Well, this picture looks familiar. I told you to get used to it. Refried beans and Mexican rice, these two sides are served with just about every Mexican meal I've had at restaurants. According to some reading I've done in my Mexican cookbook, the main meal of the day in Mexico is set up kinda like an Italian meal. The sopa seca course is served after the appetizer and before the main course and is like the pasta course in an Italian meal. However, in Mexico, 70 percent of the time this course will be a rice dish. There are many different kinds of rice dishes served in Mexico, but this one is the most popular and seems to be the one most often served in the United States. I got this recipe of the internet and I have to admit, it didn't do it for me. It was alright, but it needs work. The main thing was that it was a little soggy. I don't know how they get the rice so dry not lumpy in the restaurants but I must be missing on some technique. I didn't even realize my Mexican cookbook has an authentic recipe for this, I should have checked first.
As for the beans, the style I cooked them in is more traditional to Northern Mexico because I used pinto beans. There are many different styles of cooking beans, and many different types of beans you can use, so find one you like. No matter what kind of bean, or how they are cooked, beans are served with almost every meal in Mexico. Sometimes beans make it onto the plate three times a day. The reason for this is pretty obvious, beans are cheap. Luckily they are also delicious (and nutritious!).
Arroz a la Mexicana
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 cup uncooked long-grain rice
1 teaspoon garlic salt
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/4 cup chopped onion
1/2 cup tomato sauce
2 cups chicken broth
Heat the oil in a saucepan over medium heat and add the rice. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the grains are golden and puffed. While the rice cooks, add the garlic salt and cumin.
Stir in the onions and allow to soften. Stir in the broth and tomato sauce and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer for about 20 minutes.
Frijoles Refritos
This is as traditional and simple as you get with these beans. I love this cookbook, I'll talk more about it later.
First you have to make the Frijoles de Olla (or pot beans) and then fry them.
1/2 lb. dry pinto beans
1/4 white onion, roughly sliced
1 Tbsp of pork lard
Kosher salt
I did this the easy way and did not soak the beans overnight. In fact my book tells me not to do that; apparently bean skins give off an unpleasant flavor when soaked, who knew? I just added all the ingredients (except the salt!) to a pot with enough water to cover the beans by about 3 inches. Bring the beans to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer until the skins are soft, then add the salt. DO NOT add the salt at the beginning because it will make the skins tough. Legumes are the only thing you don't want to salt during cooking. Continue cooking until the beans are very soft and the broth is soupy. Now to fry them!
3 to 4 Tbsps of pork lard
1 Tbsp finely diced white onion
All the beans you just cooked
Heat the lard in a frying pan. Add the onion and cook until transparent. Add a cupful of the beans and broth and mash them over high heat. As they reduce, add more beans and broth and keep mashing until you have added everything. Continue frying, and constantly mixing, until it becomes a thick paste. Enjoy topped with some melted Mexican cheese.
Notes:
1. The pork lard is really necessary here. You can use oil or butter but you are not going to get good flavor. The lard adds an amazing pork flavor. I also do not recommend bacon fat, I think it would overpower the beans.
2. Don't throw away the broth you cooked the beans in, use it when you fry them. When you boil the beans, a lot of the minerals and nutrients are released into the water and you do not want to lose them.
3. The Mexican cookbook I keep talking about is Diana Kennedy's The Art of Mexican Cooking. Kennedy is considered an authority on authentic Mexican food and this book is great for all sorts of authentic recipes. Sometimes I find the recipes a little to simple though.
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