Yes, I know, I could have put something that sounds a little more appetizing than "milky salsa," but bear with me - you never know, you might like it!
So to wrap up this recipe series, let's talk about two important sides for Mexican food: beans and salsa. The two recipes below are versatile. Serve them with eggs, tortillas, chicken, beef, quesadillas...you get the idea. My kiddos love the beans, and Mike and I like the salsa, which is a spinoff of a famous salsa made in the city of Villa Ahumada, here in Mexico. Let's begin, shall we?
Refried Beans
Start by cooking up the beans (here's a recipe to follow; I'm also listing it below if you'd rather just scroll down).
When the beans are cooked, transfer the beans to a frying pan. Use a slotted spoon so that you're mostly getting beans into the pan, and not a ton of the broth. Turn on the heat to medium, then add a nice big scoop of lard or vegetable shortening (the exact amount is up to you and your heart). As the beans warm, pull out a potato masher. Start mashing the beans and lard. Add small doses of the broth as needed during this process.
Here's an optional step to take: let your two-year-old pick out a piece of candy to eat while you finish up the beans. Then tell her not to fall while you take a picture of her. When finished, set her on the floor so she can eat candy while you dish up her beans :).
Once you reach the desired consistency (I always let a few chunks in there because that's how Mike likes it. If you want completely smooth, lump-free refried beans, let them cool a bit and then throw them in the blender) you're just about done! Throw in some salt and serve.
Milky Salsa
Start by taking four chile poblano peppers and rinsing them off (rub your hands in some vinegar before touching the peppers to reduce any potential burning sensations). Heat up a heavy cast iron skillet on a stove burner. When it is hot, place the peppers in the skillet. Allow them to roast until they blacken; then turn and continue to blacken. Once the peppers are mostly black, turn off the heat.
Place the peppers in a Ziploc bag and let them cool for about 10 minutes. It will look like they're sweating while they do this.
Then remove them from the bag. Running them under cool water, peel off as much skins as possible. Transfer them to a cutting board.
Slice them into small strips. To remove the heat from the peppers, take out the veins and seeds you find as you cut them open. If you want them hot (or very hot), leave some (or all) of the seeds and veins in the pepper.
Once you're done slicing, place them in a frying pan with a bit of oil. Fry them up for a few minutes. Then add Mexican cream (if you have some) and milk to the peppers. You can add a lot to make it very milky, or a little to have a thick salsa. If you let it thick and remove most of the seeds, it will taste like rajas con crema, a wonderful Mexican dish that can be eaten with tortillas and (you guessed it) refried beans. If you make it thin and spicy, it makes a perfect salsa for quesadillas.
When the salsa has reached the consistency you want it to, turn off the heat. Scoop the salsa into a bowl and serve. Buen provecho!
Recipes in printable form:
Refried Beans
Ingredients
1/2 kilo dried pinto beans (about 1 pound)
2-3 garlic cloves, chopped
1 onion, quartered
Oil
Lard or shortening
Salt to taste
To make:
Rinse the beans and take out any stones, dirt, etc.
Place the beans in a pot with 12-14 cups of water. Add a dash of oil. Throw in the chopped garlic cloves and onion quarters. Bring to a boil. Simmer for 2-3 hours, adding water as needed.
When beans are tender, transfer them, using a slotted spoon, to a frying pan. Add a heaping spoonful of lard or shortening. Turn the burner on to medium heat. With a potato masher, mash the beans to the desired consistency. Add broth as needed. Add salt to taste just before serving.
Milky Salsa
Ingredients
4 chile poblano peppers
Oil
Mexican cream
Milk
Salt
To Make:
In a heavy cast iron skillet, roast peppers over high flame, turning as needed. When the peppers have blackened, remove them from the pan and turn off the heat. Place peppers in a large Ziploc bag for 10 minutes.
Remove the peppers. Run them under cool water and peel off as much skin as possible.
Transfer peppers to a cutting board. Cut the peppers into small strips. Fry them in several teaspoons of oil. Then add desired amounts of cream and milk. Stir in salt, remove from heat, and serve.
p.s. These are the final recipe in this series. I have other series and things on the horizon, and will let you know next week what we'll be putting up next. I'm also in the process of revamping this website, so look for some changes in the coming weeks.
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