Refried Beans
Frijoles Refritos
Makes about 4 cups; serves 6 to 8 Preparation Time: 5 minutes Cooking Time: 20 minutes Can be made up to 4 days ahead, covered, and refrigerated
Feeding a pack of growing monsters seven days a week can be a challenge, so I follow the tradition of the people in the Yucatán Peninsula and “repurpose” beans: I make a double batch on Monday and use them throughout the week, ending with refried beans, the delicious caboose of Mexican cuisine, at the end of the week.
Use refritos as a companion to any main dish or as a topping for tostadas, stuff them into enchiladas or spread on tortas, or serve as a main course with rice. The trick to great refried beans is to cook them down at a leisurely pace and to give them time to get so thick they can almost stand and walk out of the pan onto your plate.
- ¼ cup vegetable oil
- ½ cup chopped white onion
- 5 cups Simple Beans from the Pot, made with black or pinto beans, plus 1 cup of their cooking liquid (for the streamlined version, see Mexican Cook’s Trick)
- 1 tablespoon kosher or coarse sea salt, or to taste
- Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat until hot but not smoking. Add the onion and cook until softened and beginning to brown around the edges, 4 to 5 minutes.
- For the traditional method, add the beans 1 cup at a time and some of the liquid and mash with a potato masher. Alternatively, for a streamlined version, which is smoother, add the bean puree (see Mexican Cook’s Trick) all at once. Cook, stirring frequently, until the beans have become a smooth, very thick puree, 15 to 20 minutes. Season with the salt before serving.
MEXICAN COOK’S TRICK: Refried beans are traditionally cooked in lard. Like many cooks, I have switched to oil with success. You can make them the traditional way by mashing them with the onion and oil, or the more streamlined way, using pureed cooked beans. (Use 5 cups canned beans, rinsed and drained, plus 1 cup water [puree the beans with the liquid].) I opt for the second method, as it’s just as tasty and much easier.