(Frijoles Refritos)
When I was living in Mexico, I was a very poor, post-college student. I had taken my last paycheck and moved south of the border to practice guitar, make art, and learn Spanish. It all sounded so lovely and romantic, but the reality was that I was living on frijoles and arroz every day because I couldn’t afford to eat anything else. Back then, I had all the time in the world to cook up a big batch of beans. Now, I barely have time to eat a quick dinner before getting back to work, so I came up with this faster version. Traditional refried beans are made with lard, but I’ve found that bacon grease adds a wonderful flavor.
3 tablespoons bacon grease
½ onion, chopped
2 serrano peppers
2 garlic cloves, minced
Two 15-ounce cans pinto beans, including the liquid
¼ cup crumbled cotija cheese
Heat the bacon grease in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onion, serranos, and garlic and sauté until the onion is slightly translucent, 2 to 3 minutes. Remove and discard the serranos (or chop and save to use as topping). Pour in the beans and their liquid and stir. Mash them in the pan with a potato masher or wooden spoon. Keep mashing until you have the texture that you like and stir until all the beans are warmed through.
Serve warm sprinkled with cheese and the chopped serranos, if you like, or use as a filling for your burritos.
NOTE: The peppers don’t make the beans spicy, but add an additional layer of flavor. If you can’t find serranos, feel free to substitute a jalapeño.
VARIATION: To make a vegetarian version, just substitute olive oil for the bacon drippings.