There’s nothing particularly sexy about refried black beans, but I’m smitten and I’m not sorry about it. What they might lack in beauty they make up for in depth and texture. I make mine with dried beans, rinsed then cooked in a crock-pot on high heat for a few hours, checking every so often until the texture is right. I like that the process begins effortlessly and transitions to standing by the stove mashing cooked beans, onions and spices (the mashing part can be especially therapeutic) as the fragrant steam skims my face.

And when there’s a batch in the fridge, it doesn’t last long. Nachos, breakfast tostadas (put a fried egg on it), burritos, soup, tacos, and so on forever.

Refried Beans
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 small white or yellow onions, diced (about 3/4 of a cup)
1 jalapeno, seeded and diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon chili powder
1 teaspoon cumin
1/2 teaspoon salt
black beans, 3 cups cooked from dried beans or 2 cans
1 cup vegetable stock (or bean-cooking liquid or water)

Dice the onion, seed and dice the jalapeno, and mince the garlic. Add these to an olive-oiled saute pan and cook over medium-high heat until soft, about 5 minutes. Season with chili powder, cumin, and salt. Stir and cook another minute. Add half of the cooked black beans and half of the vegetable stock (or bean-cooking liquid/water). Stir together and begin mashing with a potato masher. Mash until the stock boils away and the beans begin to thicken to a paste. This takes a little bit of time (5-10 minutes) so dance it and/or turn on something good to listen to. Once the liquid is gone, add in the remaining cooked black beans and vegetable stock and repeat the mashing/dancing process. Remove from heat and serve.

Chipotle Crema
1 cup Mexican creme or sour cream
1/2 of a lime, juiced
handful of cilantro, about 1/2 cup
1-2 chipotle peppers in adobo sauce, with 1 tablespoon of the sauce

Mix ingredients together in a food processor or blender until smooth. Like it spicy? Add in an extra chipotle pepper and/or another spoonful of adobo sauce.

Refried Black Bean and Scorched Corn Tacos
corn tortillas, set on the grill for a few seconds to heat
refried black beans
corn, grilled on the cob for 3-4 minutes on each side, then cut at the kernel
diced tomatoes
diced avocado
chipotle crema, applied generously
cilantro

Directions