Sunnys Refried Beans Recipes

SUNNY'S EASY GARLICKY LEMON BUTTER GREEN BEANS

Steps:

• Bring a pot of salted water to a boil. Prepare an ice bath. Blanch the green beans briefly in the boiling water, then transfer to the ice bath to stop the cooking process. Drain and set aside.
• In a large pan on medium-high heat, add the butter, garlic and lemon juice. When the butter is melted and the garlic is fragrant, add the green beans and toss until just heated through. Taste a green bean and season with salt and pepper if needed. Remove to a serving plate and wipe the pan clean. Add the almonds and lemon zest and quickly toast a minute or two. Sprinkle the toasted almonds and zest over the green beans and serve.

CHEF JOHN'S REFRIED BEANS

Steps:

• Drain soaked beans and transfer them to a stock pot. Add garlic, epazote, and cold water. Place pot over high heat and bring to a boil. Stir. Reduce heat to low. Simmer uncovered until beans are soft, 1 1/2 to 2 hours. Drain the beans and reserve all the liquid.
• Melt lard in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add onions and salt; cook until onions start to brown, 10 to 12 minutes. Stir in serrano pepper and chipotle powder; cook 1 minute. Transfer drained beans into skillet. Mash about half the beans with a potato masher or back of a spoon. Ladle some bean cooking liquid to skillet. Continue to mash and stir beans as you gradually add more liquid. Mash until the beans have reached your preferred consistency and texture. Taste and add more salt, if desired.

BUFFY'S REFRIED BEANS

Steps:

• Melt the lard in a deep, heavy pot over medium-high heat; when the lard is hot, add the beans. Stir constantly while cooking until the beans reach a paste-like consistency. Season with salt. Reduce heat to low and stir in the water. Simmer and stir until the beans cook down to your desired consistency.

REFRIED BEANS

Steps:

• Lightly drain the beans, reserving the juice from the tin, but do not rinse (you want the beans in about half the liquid from the can). Depending on the texture you prefer, either mash them roughly in a bowl or blitz them using a blender until smooth. Set aside.
• Heat the oil in a large frying pan or casserole and cook the onions for 8-10 mins until soft and golden. Scatter in the garlic, chilli and cumin seeds, and sizzle everything for 2 mins more. Tip in the beans, oregano, paprika and a pinch of salt. Cook everything together for 5 mins until the beans have heated through adding more reserved bean juice if it's too thick. Serve straightaway with a sprinkling of coriander, if you like, or leave to cool and keep chilled. Will keep chilled for up to three days or frozen for a month. Reheat with a splash of water mixed in.

MOLLY'S REFRIED BEANS

Steps:

• In large pot soak the beans for at least 4 hours. Bring to a boil, cover, reduce heat to medium and cook until soft.
• If necessary, add more water as needed so that the beans do not dry out while cooking. Once beans are cooked, drain beans but *RESERVE* liquid.
• Fry up the bacon slices in large cast iron skillet and set aside to drain on paper towel. Reserve drippings.
• Meanwhile, mince the onion and garlic.
• *Heat a cast iron skillet on medium and saute the onion and garlic in the bacon drippings or solid lard until soft.
• With slotted spoon, transfer the cooked beans to the skillet. Lower temperature to low-medium. Add about a cup of the bean liquid and mix in the beans with the onion and garlic. Begin to mash the beans with a potato masher, adding more bean liquid as necessary to facilitate. Great grandma prepared these beans soupy with about 3/4 of the beans mashed, the remaining left whole. That is how great-grandma cooked them and that is how I like them. Keep mashing beans and adding liquid until soupy and not dry. Lower heat to simmer. Do not allow beans to dry out, adding more bean liquid if needed.
• Crumble the bacon and stir into the beans. Season with salt. Taste and reseason with more salt if necessary. Beans seems to require a good amount of salt to bring out their flavor.
• *NOTE: If you choose to use a cast iron skillet be warned that the iron content will turn lighter colored beans an unattractive pinkish-grey color. This will not affect the taste at all other than adding a bit of extra iron to your diet. If preferred, cook beans in a non-reactive pot.
• Save the bean liquid to rehydrate and reheat any leftovers, but *DO NOT* use plain water to reheat the beans.

SMOKY REFRIED BEANS

Steps:

• Heat oil in a heavy skillet over medium-low heat.
• Add whole garlic cloves and cook, turning once, until browned on both sides, about 5 minutes.
• Smash garlic cloves with a fork just enough to break them open and flatten them a little.
• Add pintos and liquid and cook until heated through, about 5 minutes.
• Add spices and salt to taste. Stir well.
• Turn the heat down to medium-low and smash beans with a big fork. You don't have to smash every single bean. Leave some whole for texture.
• When mashed to your liking, squeeze the lime juice all over the beans and serve warm.
• These beans make a great taco filling or tostada topping. My husband likes them mixed with a little salsa and eaten as a dip.