The Mexican Slow Cooker: Recipes for Mole, Enchiladas, Carnitas, Chile Verde Pork, and More Favorites (20 page)

Along with tortillas, humble
frijoles
are a staple at almost every meal in Mexico. That’s not to say they are boring or predictable. There are many savory and satisfying ways of cooking beans, but I am perfectly happy with nothing more than some good pinto beans served with warm tortillas, some kind of fresh salsa, and a grating of salty cotija cheese. A great advantage of the slow cooker is that beans cook evenly and will not dry out. This recipe is good with typical medium-sized brownish beans, a category that includes not only pinto beans but also pink, red, mayocoba, peruviana, bayo, flor de mayo, and cranberry beans, as well as many other regional varieties. Serve these right from the slow cooker, make a batch of
Frijoles Refritos
, or freeze them.

Combine all the ingredients in a 5-quart slow cooker, cover, and cook on low for 8 to 10 hours, or until the beans are very tender. (The timing depends on the age, type, and size of the bean.) There may be a fair amount of liquid left when the beans are done, but don’t drain them—the beans will absorb most of it as they cool, becoming even more flavorful and creamy. Serve hot.

Black beans are often associated with central and southern Mexico, but you will find them served in all parts of the country. In addition to having a distinct taste and texture, black beans are enhanced by cooking them with sprigs of fresh epazote, a leafy herb that adds a lovely minty-oregano flavor and reduces the gas that some people experience after eating too many beans. Black beans may be served whole
(de olla)
, as they are here, or
mashed
.

Combine all the ingredients in a 5-quart slow cooker, cover, and cook on low 6 to 8 hours, until the beans are very tender. Cool in the cooking liquid. Remove the onion, chiles, and epazote sprigs. Serve hot.

Refried beans are usually mashed with plenty of fat, which makes them creamy and filling but a bit too rich for most people’s taste. This lightened-up version uses a little fresh lard for flavor and plenty of the cooking liquid to make a smooth and delicious side dish. (If you want something richer, try the
Frijoles Puercos
.) Don’t add salt to this dish; there is salt in the liquid used to cook the beans, and at any rate the beans should be a little underseasoned, to play off the big tastes of the entrees and salsas they usually accompany.

In a large, heavy skillet, heat the lard over medium heat. Add the onion and garlic and cook, stirring, until softened, about 5 minutes.

Remove the skillet from the heat. Add 1 cup of the beans and their liquid to the pan and mash to a smooth paste (this will be easier if the beans are warm). Return the skillet to the heat and continue to add the remaining beans, 1 cup at a time, mashing them until smooth after each addition and adding liquid as needed. When all the beans are mashed, add any remaining cooking liquid (and additional water or broth, if necessary) to thin to the correct consistency. The beans should be thick but not stiff.

Serve hot, sprinkled with the cotija cheese and green onions.

Sinaloa is famous for its wonderful seafood specialties, but I vividly remember the devastatingly rich, unctuous, pork-laden
frijoles puercos
(literally, “pork beans”) that were served like clockwork at every meal, as if to balance out all that healthy fish. Dark brown and very smooth,
frijoles puercos
are beans mashed with soft Chihuahua cheese, pork, and more pork in the form of fresh rendered lard
(asiento)
, spicy chorizo,
chicharrón
(pork skin deep-fried in lard), bacon, shredded pork, and goodness knows what else as long as it once went “oink.” Actually, to reframe Mae West’s famous line, goodness has nothing to do with it. Keep the rest of the meal light.

Reheat the carnitas in its juices in a large uncovered skillet or in 350ºF oven until hot and a bit dry and crisp around the edges. Keep warm.

In a large skillet, heat the lard over medium heat. Add the onion and bacon and sauté until the onion is soft, about 5 minutes. Add the chorizo and cook, stirring, for about 10 minutes, or until the chorizo is well- browned and crumbly.

Add 1 cup of the beans and their liquid to the pan and mash to a smooth paste (this will be easier if the beans are warm). Return the skillet to the heat and continue to add the remaining beans, 1 cup at a time, mashing them until smooth and adding liquid as needed until the beans are very smooth and fairly thick.

Just before serving, stir the cheese into the beans, a little at a time, until the cheese is melted and absorbed by the beans. Spoon the beans into a serving dish. Top with the carnitas then sprinkle the
chicharrón,
jalapeños, and crumbled chiles on top. Serve hot.

Large black beans with a purplish cast,
ayocotes
are the traditional bean to serve with tamales and rice dishes. This recipe was the star of a wonderful breakfast I had at an eighteenth-century saltworks in San Luis Potosí, along with hand-patted gorditas stuffed with chorizo and
chicharrón,
eggs cooked with nopales, heaps of
pan dulce,
and earthenware cups of strong coffee flavored with cinnamon and piloncillo sugar. This recipe is so flavorful that it’s an excellent accompaniment to very simple foods, such as grilled or roasted meats. True
ayocotes
might be difficult to find outside of Mexico, but this recipe works perfectly well with regular black beans.