Tex-Mex Sides: Spanish Rice and Refried Beans

Instructions

1. Warm up the oil in a large, heavy-duty skillet over medium-high heat.
2. When ready, pour in the chopped onion and jasmine rice, stirring constantly. Cook the rice till it begins to brown.
3. Add the tomato paste and chicken broth, stirring until the tomato paste has been fully absorbed into the broth.
4. Bring to a boil and then immediately lower the heat, cover and allow to simmer 15-20 minutes, until the rice is soft.  (If you have a really hot cook-top like I do, you may have to add a little more liquid/water to the rice toward the end if it hasn’t softened fully but all of your broth has evaporated.)
5. When fully cooked, add steamed peas and carrots and stir to mix.

Instructions

1. Wash, sort and soak your beans according to your package directions; I typically do a “quick-soak” by boiling the beans in water and then letting them sit (off heat) for an hour.
2. After soaking, drain the liquid and pour the beans into a 6 quart slow-cooker.
3. Add the 4 cups of beef broth and 2-3 cups of water until the beans are completely submerged in liquid, with about an inch or slightly more liquid above them. Add the Kosher salt, cover and set the slow-cooker to “low.”
4. In a skillet or saute pan, saute the chopped onion, minced garlic and ground Cumin in the cooking oil over medium heat until the onion is translucent.
5. Add the sauteed aromatics to your cooking beans and re-cover.
6. Allow the beans to cook 6-8 hours or until soft.

To Serve “Refried Style”

1. Add desired amount of cooked beans (I use 2-3 cups for a family of four) into a bowl or food processor. Using an immersion blender (if you aren’t using your food processor), and “pulse” the beans until they begin to break down. More pulsing will create a smoother, creamier “refried” texture. Add additional bean broth if needed.
2. Add pepper (and additional salt, if needed) to taste.
3. Serve warm.

Notes

I use my slow-cooker to cook and flavor the beans, but — in a pinch — you can use canned black or pinto beans instead.  You will just need to add the onion, garlic, and seasonings to them and simmer over low-heat (at least thirty minutes) before using a food processor or immersion blender to break them down.

If you have more cooked beans than needed for your family’s meal, the whole beans and liquid can be frozen for a future Tex-Mex Night!