A few weeks ago I received an email from the lovely Heather of girlichef. She wanted to know if I would be interested in participating in Cookbook Spotlight and Cook-Off for the upcoming cookbook, The Homesick Texan by Lisa Fain. I jumped at the chance! Not only do I love her blog but I really need to work on my Tex-Mex cooking. I have about zero skill in that area!
The first recipe I tried from the book was the Austin-Style Black Beans. I’m a huge bean fan. They have to be one of my favorite foods. Plus I was sucked in when I saw all the deliciousness that went into these beans – chipotle chiles in adobo, cilantro, lime…yes please!
The beans simmered away and my mouth started to water. I could not wait to give these babies a try! I actually ate a big bowl just for dinner…that’s how delicious they were! I loved the subtle spice the chipotle chiles gave the beans. It took them from good to great.
*This post is part of The Homesick Texan Cookbook Spotlight and Cook-Off sponsored by Hyperion and hosted at girlichef*
Enjoy!!!
Austin-Styple Black Beans
Yield: 1 pot beans
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 2 hours 25 minutes
Total Time: 2 hours 35 minutes
Ingredients:
1 lb. dried black beans
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 medium yellow onion - diced
1 carrot - diced
4 cloves garlic - minced
2 canned chipotle chiles in adobo - chopped
1/2 cup cilantro - divided
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1 tablespoon tomato paste
1/4 cup lime juice
salt, to taste
Source: The Homesick Texan Cookbook
Directions:
Rinse and sort through beans, discarding any stones or shriveled beans.
Place beans in a large pot and cover with 1" of water. Bring to a boil and cook for 15 minutes.
Drain and rinse the beans in a colander in the sink.
Return the empty pot to the stove and on medium-low heat, warm the vegetable oil. Add onions and carrots to pot and cook until onions are translucent, stirring occasionally, 8 minutes. Add garlic and cook another 30 seconds.
Return beans to the pot along with the chipotles and half of the cilantro. Cover with 2" water, bring to a boil, then turn heat down to low and simmer uncovered for 1½ hours.
Add remaining cilantro, cumin, tomato paste, and lime juice. Season to taste with salt. Cook uncovered for another 30 minutes, or until beans are tender all the way through (will vary depending on the freshness of your beans). When done, smash a few beans against the side of the pot with a spoon to thicken, if you wish. Stir and serve.
This book was offered to me for free by Hyperion but all opinions are my own.