INGREDIENTS

INSTRUCTIONS

Wash the beans thoroughly, removing any small rocks or other foreign
materials. Put them in a large, heavy pot (an earthenware olla, if
possible) and cover with 2 quarts of cold water, which should allow "2
knuckles' worth" of water above the level of the beans.  Bring the
water to a boil, then lower the heat to a gentle simmer.  Add the half
piece of onion and a tiny dribble of oil, and continue  simmering until
the beans just begin to become tender, usually in 1  hour. Add salt to
taste, and if cooking black beans, put in the  epazote.  Cook 30-45
more minutes. The total time will depend on how fresh the  beans are.
The beans should be stirred from time to time, and add  boiling water
whenever it is less than "one knuckles' worth" over the  beans. They
should be rather soupy.  Warm the remainder of the oil over medium heat
in a skillet and saute  the garlic and chopped onion until nicely brown
but not burned. Add  the onion and garlic to the beans and continue
cooking until the  beans are very soft and plump.  These can be eaten
immediately, along with the broth, or cooled  completely and then
covered and stored in the refrigerator. The  earthy flavor seems to
intensify when reheated the next day, and the  beans will keep, covered
and refrigerated, for at least 4 days.  Serve the broth and beans in
bowls. Garnish with the crumbled cheese.  VARIATION: QUICK
PRESSURE-COOKED BEANS : Put 2 cups of beans, half of  the onion, cut in
chunks, and a few drops of oil in a 4-quart  pressure cooker with 4
cups of water. Seal and cook for 30 minutes.  After the pressure is
released, remove the lid, add 1/2-1 cup more  water, the sauteed
garlic, onion, salt, and optional epazote.  Continue cooking until
tender, another 15 to 20 minutes.  >SOURCE: Cocina de la Familia by
Marilyn Tausend with Miguel Ravago  (1997: Simon and Schuster).
>kitpath >mcrecipe Jan98  *BOOKNOTEs: Hardly a family I visited didn't
cook a pot of beans at  least once a week, though only a few still
utilize the classic clay  ollas to prepare beans. While many just use
big metal soup pots, Pat  Varley, like many of the other young
Mexican-American women I met  around the country, usually cooks her
beans in a pressure cooker....  These beans may be eaten as is. They
are also the base for refried  and for filling Chimichangas, etc. (See
page 224 for more...)  EPAZOTE is a close kin to spinach, beets, Swiss
hard, or  lamb's-quarters. Epazote has a potent, pungent taste and
aroma; a  unique flavor that is irreplaceable and unforgettable in
flack beans  or tucked on top of the oozing melted cheese in
quesadillas. The  herb's assertive bite is welcomed in soups or sauteed
dishes with  squash, corn, and tomatoes, prok moles and stews. Epazote
sould be  added at the end of the cooking process and used quite
sparingly, for  the flavor intensifies. Can be grown in our kitchen
garden.  Recipe by: Cocina de la Familia : Miami, Florida; Mexico City,
Mexico  Posted to MC-Recipe Digest V1 #1059 by KitPATh
<phannema@wizard.ucr.edu> on Jan 29, 1998

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Nutrition (calculated from recipe ingredients)
----------------------------------------------
Calories: 66
Calories From Fat: 15
Total Fat: 1.7g
Cholesterol: 0mg
Sodium: 501.5mg
Potassium: 194.8mg
Carbohydrates: 9.5g
Fiber: 3.8g
Sugar: <1g
Protein: 4g