Beans Fried in Butter
One thing I’ve learned when eating in Veracruz is to expect the unexpected. I never know when I’ll come across some charming original touch that transforms the familiar.It happened to me at La Viuda Restaurant in Alvarado when our order arrived with a bowl of refried beans. “What tastes so wonderful in these?” I wondered. Dora Hernández, the manager, supplied the clue to the rich, elusive quality I was picking up on: The beans are refried in a mixture of butter and grated onion. This is one case where pinto beans might be used instead of black beans.
Ingredients
- 1 large white onion
- 1 pound dried pinto beans or black beans cooked and slightly cooled; cooking liquid reserved
- 6 tablespoons butter
- 1 teaspoon salt or to taste
Instructions
- Grate the onion on the fine side of a box grater, or chop coarsely and grind to a purée in a food processor. Set aside.
- Drain the beans in a colander and reserve about 1½ cups of the cooking liquid. Working in batches as necessary, process the beans to a smooth paste in a blender or food processor, using up to 1½ cups of the reserved cooking liquid to help the action of the blades.
- In a heavy medium-sized skillet, heat the butter over medium heat. When it foams, add the onion and cook until just lightly golden, about 5 minutes. Add the beans, stir to mix thoroughly, and cook, stirring occasionally for 10 minutes, until the beans are thoroughly imbued with the butter flavor.
- Taste for salt and add up to 1 teaspoon if desired (there will be some from the previous cooking of the beans).