

This week, Kashim and Othello at "The Catboys Realm" (Austria) are happy to announce that they are hosting Weekend Cat Blogging #140...

To submit your kitty picture(s), you can either leave a message in their blog's comment section (with your permalinks) or contact them via e-mail without forgetting to give all the needed informations.

Dear Maruschka,

You are so cute and always ready to give love, so why do you have to turn into a "monster" every weekend morning?!?

I ask you to make my free days as smooth and enjoyable as possible, therefore I beg you to stop behaving like a naughty spoilt kitty who seems to take great pleasure in doing everything to destroy my sleep and put me in a terrifyingly execrable mood because of your tyrannical and oppressive yoddling...

Thanks for your understanding!

With Love,

Rosa

XMAS IN GRAUBÜNDEN - PART V

Today, I am posting my very last article regarding my Christmas trip to Graubünden/Grisons.
This time, though, I will talk more specifically about Sargans (see map) in the canton Saint-Gallen where my boyfriend's sister lives and works...

This small town of about 5'000 inhabitants is situated in the Sarganserland, not far from the canton Graubünden, the town of Chur and Vaduz, the capital of the Principality of Liechtenstein.

It is a historic place of interest as it is known for it's castles (which were in the hands of the House of the Habsburg) and it's Roman past as it was once part of the Holy Roman Empire. Sargans is also surrounded by magnificent mountains and has a wonderful as well as peaceful atmosphere.

CHINESE NEW YEAR 2008

Happy Lunar New Year!!!
Gong Xi Fa Cai!!!

On Thursday the 7th of February, we'll be leaving the year of the pig/boar behind in order to enter the year of the rat (for more infos regarding the Chinese Lunar New Year, click here).

On this occasion, I send you my best wishes for the New Year. May this sign bring you luck, prosperity, health and happiness in life!!!

My Chinese New Year recipes:
Cantonese Lemon Chicken (see recipe)
White Sugar Sponge (see recipe)
Nian Gao/Chinese New Year Steamed Cake (see recipe)

Interesting links:
About.com (see link)
All Recipes (see link)
Cook's Illustrated (see link)
Delicious (see link)
Epicurious (see link)
Foodnetwork (see link)
Gourmet Traveller (see link)
My Recipes (see link)
Razzle Dazzle (see link)

For more Asian recipes, then click here and browse through my recipe collection...

(Rat painting by www.croquetartist.com)

ZESTY RICOTTA TART - TARTE A LA RICOTTA

I really enjoy cheese. It is such a versatile product that it is difficult to ever get tired of eating it...

The magical thing about cheese is that it can be prepared in so many different manners that, unfortunately, there isn't enough time in one's life to go through all the cheese-oriented recipes and to cook all the dishes which each country offers!

Like most foodies, I adore cheesecakes. Whether they are of the European or American kind, sweet or savory, I am totally addicted to their uniqueness. In no way can they be beat! I am capable of gobling terrifying quantities of this heavenly speciality. I cannot resist any good homemade cheesecake, especially if it's made with either cream cheese, quark, ricotta, mascarpone or any variety of fresh cheese, be they low fat or not...

As the festivities are now far behind and spring is appraoching as speedily/rapidly as a fast train, I thought that your stomach/body deserves a little break after all the excesses (those gargantuesque feasts) he had to endure during the end of year holidays/celebrations.

For that reason, today, the recipe I choose to share with you is midly rich and not too filling. But, as I have a freakish penchant for flavorful foods, you can imagine that it is not because it contains a limited amount of fat that it is synonymous of tastlessness, non-dimensionalness or blandness. On the contrary, this sweet recipe is scrumptious!

My "Zesty Ricotta Tart" is terribly good and wonderfully fresh! It has a lovely rustic curdled texture, a refreshing lemony taste and a warm, haunting rum/wisky flavor. The shortcrust pastry is subtly salty, thus contrasting with the filling's soothing sweetness. It is also beautifully crispy as well as flaky and has a buttery melt-in-the-mouth quality which makes it extremely pleasant. And those gorgeously soft and divine rum-/whisky-drenched raisins add an undescribably exquisite yummy touch to this refined and delicate tart. A marvelous dessert!

~ Zesty Ricotta Tart ~
Recipe by Rosa @ Rosa's Yummy Yums

Makes a 9.4-9.8 inches (24-25cm) tart.

Ingredients for the shortcrust pastry:
300g Plain white flour (no self-raising flour)
2 Tsps Castor sugar
1 1/2 Tsp Salt
100g Unsalted butter, cold and cut into small cubes
50g Lard, cold and cut into small cubes
~80ml Water, icy

Ingredients for the ricotta filling:
1/2 Cup Golden raisins
2 Tbs Rum 2 Tbs Whisky
1 Lb (500g) Fresh ricotta cheese (whole milk)
1/2 Cup Castor sugar
1 Tbs Plain white flour
4 Eggs (~53g), separated and at room temperature
1 Pinch Salt
1/4 Cup Heavy cream
1/3 Cup Sour cream
1 Tsp Vanilla extract
The grated rind of 1-1 1/2 organic lemon

Method for the shortcrust pastry:
1. Sift the flour, sugar and salt into a bowl/bassin.
2. Add the butter and lard. Rub between the fingers until the mixture is flaky.
3. Gradually pour the water into the butter/flour mixture while continuously cutting and stirring with a knife. Gather up into a soft ball.
4. Dust your working area and rolling pin with flour and shape the pastry by rolling away from you and always turning the pastry around in order to achieve a round shape slightly larger than your tart pan.
5. Transfer the pastry to the tart pan.
6. Prick the bottom with a fork.
7. Leave in the fridge until the ricotta filling is ready.

