When the snow arrived in Missoula during the winter of 1993, Meadow, my beautiful and burly malamute and German shepherd cross, and I lived with two other roommates in a drafty Craftsman. Across the street sat the small, neighborhood grocery store I worked at while attending the University of Montana. Meadow and I always felt grateful for the steady stream of day-old deli sandwiches I brought home at the end of my late shift, for food was always on our minds.
During one dark, sub-zero evening I found myself chatting with Bill, my Louisiana roommate, in the kitchen as he fixed his dinner. Neither of us had much money to spend on fancy food, but that didn't mean we were limited to a diet of eggs, macaroni and cheese, and ramen. This particular night Bill was cooking up red beans and rice, a southern classic and one that he didn't open a single can to fix.
Watching him made me realize that the last time I could remember soaking a bean of any kind was for a middle school botany project. Using dried beans to make dinner: how old-fashioned, how economical, how cool! Bill had sparked an unexpected culinary inspiration in my head.
My affection for Mexican food ran deep. I had nothing against red beans and rice. However, my taste buds learned to crave the spicy stuff soon after I started college in San Diego and went on to live there for three years. With thoughts of burritos bouncing in my head, I set myself to the task of figuring out how to make refried beans without a can opener.
My first step was to head down to The Good Food Store, Missoula's premier health food grocer, to analyze the contents of my favorite dehydrated pinto and black beans. Once the reverse engineering process was complete, I bought a diverse selection of beans and spices in bulk and headed back to my kitchen.
After several months of experimentation I settled on a recipe and found myself surprised to discover how easy it was to soak and prepare dried beans. I call it slacker cooking, for the work is minimal compared to the reward.
One of my favorite things about this recipe is stepping into the house after the beans and spices have been simmering for several hours. An aroma of cumin and garlic fills the air and you know that some good eating is about to happen.
The dish has been a staple in my house ever since that frigid Missoula winter. In fact, my wife and I have used it so much that I only recently bothered to write it down.
Erik's refried beans
The ingredients:
3/4 cup pinto beans
1/2 cup black beans
1/4 cup red (chili) beans
1/2 to 1 teaspoon salt (to taste)
1 teaspoon (1/2 for mild) crushed red peppers
1 teaspoon powdered garlic
1 tablespoon cumin
Whenever possible I buy certified organic ingredients for this recipe. While the price of organic food is higher, don't succumb to sticker shock. It's cheaper than you realize. After recently buying the seven ingredients for my recipe, I analyzed the receipt and found they cost me less than $1.30.
The technique:
1) Take a large, covered saucepan, dump all the beans inside, and fill the pan with water until the surface sits about an inch above the beans. Cover the beans and let them soak, unheated, for eight hours or overnight.
2) The beans will be nice and plump by now. Take a large metal strainer with small holes, dump the beans inside, and rinse them thoroughly. You'll need to clean the saucepan, too.
3) Pour the beans back into the pan and fill it with water until the surface sits about an inch above the beans, again. Slowly bring the mix to a boil, stirring in or skimming off any foam that rises. Speaking of stirring, make sure you do this to the boiling beans so they don't stick to the pan bottom.
4) Reduce to a simmer and mix in the cumin, crushed red peppers, powdered garlic, and half of the salt you think you'll need. Cover the pot and keep the beans at a simmer; don't let them boil over. Continue to simmer at the lowest burner setting possible for around four hours, or until the beans are bathing in a thick broth.
5) While simmering, it's important to check the beans every so often to make sure there's enough water in the pot for the broth to develop. Also, give them a stir now and again to avoid having the beans stick.
6) Take a taste toward the end of the simmering stage. Does it need more salt? Add a little bit, stir, wait a few minutes, and then try again before adding any more. It's easier than you think to destroy this recipe with too much salt.
7) Now that the cooking is done you can use the whole beans as they are. I like to achieve that smooth refried bean texture by squishing them in the pot with a sturdy potato masher. You can also go high-tech with a food processor.
Makes: 4 cups, or 16 servings
Leftover beans may be frozen. They also dehydrate extremely well, which is my favorite way to store them.
I tell you people, it's hard to go back to canned refried beans after learning how delicious, economical, and easy it is to make your own from scratch.
Have a culinary comment for Erik? Please drop him a line at editor@sdistrictjournal.com.[[In-content Ad]]
