Beans

I know, I know.... its been a really long time between newsletters. I'm very late and I apologize. I have a great excuse though - I had a stroke awhile back and it was a real bummer for two reasons. One, it was financially devastating but more importantly it absolutely ruined my life-long dream of playing professional Rugby. I'm afraid that my future athletic career will be limited to just two events.... Falling for distance' and the '50 yard stumble' however if they decide to make 'napping an Olympic event, I will have a legitimate shot at a medal.

Anyway I'm back and rarin' to go. So let's cut right to the chase.

This time I'm giving you the real skinny on how to cook beans. With this one simple recipe you can make Ranch-Style Beans, Refried Beans, Bean Dip and a couple different bean Soups. So forget everything all those celebrity chefs have told you about beans.... and read on.

Felix' Beans

A word or two about beans - I watch a lot of cooking shows, read the food sections of a few papers even check out a new cookbook now and again. If I paid any attention at all I would have given up on beans years ago. I mean who has the time to individually select plump baby Fava beans, planted during the waning moon on a hillside in Southern Tuscany under Red Mountain Oak trees and picked by a fourteen year old virgin - if there is such a thing - and personally polished and wrapped by Pietro the village elder? C'mon, cut me some slack here!

Or how about:

"Use only the very plumpest pink baby Pinto Beans (early growth only) --- soak over night in an earthenware jar made from the ancient clay dug in the ruins of Chichen Itza - make sure you use only unflouridated imported spring water and Salt Pork from a Pygmy Free-range Viet-Namese pig raised on jungle Walnuts".

I especially like the idiots that warn you to 'not add any salt until the beans are finished cooking. Salt will make the beans tough!' I've been cooking a big ol' pot of beans virtually every day for thirty or so years and have yet to have a customer throw down a fork and scream at a waiter/waitress, (Geez, we could really use a gender neutral pronoun!) "Goddamn it!! These beans are tough!"

They also tell you to soak the beans overnight. "Bullshit!" says I.

No wonder people are getting Pizzas delivered or driving through the local "Quick-Burger". Go ahead and use this recipe and if you want to tell people that you personally grew and selected the beans and did all that other Yuppie, Food-Nazi stuff it's all right with me.

FRIJOLES CHARROS

The following recipe calls for Pinto beans but will work with any dried bean. The cooking time depends on how dry the beans are. One day the pinto beans will be done in about an hour - the next may take an hour and a half or more. Larger beans take longer to cook than small beans and black beans usually take the most time and white beans usually cook a little faster. So the cooking time I give is only an approximation. I start checking the beans for doneness after about an hour, but they are rarely done in that time. Check every 15 minutes or so 'til they're just right.

PARTS LIST

2 cups of beans

This recipe will work with any kind of dried beans.... red, black white, pink, pinto or kidney. You should probably spread the beans out on a flat surface and pick through them because sooner or later there will be a rock in the beans, and it's really embarrassing when a guest breaks a tooth. You might even wash the beans first.

4 strips of bacon

Chopped up pretty fine

2 medium onions

Chopped

2 (or more) cloves of garlic

Chopped

2 or so serrano or jalapeno chiles

Chopped finely

2 small or medium tomatoes

Chopped

green stuff (Green onion, parsley or cilantro)

Chopped

OKAY, LET'S GO!

PINTO BEANS

Start the bacon cooking ( in a pot big enough for the beans) over low to medium heat.... you don't want to brown the bacon you just want to render the fat out. If you're a vegetarian you can go ahead and start the onion, chiles, garlic and tomato in some vegetable oil. If you are a carnivore wait until the bacon has given up it's grease and toss in the onions, garlic, chiles and tomato - scook them slowly until they are cooked soft but not browned.. throw in the beans and cover them with cold water and bring to a boil, turn down the heat and let the beans simmer for about an hour. The beans will absorb some water and some will boil away you have to keep adding water to keep th beans covered. Start checking the beans for doneness and add salt to taste after about 45 minutes(although they probably won't be done for over an hour maybe as much as two hours for real old Black beans). These are called frijoles Charros in Mexico and are almost always made wih pinto beans they are served with the meal in a bowl. If you want a thicker broth, run some of the beans through a food mill or blender and add them back to the pot. Add the green stuff right before serving. A spoonful of Salsa Mexicana and a little grated cheese make a real nice garnish.

BLACK BEANS & CUBAN-STYLE BLACK BEAN SOUP

Make the black beans exactly the same way but try substituting some chorizo for the bacon. When the black beans are done. Puree the whole mess in a blender (Make sure the beans have cooled before blending. Hot stuff in a blender is very dangerous).Reheat the puree and call it 'Cuban style Black Bean and Chorizo Soup'. Garnish with a dollop of sour cream, a slice of avocado and some chopped cilantro, it's delicious. Parmesan cheese is also great with this soup.

RED BEANS

If you make the Red beans the same way but use some Louisiana sausage instead of bacon and add a lot of thyme , Bay leaf and parsley at the beginning and when it is finished add a pat of butter and a couple of shakes of tabasco and worcestershire you will have made some great N'awlins style red beans

WHITE BEANS

Same way, but use some ham hocks or Smoked pork chops instead of bacon and add some tomato sauce or paste or even some Ketchup

REFRIED BEANS

Melt some lard in a hot skillet and add the cooked beans mashing them with a fork or potato masher or even the bottom of a heavy drinking glass or pop bottle Cook them in the lard until they start to dry out and reach a consistency you like.

So there!

Let me know how it turns out.

Spencer

A while back you published a recipe for a simple salsa using pineapple and chipotles.I lost the darn thing. Would you be good enough to send me a copy please.

Bruce Smith

Bruce,

All the Recipes as well as all of the Newsletters are posted on the Felix Web page www.felixcabosanlucas.com

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Spencer,

love this newsletter. I forward the recipes to three of my friends and they are all wanting to get down to CSL and try your rendition. One has tried these French toast delicacies with Orange liqueur and another has added a bit of almond flavoring. Each of them is quite the cute. The other friend has taken the recipes I have given to her and she has made a notebook of them to use once she finds the man of her dreams. Perhaps she may find him in Cabo. Keep up the great work and we shall see you again, as always, in March.

Mary

from Oregon City, OR

Mary,

Sounds like the girl of my dreams - send her down...

seeya in March

Spencer

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Spencer,

I am so excited about receiving your newsletter! We have been back in Las Vegas for almost a month now and I still have dreams about your salsa bar. I told my sister about it, and we can't wait to come back in October for girl's weekend. (Husband's going in September on a fishing trip, I'm sure he'll visit with the guy's) I know I shouldn't let food be the center of my vacation, but I can't stop thinking about the chicken monterey.

See you in October!!!

Allison Tolson and friends.

Alison,

I love hearin' this stuff!

Spencer

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My wife and I live in California. We have been Going to Cabo twice a years since Oct 1994 (originally to see Sammy Hagar) and liked it so much down there that we bought a timeshare at the finisterra. We found mamas in Cabo 3 years ago and eat breakfast there 2 or 3 times each trip. I work in Oakland and eat breakfast regularly at Mamas Royal Cafe. I can't help notice the similarities of the food at both. My question to you is are you one of the original owners of the Mamas Royal Cafe? I think there are 3 or 4 restaurants all together.

See you in October,

Mike

Mike,

Yep, I'm the original 'Mama' and Mama's in Oakland just won the Bay Guardian's "the best Sunday Breakfast" again for something like the 25th straight time