She Strengthens

Elevate Your Bean Game: A Flavorful Recipe to Spice Up Your Meals

Get Ready for a Flavor Explosion

When it comes to cooking beans, it’s all about layering flavors to create a dish that’s both satisfying and delicious. One way to achieve this is by making a blended seasoning paste to add depth and complexity to your beans.

Choosing the Right Beer

For this recipe, we recommend using a lager like Dos Equis, but feel free to experiment with other types of beer. Just remember to avoid dark beers, as they can overpower the other flavors.

Preparation is Key

Before you start cooking, make sure to soak your beans overnight or for at least 8 hours. This step is crucial to ensure your beans cook evenly and absorb all the flavors.

The Cooking Process

This recipe involves two steps: simmering the beans until they’re tender, and then cooking them with the spice paste to add flavor. Don’t skip these steps, as they’re essential to achieving the perfect texture and flavor.

The Ingredients

• 1 pound dried black beans
• 1 medium white onion, peeled and halved
• 1 small celery stalk, halved crosswise
• 1 small carrot, peeled and halved crosswise
• 2 garlic cloves, peeled
• 2 bay leaves
• 2 dried ancho chiles
• 1 tablespoon whole dried cumin seed
• 1 teaspoon whole dried coriander seed
• 1 serrano pepper, coarsely chopped
• 1 ripe medium tomato, coarsely chopped
• 2 teaspoons dried oregano
• 1 (12-ounce) bottle Mexican beer
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more as needed
• 1/4 cup canola oil
• 1/2 cup coarsely chopped fresh cilantro
• Juice of 1 lime

Let’s Get Cooking!

Start by pouring the dried beans onto a rimmed baking sheet and picking through them to remove any broken beans or stones. Place the beans in a large nonreactive bowl and cover them with at least 3 inches of cold water. Allow them to soak overnight or for at least 8 hours.

After the beans have soaked, drain them in a colander and place them in a large heavy pot. Cover them with at least 2 inches of cold water and add one half of the onion, the two celery and carrot halves, the garlic cloves, and the bay leaves. Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce the heat to low and gently simmer until the beans are almost completely tender but still a little starchy in the center, about 30 minutes.

Toasting the Ancho Chiles

While the beans are cooking, remove the stems from the ancho chiles, slit them open, and shake out the seeds. Heat a cast iron skillet over medium-high heat until hot, about 5 minutes. Place the chiles in the skillet and toast until slightly charred and fragrant, about 5 minutes. Transfer them to a medium bowl and cover with very hot water; allow to soak for at least 15 minutes, or until they are soft and pliable.

Blending the Spice Paste

When the ancho chiles are ready, remove them from the soaking water and coarsely chop. Coarsely chop the remaining onion half and add it to a blender along with the chopped chiles, serrano pepper, tomato, oregano, 1/4 cup of the beer, and the measured salt. Blend into a smooth purée; set aside.

Finishing Touches

Drain the beans and discard the onion, celery, carrot, garlic cloves, and bay leaves. Place about 1 cup of the cooked beans in a small bowl and coarsely crush them using a large spoon or the back of a fork. Return the large heavy pot to the stove and heat the oil over medium-high heat until smoking. Add the puréed mixture and fry it, stirring occasionally with a wooden spoon, until fragrant, about 3 minutes. Mix in the crushed and whole beans and the remaining beer. Reduce the heat to low and simmer the beans uncovered for 20 minutes. Stir in the chopped cilantro and lime juice. Season with salt and serve.

Enjoy your delicious and flavorful beans!