Texas Pinto Beans
(Serves 8-10)

The photo is of pinto beans. There is no finished food shot—really, could you stand looking at another bean dish?

1 lb. dried pinto beans
6 C water
1 bay leaf
1 tsp. sage
2 T oil
1 medium onion (diced)
1 large green pepper (diced)
3 large cloves garlic (minced or crushed)
1 tsp. cumin (see sidebar)
1 chipotle from a can (chopped) (see sidebar)
1 T chipotle sauce from the same can

Beans: place dried beans into a large pot with 6 C water, bay leaf and sage. Use Quick-Soak method (see sidebar) to release flavors from sage and bay leaf. Do not drain beans; leave them in their soaking liquid.

In a skillet, sauté onion and green pepper in oil till soft.  Add garlic and cook 3 more minutes.  Add this mixture, along with remaining ingredients, to beans in pot.

Simmer on low, covered, for 2-3 hours—adding more water if necessary to keep beans submerged. Check on beans after 2 hours to make sure they don't overcook. Beans are done when soft and tender but not not mushy. Serve with Texas-Syle Ribs and Buttermilk Cornbread (see Southern recipes).

Tips & Glossary: Tex-Mex

Hot, hot, hot!  For many that’s the pleasure of Tex-Mex food. But if you’re sensitive to throat-burning, eye-popping peppers, then turn down the heat. Just reduce the peppers in these dishes. 

• Beans: There are 2 ways to prepare dried beans for use in recipes. Quick-Soak: cover beans with water, bring to a boil for 1 minute, turn off heat and let beans sit for 1 hour. Then continue with recipe. Overnight-Soak: let beans sit overnight in a pot of cold water. Do not boil. Continue with recipe the following day.

• Chili Powder: dried ground chili peppers typically mixed with cumin, garlic powder, and oregano.  You can make your own blend, adding cinnamon, cloves, coriander, paprika, and nutmeg.  Briefly heat dried peppers in a skillet to release flavors, then grind them into powder.

• Chili Pepper: any small hot pepper, as opposed to larger, milder bell peppers; includes, cayenne (red), chipotle (smoke-dried jalapeños), habanero, jalapeño, paprika, poblano, serrano, and tabasco.

• Chimichanga: a deep fried tortilla, filled with rice, beans, cheese, or meat, and folded into a rectangular packet. It's thought to have originated in Arizona.

• Coriander:  also known as cilantro and Mexican or Chinese parsley. Both fresh leaves and dried ground seeds are used in Mexican, Mid-East, Asian, and Indian cuisines.

• Cumin: an aromatic kin to theparsley and carrot plant; an important ingredient in chili powder.  Used especially in Indian curries, but also in Mexican, Thai and Asian dishes.  It has an earthy, peppery flavor.

• Enchilada:  made using corn tortillas, dipped in a sauce, filled and rolled up.  They are placed in a casserole dish, topped with sauce and cheese, then baked.

• Quesadilla: (kay-sa-dee-ya), literally, “little cheese thing.” In Tex-Mex cooking it has come to mean a sort of grilled cheese sandwich, using two tortillas filled primarily with cheese, grilled in a skillet or griddle, then cut into wedges.