Traditional refried beans are a dish of cooked and mashed beans, usually pinto or black, and a staple of Mexican cuisine and Southwestern United States.
Commercially canned refried beans normally have been prepared with lard and then fried in oil to thicken the consistency. Oil and fat do not dry so Northern Outpost Chefs have manipulated tradition to create a flavorful fat free version of refried beans that can be eaten dehydrated or reconstituted.
Spicy Bean Chips
Prepare the beans: Inspect them for stones, bad beans and dirt, rinse, soak overnight and then rinse again. Although beans have a relatively long shelf life, the older they are the longer you'll have to cook them to get them to soften. We recommend finding a source that supplies fresh beans.
1 cup dried black (turtle) or pinto beans
2-3 stalks celery, chopped finely
½ cup onion, minced
4-5 cloves crushed garlic
3 Tablespoons fresh cilantro leaves
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon pepper
½ teaspoon oregano
1 teaspoon cumin
Your favorite hot sauce
Place soaked beans, celery, onion and garlic in a medium sauce pan. Cover with 3 cups of water, bring to a boil then lower the heat and simmer gently until beans are tender.
Once the desired tenderness is reached, pour the beans into a food processor and add the salt, pepper, oregano, cumin, cilantro leaves and the hot sauce to your taste. Blend until smooth and drop spoonfuls of bean mix, ¼ inch thickness, onto a solid drying sheet that has been wiped with olive oil. Dry until crispy.
Bean chips are a quick crispy snack that can also be reconstituted with hot water to put in a flour tortilla to make a great bean burrito.
***Timesaving tip: Commercially canned beans can save some soaking but you'll still need to cook the onion and celery until tender, then add it and the spices to the beans. Experimenters! Try chili beans, navy beans, gabanzo beans, etc.
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