Memoirs of a Recession: Unfried Refried Pinto Beans
A North American household shares its experience with the first major recession/depression of the 21st Century.
Refried beans are easy and cheap to make, and they do not need to be refried. They also do not need the amount of salt put into the canned brands. You can have the taste and fiber without refrying. Using a crock pot makes this a simple dish to start and forget about until you are ready to mash them up. Un
Ingredients
- 2 cups of pinto beans
- 1/4 onion
- 1 clove of garlic
- 1 serrano or jalapeno chile, whole
- Salt to taste
- Water
Method
The first step is to pick through the beans a few at a time to remove any rocks, dirt clods, deformed beans, and any seeds that are not beans. The cheaper the brand, the more work this might take, but you should do it no matter what brand. Put the selected beans in water to soak for several hours or overnight if possible.
Discard the water and place the soaked beans in a crock pot with plenty of water. If you are not experienced making beans, make the first batch when you are around to watch them and add additional water as needed. To the beans, add salt, chile, garlic, and chopped onion. Cover and cook in the crock pot until well done.
Remove the beans from the crock pot and drain. Mash with a potato masher and add a bit of the bean water to them to make a smoother mash.
You can add a little olive oil, if you want to enhance the flavor and texture. Butter or margerine can be added also, but are less healthy options.
You can return them to the crock pot and keep them on low heat during a party but need to check them and add a little more liquid if necessary.
Variations: You can cook black beans the same way and mash them up for a Caribbean touch.
If you cook your pinto beans with quite a bit of water, you are left with a soupy bean broth in which you can leave a few beans. My husband loves this bean broth as a soup accompanying a meal.
Serving suggestions: You can serve these unfried refried beans with Latin entrees, in burritos, or as a dip for chips or vegetables. They can be topped with cheese, sour cream or yogurt, or tomatoes.
The beans can be layered on a platter with toppings and hot sauces and used as a festive dip.
