Frijoles Puercos & Frijoles Adobados

This Two's-day, I'll be focusing on the most important staple in the Mexican diet...Beans.  I've already shared with you how to make Cooked Beans and Refried Beans.  Now, its time to share what you can create with those basic recipes.

The first recipe is a stew/chowder of sorts.  In our family, we call this dish Frijoles Puercos, which literally means dirty beans.  But Puerco also refers to pork.  This stew contains a variety of pork products, hence the name Frijoles Puercos.  As with most of my recipes, add as little or as much of any ingredient.

If you are not a fan of pork meat, this can also be made with turkey or chicken products, such as turkey bacon, turkey franks, sliced deli turkey or chicken breast and turkey or chicken chorizo.  Even I prefer to use turkey franks!

Frijoles Puercos

Ingredients:

• 6 slices bacon, chopped
• 6 oz. Chorizo
• 3 cups Cooked Beans with broth
• 3 cups bean broth, water and/or chicken broth
• 4 Turkey franks
• 8 slices ham, chopped
• 1 or 2 serrano chilies, chopped
• 1/3 cup chopped onion
• 1 sprig cilantro

Directions:
In a 2 quart saucepan, brown the bacon and chorizo over medium-high heat until fully cooked; drain excess oil.

Stir in onion and chili pepper; saute for 2 minutes.

Add remaining ingredients.

Cover and let simmer over low heat 20-30 minutes.  Garnish individual bowls with chopped fresh cilantro and serve with plenty of warmed corn or flour tortillas.  Enjoy!!!

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This next dish is one of the most requested by my kiddies.  It is a side dish often served with Carnitas.  A delicious twist on regular Refried Beans.

Frijoles Adobados

Ingredients:

• 1 ancho chilies
• 1 cup boiling water
• 3 oz.  Chorizo
• 2 cups Cooked Beans with bean broth

Directions:
In a small bowl, soak the chile in the boiling water for 5 to 10 minutes.  (Yes, there are 2 chilies in the photo.  I used the other chile for a different recipe.) Remove the stem and seeds from the chile.  Puree the chile with the water in a blender until smooth; set aside

In medium skillet, brown chorizo over medium heat until fully cooked.

Add beans and chili puree.  Let cook 5 minutes.

Grind the beans with a potato masher. (Or puree them in a blender or food processor.)

Let cook an additional 5 minutes until the beans are heated completely.  Enjoy!!!

*Note: Canned pinto beans can be used in place of the Cooked Beans.

With Love,
Leslie Limon