I don't know why I've been slacking on posting lately. Monday was a pretty bad day at our house, and our dinner was easy, just tofu stir fry. Yesterday I don't know why I never got around to posting. Who knows. This is what we had. I'd seen a recipe for slow cooker pinto beans in a vegetarian cookbook I have and thought I'd try it. Then I saw my friend Jen B. had a recipe for them, and there is also one in my new favorite cookbook, Rick Bayless' Mexican Everyday. I decided to kind of combine all of them into one and see what I got.
Slow Cooker Pinto Beans
1 lb. dried pinto beans
1 onion, chopped
6 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
2 slices bacon, cut into chunks
2 bay leaves
2 Tbsp kosher salt
1 Tbsp black pepper
1 Tbsp Ancho chili powder
1 Tbsp cumin
1 Tbsp coriander
1 can beef broth
5 cups water
Sort through beans for any debris, pebbles, or sticks. Throw everything into slow cooker and cook on low 8-10 hours. When beans are done, strain liquid into a separate container and save for another use. Remove bay leaves and any other chunks you don't want in there (although I left the bacon in and thought it was yummy).
*****
I made refried beans out of some last night. For that I used two tablespoons of butter and probably two cups of the beans and a few ladlefuls of the cooking liquid and mashed it up first with a potato masher and then I switched to using my immersion blender. That worked a lot better.
Oh man...these were fantastic beans!! The flavor of them was so much better than anything I've ever had in a can. I think I'm a homemade refried beans convert now. I used them last night for tostadas, and for that I just fried some tortillas in oil to get them crispy (my oil took forever to heat up--I didn't think we were ever going to eat!) and then topped with the refried beans, cheese, lettuce, tomato, sour cream, guacamole, and salsa. They were quite tasty!! I had leftovers for lunch today and was just as pleased as I was last night!
Showing posts with label cumin. Show all posts
Showing posts with label cumin. Show all posts
Wednesday, July 15, 2009
Tuesday, July 7, 2009
Skillet Roasted Potatoes with Chili and Cumin
These are the potatoes I'm making to go with the Tex Mex Burgers we're having tonight, another Cook's Illustrated recipe. I'm so glad I sent in my subscription form for that magazine--I can't wait until I start getting it on a regular basis!! It occurred to me that we have a side burner on our grill, so I wonder if I could do the potatoes outside, too, so I don't have to heat up the house by using the stove. I'm not sure if I can use my normal cookware out there though? I don't know...I'll have to do some investigating.
Cook's Illustrated Skillet Roasted Potatoes with Chili and Cumin
1.5 pounds small or medium Red Bliss potatoes, scrubbed and unpeeled
2 Tbsp olive oil
3/4 tsp kosher salt
1 tsp chili powder
1 tsp sweet paprika
1/2 tsp ground cumin
1/4 tsp cayenne
If using small potatoes, halve each potato. If using medium potatoes, quarter each potato to create 3/4 to 1 inch chunks. Rinse cut potatoes in cold water and drain well; spread on clean kitchen towel and thoroughly pat dry.
Stir together salt, chili powder, paprika, cumin, and cayenne in small bowl. Set aside.
Heat oil in heavy-bottomed 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add potatoes cut side down in single layer; cook, without stirring, until golden brown (oil should sizzle but not smoke), 5-7 minutes. Using tongs, turn potatoes skin side down if using halved small potatoes or second cut side down if using quartered medium potatoes; cook, without stirring, until deep golden brown, 5-6 minutes longer. Stir potatoes, then redistribute in a single layer. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and cook until potatoes are tender, 6-9 minutes.
When potatoes are tender, sprinkle with spice mixture and toss or stir gently to combine. Cook seasoned potatoes over medium-low heat until spices are fragrant, about 30 seconds.
*****
These were some tasty potatoes. The texture of them was perfect--just crispy enough on the outside and perfectly tender on the inside. I think I'd cut back on the cayenne next time and maybe bump up the cumin a bit. The husband thought these smelled like BO, but they sure tasted yummy!
(There's a picture of them on the Tex-Mex Burger post below)
Cook's Illustrated Skillet Roasted Potatoes with Chili and Cumin
1.5 pounds small or medium Red Bliss potatoes, scrubbed and unpeeled
2 Tbsp olive oil
3/4 tsp kosher salt
1 tsp chili powder
1 tsp sweet paprika
1/2 tsp ground cumin
1/4 tsp cayenne
If using small potatoes, halve each potato. If using medium potatoes, quarter each potato to create 3/4 to 1 inch chunks. Rinse cut potatoes in cold water and drain well; spread on clean kitchen towel and thoroughly pat dry.
Stir together salt, chili powder, paprika, cumin, and cayenne in small bowl. Set aside.
Heat oil in heavy-bottomed 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add potatoes cut side down in single layer; cook, without stirring, until golden brown (oil should sizzle but not smoke), 5-7 minutes. Using tongs, turn potatoes skin side down if using halved small potatoes or second cut side down if using quartered medium potatoes; cook, without stirring, until deep golden brown, 5-6 minutes longer. Stir potatoes, then redistribute in a single layer. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and cook until potatoes are tender, 6-9 minutes.
When potatoes are tender, sprinkle with spice mixture and toss or stir gently to combine. Cook seasoned potatoes over medium-low heat until spices are fragrant, about 30 seconds.
*****
These were some tasty potatoes. The texture of them was perfect--just crispy enough on the outside and perfectly tender on the inside. I think I'd cut back on the cayenne next time and maybe bump up the cumin a bit. The husband thought these smelled like BO, but they sure tasted yummy!
(There's a picture of them on the Tex-Mex Burger post below)
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