Frijoles Refritos – Refried Beans
Charlotte Saenz says to choose beans that are light in color, signifying freshness. Makes about 6 servings.
Ingredients
1 1/2 cups pinto beans
2 quarts water
1 teaspoon shortening
Salt
Directions
Clean and rinse pinto beans, removing any
rocks or rotten beans. Bring beans to a boil in water. Reduce heat and simmer 3-4 hours or until tender. Do not add anything to the beans while they are cooking. (Salt will keep beans from cooking.)
Remove beans from heat and drain liquid until it is just level with the beans. (Too much liquid causes runny beans; too little causes pasty beans.) Add shortening and salt. Mash beans.
Tips: Beans also can be cooked in a crock pot on low all day or in a pressure cooker for 1 hour. Freeze in meal-size portions.
Flour Tortillas
Charlotte Saenz is an old hand at tortilla-making. Consistency should be like biscuit dough, not sticky, she says. Don’t work the dough too much, and when rolling out, always keep the same side to the rolling surface. If you prefer to use whole-wheat flour, add 1/2 cup water. Makes 10-12
Ingredients
2 cups flour
1 teaspon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons vegetable shortening (heaping full)
3/4 cup warm water
Directions
Mix all dry ingredients together in a large bowl. Cut in shortening. Blend until mixture is the consistency of coarse meal. Add water slowly and mix. Knead mixture. If dough is a little sticky, add extra flour a little at a time. Separate dough into 10 2-inch balls. On a clean, dry surface, roll balls into flat, round tortilla about 1/8-inch thick, and brown both sides on a hot, flat griddle.
Green Chile Pork
Makes 3-4 servings.
Ingredients
1 pound pork steak, boneless and trimmed of excess fat
1 tablespoon shortening
1 heaping tablespoon flour
1 4-ounce can green chiles, diced (or roast your own, see below)
2 cups water (or use 1 cup water and 1 cup canned tomatoes)
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
Salt and pepper to taste
Directions
Cut pork steak into 1/2-inch cubes. Heat shortening in frying pan and fry pork pieces in skillet until brown. Stir flour into meat and let it brown (as for a roux gravy). Stir in chiles, water (or water/tomato) mixture, and season with garlic powder or salt. Simmer until gravy thickens. Serve as a main dish or over burritos to make smothered bean burritos.
Tip: Using the water/tomato mix will tame a chile that is too hot.
Roasted Chiles
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Rinse green chiles and place them on a cookie sheet. Bake 30 minutes, turning after 15 minutes.
Remove from oven and place chiles in a plastic bowl with a lid to allow heat to continue to steam and loosen skins. Allow chiles to cook before handling. Remove stems from chiles and freeze in plastic freezer bags. Place 6-9 chiles in each bag. Defrost and peel when ready to use.
Tips: Chiles can be frozen up to one year. It’s best to wear rubber gloves while handling the chiles. Remove the seeds before using.
Guacamole
Serves about 6-8.
Ingredients
3 ripe avocados
2 4-ounce cans green chiles, diced
1/4 cup fresh onion, diced (green
onions or scallions may be used)
Juice from 1/2 lemon
Garlic powder to taste
Salt to taste
Tomatoes, diced (optional)
Directions
Slice avocados in half and remove pits. Scoop flesh out into mixing bowl. Mash avocados and add diced green chiles. Stir in remaining ingredients. Chill 15-20 minutes before serving. Serve with tortilla or corn chips, artichokes or tomatoes.
Cheese Enchiladas
Serves 8-10.
Ingredients
2 heaping tablespoons vegetable shortening
2 heaping tablespoons flour
2 cups cold water
2 heaping tablespoons red chile powder
1 teaspoon garlic powder or garlic salt
Salt to taste
Vegetable oil for frying
1 package corn tortillas
1 pound cheddar cheese, grated
1/2 medium onion, chopped
Directions
Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
Enchilada gravy: Melt shortening in skillet. Add flour and brown lightly (as for a roux gravy). Add cold water, chile powder, garlic powder and salt. Mix thoroughly. Simmer slowly until gravy thickens. Spoon a little gravy into the bottom of a 9-by-13-inch baking dish.
To assemble: Heat vegetable oil in another skillet (oil must be very hot), dip corn tortillas in and out to soften. Dip in chile gravy and place in baking dish. Fill each tortilla with cheese and onion and roll closed. Top with remaining gravy and cheese. Bake in oven until cheese on top melts, about 15 minutes.
Mexican Wedding Cake Cookies
From cooking teacher Charlotte Saenz, makes about 2 1/2 dozen cookies.
Ingredients
1 cup butter or margarine
1/2 cup powdered sugar (sifted)
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 cups sifted flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup chopped pecans
Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Mix butter, sugar and vanilla thoroughly. Add flour and salt together and blend. Mix in nuts. Chill dough. Roll into 1-inch balls. Place on ungreased cookie sheet. Bake 18 to 20 minutes until set. Cookies will not brown or spread. While still warm, roll in powdered sugar.
Tip: After cookies have cooled, coat once more in powdered sugar so cookies stay white.
Spanish Rice
This recipe serves about 6.
Ingredients
1 cup medium-grain rice
1 heaping tablespoon vegetable shortening
1 cup water
1 cup canned tomatoes, crushed
Garlic powder to taste
Salt to taste
Cumin (optional)
Directions
Melt shortening in large skillet over medium heat. Brown rice in shortening until golden. Add water and remaining ingredients. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to simmer and leave covered for 20 minutes or until all water has been absorbed. (Do not stir.) Let rest for 5 minutes. Fluff and serve warm.
