OK, so you know I've been trying to make beans and rice, but you might not know why it was a challenge. For this geek, the issue is not with getting a tasty meal, it's with creating a beans and rice "process" that results in several tasty meals for minimal time, money, and effort. So far, my experiments with beans and rice have all been tasty (some a bit too spicy, I admit), but they yielded 2-4 big servings at most.
As a side note, if you're at all uncertain about why you should definitely be eating beans, this article is a good start.
As a side note, if you're at all uncertain about why you should definitely be eating beans, this article is a good start.
So I looked for the right recipe, and did not find it. After studying a few different recipe styles, I made three decisions:
1.) Cook the beans seperately and just spoon them onto rice (simple, versatile, stores better)
2.) Start with pinto beans (versatile, available, cheap)
3.) Make sure everyone in the house can eat it (no pork, no nitrates, not too spicy)
So with a couple of reference recipes to get an idea of ratios and cook-times plus the flavors I've liked the best in previous experiments, this is what I came up with. It saves time by creating a HUGE batch that still fits in our biggest 5qt pot (barely), uses mostly fresh incredients, it's tasty (spicy enough for me, not too spicy for the Missus), very diet-friendly (especially since we serve it w/ brown rice), and it contains no pork or nitrates. Admittedly, uncured turkey bacon is a luxury (compared with other meats I could have picked), but pork was a no-go and the flavor it imparts is key. And if we bring this to an event any time soon, I'll just use regular bacon. Pork virtually gets its own food group down here, so I'm pretty sure no one will mind.
So here it is - subject to refinement, though I could eat it just like this and be very happy.
Into a big pot (5qt minimum) goes...
2lbs Pinto Beans (pre-soaked overnight)
10C water
2tbs olive oil (extra virgin if you have it)
1 Jalepeno (seeded and diced)
2 small yellow onions (diced)
3 cloves garlic (minced or crushed)
7 cooked strips of uncured (nitrate-free) turkey bacon (chopped after cooking - 3/4"?)
Bring all this to a boil then lower heat and cook on medium for 45 minutes stirring occasionally
Add:
3 med (or 2 large) tomatoes (pureed)
1/2 tsp cumin
2tsp salt
Lower heat and simmer for another hour stirring occasionally
Add:
Handful cilantro (minced)
Simmer until it looks/feels the way you like.
Serve:
... In a bowl over a scoop of your favorite type of rice (cooked, of course).
... In a bowl over a scoop of your favorite type of rice (cooked, of course).
I could see increasing the Jalepenos to 2 (or 1, but keep the seeds) if your household is OK with a higher spice level. The thing I'm really interested in is to find out if it's possible to modify this recipe to work with dry beans/longer slower cooking and avoid the soaking step. Probably not possible in a 5qt pot, but that's ok for now.
5 comments:
Loooove beans... Anasazi are a great alternative to pinto, too, just to mix it up (as an aside, I know about Anasazi beans from my previous life... the one in which I lived in a tipi in Dove Creek, CO for a few months... Dove Creek is the official home of Anasazi beans... The Adobe Milling Co is pretty much the only thing in that town... but that's another story altogether... my point is that their beans - and their popcorns - are really good!).
I cook the beans pretty much the same way you do (although I usually only start my soak in the morning, and, if you add some butter - like a stick - in the beginning it adds a certain yumminess if dairy is an option - that is how my Mexican friend's mom made them)... then I save unused portion in tupperware and use for next few days.
Our favorite variation is to add whatever beans we didn't finish the first night to that same 5 qt. pot the next night, but this time you start like this:
Saute in olive oil:
■ garlic, onions, chopped celery, leeks (I use 2 entire leeks, chopped)...
■ add diced sweet or regular potatoes... let brown
■ add can of Muir Glen Organic diced fire roasted tomatoes with green chiles...
■ then add whatever other veggies you have in the house (broccoli, cauliflower, corn, roasted chili peppers)
■ add herbs/spices to your liking...
■ a few cups of veggie stock,
■ and then your BEANS.... (and any other beans you like - I like to use a few different varieties)
■ I usually throw in some carrots, and some spinach, kale or other greens right at the end
■ serve... (ideally with fresh grated parmeggiano reggiano and some homemade french bread)!
Omigod I never knew how incredibly delicious nothing but veggies could be! Gabe always asks for more, and it freezes really well. Might have to go make this tomorrow! Thanks for the inspiration, Josh!
Instead of soaking the beans overnight, you can get away with boiling them for 10 minutes, then letting them sit in the water for an additional hour. Toss the water, and the beans are ready.
I will attempt and report back.
@Jenn - Nice! Greens are something I thought about. I love spinach righht at the end, but been wanting to try kale. I've actually had it before, but it was so many years ago I forgot!
@Geoff - I read about that and considered it, but in this case, I'm not in a hurry, just trying to save a step. When I'm in a hurry, that's what I'll do - thanks!
@Corey - Please do, I'm curious if we can maintain <10% variability between labs.
Well I modified it pretty heavily. So much for keeping it to 10% variability. Here's the link to my post:
Beanie!
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