Method for the ricotta filling:
8. Preheat oven to 180° C (350° F).
9. Soak the raisins in the rum/whisky for 20 minutes.
10. Drain and reserve the alcohol.
11. Mix ricotta, sugar and flour together and beat until creamy/smooth.
12. Add egg yolks, heavy cream, sour cream, reserved rhum/whisky, vanilla and lemon rind. 13. Blend well.
14. Add raisins.
15. Beat egg whites with a pinch of cream of tartar until stiff. Fold egg whites into the ricotta mixture.
16. Pour the filling into thetart shell and smooth out the top.
17. Bake until the filling is set and the tart pastry is golden brown, about an 50 minutes.
18. Turn off the oven and let the tart cool with the oven door slightly open for 30 minutes.
19. Remove the tart from the oven and let cool and a rack.
20. Serve cold or at room temperature.

Remarks regarding the pastry:
If you don't want to use lard, then use 150g unsalted butter or 100g unsalted butter and 50g margarine.
Always lift the flour out of the bowl while rubbing; it makes the butter/flour mixture airy.
Be careful not to add too much water (stop adding water when the dough starts to assemble).
The pastry should not be sticky to the touch nor wet.
While mixing the water to the flour/butter mixture never work the pastry like a bread dough, otherwise you would end up with a stiff, hard and elastic pastry.

Remarks regarding the filling:
For the raisins, you are free to use the alcohol of your choice (marsala, white porto, cognac, sherry, amaretto, limoncello, etc...).
You can also replace the lemon rind by orange rind or 1/2-3/4 tsp lemon oil.
If you wish, you can ommit the beaten egg whites part and add the entire eggs to the cheese mixture.

Serving suggestions:
Serve this tart for afternoon tea or dessert, with a good cup of tea or with a glass of Porto.

***************

~ Tarte A La Ricotta ~
Recette par Rosa @ Rosa's Yummy Yums

Pour une tarte de 24-25cm.

Ingrédients pour la pâte brisée:
300g de Farine fleur/blanche
2 CC de Sucre cristallisé
1 1/2 CC de Sel
100g de Beurre, froid et coupé en petits cubes/dés
50g de Saindoux, froid et coupé en petits cubes/dés
~80ml d'Eau, froide

Ingrédients pour la garniture à la ricotta:
1/2 Tasse de Raisins secs jaunes
2 CS de Rhum
2 CS de Whisky
500g de Ricotta fraîche (au lait entier)
1/2 Tasse de Sucre cristallisé
1 CS de Farine fleur/blanche
4 Oeufs (~53g), séparés et à température ambiante
1 Pincée de Sel
1/4 de Tasse de Crème double/fleurette (35% de mat. grasses)
1/3 de Tasse de Crème aigre
1 CC d'Extrait de vanille
Le zeste de 1-1 1/2 citron(s) bios

Méthode pour la pâte brisée:
1. Tamiser la farine, le sucre et le sel dans un bol.
2. Ajouter le beurre et le saindoux. Sabler la farine et le beurre ensemble, du bout des doigts afin d'obtenir un mélange qui ressemble à du sable grossier.
3. Verser l'eau, graduellement, tout en mélangeant/coupant avec un couteau. Rassembler la pâte en une boule.
4. Fariner un plan de travail et abaisser la pâte afin qu'elle soit un peu plus large que le moule à tarte.
5. Transférer la pâte abaissée dans le moule.
6. Piquer le fond de la tarte à l'aide d'une fourchette.
7. Entreposer la pâte au frigo jusqu'à ce que la garniture soit prête.

Méthode pour la garniture à la ricotta:
8. Préchauffer le four à 180° C (350° F).
9. Faire macérer les raisins dans le rhum/whisky pendant for 20 minutes.
10. Egoutter les raisins et réserver l'alcool.

11. Mélanger ensemble la ricotta, le sugar et la farine et battre (au mixer/robot ménager) jusqu'à ce que le mélange deviennent crémeux/moelleux.
12. Ajouter les jaunes d'oeufs, la crème double, la crème aigre, le mélange d'alcools (qui à servit à la macération), l'extrait de vanille et le zeste de citron.
13. Bien mélanger.
14. Ajouter les raisins.
15. Monter les blancs d'oeufs (additionés de crème de tartre) en neige ferme et les incorporer au mélange à la ricotta.
16. Verser cet appareil sur la pâte à tarte et lisser la surface.
17. Cuire jusqu'à ce que la garniture soit prise et que la pâte à tarte soit dorée, pendant environ 50 minutes.
18. Eteindre le four et laisser la tarte refroidir à l'intérieur du four, avec la porte entre-ouverte, pendant 30 minutes.
19. Retirer la tarte du four et la laisser refroidir sur une grille.
20. Servir la tarte froide ou à température ambiante.

