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Mexican black beans

Vegetarian · Mexican

Restaurant-style frijoles negros: beans in a thick, savory sauce, not a soup.

They’re better made with lard instead of vegetable oil. It gives a background richness without any visible meat, but it means they’re no longer strictly vegetarian.

Ingredients

  • 1 lb dried black beans
  • 2 tbsp vegetable oil (or lard, see above)
  • 1 medium white onion, finely chopped
  • 4 garlic cloves, minced
  • 2 tsp dried epazote
  • 1 tsp dried Mexican oregano
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 2 tsp salt
  • Black pepper

Instructions

Rinse the beans and pick out any stones or shriveled beans. Soaking is optional.

Heat the oil or lard in a large Dutch oven or pot over medium heat. Add the onion and cook until soft, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for another minute.

Add the beans, bay leaf and enough water to cover them by about 1 inch. Bring to a boil, skim off any foam, then turn the heat down to low. Cover with the lid ajar and simmer.

After 1 hour, add the epazote and oregano. Keep simmering until the beans are tender, about 2-3 hours in all. Add a little hot water if they look dry.

Stir in the salt and some pepper, then take the lid off for the last 30 minutes so the liquid reduces.

To thicken the sauce, scoop out about a quarter to a third of the beans with some of the liquid, blend until smooth, and stir it back into the pot. (Or pulse a few times with an immersion blender, leaving most of the beans whole.) Taste and adjust the seasoning.