Remarques concernant la pâte brisée:
Si vous ne voulez pas utiliser de saindoux, alors prenez 150g de beurre ou 100g de beurre et 50g de margarine.
Soulever la farine lorsque vous sablez la farine avec le beurre; ça rend le mélange plus aéré. Faites attention à ne pas ajouter trop d'eau (arrêter d'ajouter l'eau lorsque la pâte commence à s'assembler).
La pâte ne devrait pas être collante ou trop humide.
Lorsque vous incorporez l'eau au mélange farine/beurre, ne travaillez jamais votre pâte telle du pain autrement vous vous retrouverez avec une pâte dure.

Remarques concernant la garniture à la ricotta:
Pour les raisins, vous êtes libre d'utiliser l'alcool de votre choix (marsala, porto, cognac, sherry, amaretto, limoncello, etc...).
Vous pouvez aussi remplacer le zeste de citron par du zeste d'orange ou 1/2-3/4 de CC d'estrait de citron.
Vous pouvez omettre de monter les blancs d'oeufs en neige. Il vous faudra alors ajouter les oeufs entiers au mélange fromage/sucre.

Idées de présentation:
Servez cette tarte pour le goûter ou en guise de dessert, accompagnée d'une bonne tasse de thé ou d'un verre de Porto.

WEEKEND CAT BLOGGING #139

This week, Puddy and Kate at "A Byootiful Life" (Australia) are happy to announce that they are hosting Weekend Cat Blogging #139...

To submit your kitty picture(s), you can either leave a message in their blog's comment section (with your permalinks) or contact them via e-mail without forgetting to give all the needed informations.

Fridolin loves his Chiquita Banana box.
We have put it against the wall and he likes to sit inside it, meditating and peering out of this improvised little house.
He has found a new place to hide...

CANDLEMAS - ST BRIDE'S DAY - IMBOLC

Today, February the 2nd, it is "Candlemas", "Chandeleur" or "St Bride's Day" (depending on how you call this day), the Christian festival that commemorates the purification of the Virgin Mary and the presentation of the infant Jesus in the Temple.

This feast originates from the Celts and Pagans who celebrate(d) "Imbolc" (see link) on the 1st of February, thus marking the beginningss of Spring and the coming back of light. It is also known under the name of "Brigid" or "Feast Of Lights".

Canada also celebrates "Groundhog Day" on that very day.

At the same time, here (Switzerland), in the Lötschental Valley (Valais/Wallis), we have a unique and terrifying local custom which takes place and involves the so-called "Tschäggättä" (see video) or "Wild Men". They are frightening ugly figures wearing furs and sinister carved wooden masks that roam through the valley and streets under the cover of darkness, preying on unsuspecting victims, ringing large cowbells and tossing soot at their unsuspecting victims. They are heathen relics of an old worship cult/tradition which was meant to scare away the spirits of winter as well as to symbolize the return of the ancestors who give out praise or punishment to the living.

For many people, religious or non-religious alike, this day is also the feast of "Pancakes" (see link) and it is a very good excuse to stuff yourself with gorgous tasting "French/American Pancakes" 'till your literally explode!!!

Of course, it is not the only time of the year during which you can have a "Pancake" party, but it is nonetheless the best way to honor this delicious treat...

~The "Tschäggättä" in action. ~

For those who want to celebrate "Candlemas", I thought that it would be a good idea to give you "Pancake" recipes and links that will rejoice your gourmet palate.

My recipes (sorry for the mediocre quality of my -old- pictures):
French Pancakes (see recipe)
American Pancakes (see recipe)
Tatsch From Grisons/Graubünden (see recipe)

Interesting recipe links:
All Recipes (see link)
Awakened Woman (see link)
Bellaonline (see link)
Epicurious (see link)
Family Fun (see link)
Food Network (see link)
Recipezaar (see link)
Suite 101 (see link)
The Craft Nook (see link)
The World Wide Gourmet (see link)

~Frightening "Tschäggättä". ~

(Saint-Brigid Pic by Theresa Lucero)
(Lichtmess In Lötschental Pic by www.myswitzerland.com)
(Tschäggättä Pic by http://hitomiiie.free.fr)

XMAS IN GRAUBÜNDEN - PART IV

I hope that you have enjoyed my last posts regarding my Christmas "holidays" in Graubünden, because I still have a few pictures to show you and by no means do I wish to bore you with the same things...

Last week (see post), you discovered Fürsterwald, a Chur quarter. Today, you will be able to admire more incredible scenic views (over the Rheintal) which were taken from that place. May those pictures (click on photos to enlarge) enlighten you day and make you dream!