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Category:  John Raven, Vegetables & Sides


BEANS 'R US

by John Raven



> 

Texas' culinary reputation may be based on chili, barbecue and chicken fried
steak, but the state was raised on beans. Pinto beans, butter beans and black
eyed peas. There is some debate as to whether black-eyed peas are peas or beans.
For this writer, they are close enough to being beans to suit me.

Pinto beans kept the wolf away from a lot of Texas doors. They have always been
inexpensive and nourishing. Combined with corn they form a protein that will
sustain life. There is hardly any way you can cook them that they don't taste
real good.


COOKING PINTO BEANS

My mama's pinto pot contained the beans, a little bacon or bacon grease, salt
and pepper. That was it for the seasonings. Years ago, your pinto beans usually
had a few rocks, stems and assorted things that you didn't want to cook mixed in
with them.

The way you cleaned the beans was to pour them out on the table and rake a few
at a time off into the pot in your lap while discarding the rocks and other
debris. One day my mama was "sorting" the beans with one of the cousins
watching. The tike asked, "Aunt Daly, why are you counting the beans"?

After the beans were sorted, they went into the pot to be covered with water and
allowed to soak overnight. Pinto beans require several hours of cooking time.
Best results come from cooking them at just over a simmer. Three or four hours
will usually do it. If you need to add some water during the cooking, always try
to add boiling water so the cooking process won't be interrupted.

You will want to stir the beans a couple of times during cooking. When the beans
begin to get soft, mash a few against the side of the pot with the bottom of
your spoon. This thickens the juice so it will cling better to your cornbread.



National Eat Beans Day is July 3

My aunt Elizabeth Meyer made a really good pot of pintos. She used a little
garlic and a touch of chili powder in her beans.

The basic pot of pinto beans requires only a little bacon or bacon grease and
salt and pepper .If you are of a mind to, you can use salt pork, ham, or sausage
in your beans. You don't have to stop there. Green chilies, red chilies and
tomatoes all go well in the bean pot. If you keep your juice a little on the
thin side, you can cook dumplings in your beans.

Bean Recipes
 * Cheatin' Beans
 * Cowboy Pinto Beans
 * Dave's Beans
 * Frijoles - Mexican Beans
 * Red Beans and Rice
 * Refried Beans (Frijoles Refritos)
 * Black Beans and Rice
 * Black Beans Habanero
 * Spicy Black-Eyed Peas

If you cook just the basic pinto recipe, leftovers can be easily converted into
refried beans for your Tex-Mex recipes. All you have to do is put a couple of
teaspoons of shortening in your best cast-iron frying pan and, when the
shortening is good and hot, add the leftover beans. Mash the heck out of the
beans and constantly turn them until they are nearly dry. What could be easier?


BUTTER BEANS

I once won a bean cooking competition with my butter beans. Not a very elaborate
recipe. I soaked the beans overnight as usual, and then cooked them in homemade
chicken stock. When they were done, I added a generous portion of real butter,
and I had a winner.

Butter beans cook faster than do pintos. After the overnight soaking, they
should be done in less than two hours. Again, you don't want to boil them to
death, just above a slow simmer will do.



Butter beans get along well with bacon or ham seasoning. Doesn't take a whole
lot. To me, butter beans need a little more black pepper than do pintos. Don't
forget to put a dab of butter, real butter, not that greasy kid stuff, into your
butter beans before serving.



There's a large group of Texans who say that black-eyed peas just can't be beat.



I like to cook some red potatoes that have been peeled and cubed in my butter
beans. I call it my "bean soup". Really good on a cold winter day.

Kitchen tools you'll need 3 qt. Saucepan

There's a large group of Texans who say that black-eyed peas just can't be beat.
Their slogan is "They're not just for New Years anymore". It is traditional in
Texas to have a serving of black-eyed peas on New Year's Day to bring you good
luck. I can't vouch for that but it sure can't hurt.

Dried black-eyed peas are prepared as any bean. Soak overnight, season with
bacon or ham and simmer until done.

A lot of fresh black-eyes are eaten in the "snap" stage. That is, some of the
peas are ripe in the pods while some are green. The green pods are "snapped"
into manageable size and cooked along with the mature peas. Season with ham
hock.

The best recipe I've found for black-eyed peas is more of a salad than anything.
It's called "Cowboy Caviar" or "Texas Caviar" depending on where you get the
recipe.


COWBOY CAVIAR

 * 4 cups fresh cooked black-eyed peas (unseasoned)
 * 3/4 cup salad oil
 * 1/4 cup wine vinegar
 * 1/4 cup finely sliced onion
 * 1/2 clove garlic, smashed
 * Salt and fresh ground black pepper to taste

Combine the above and store, covered, in refrigerator overnight. Keeps well.
Kitchen tools you'll need 3 qt. Saucepan

For those of you who don't like sticky, sweet desserts, here is a recipe that
will get everyone's attention.


GRANDMA RAVEN'S PINTO BEAN PIE

 * 3 cups pinto beans, cooked unseasoned and mashed fine
 * 4 eggs
 * 1-1/2 cups sugar
 * 1/2 cup milk
 * 2 tablespoons butter
 * 1/4 teaspoons salt
 * 1/3 teaspoons nutmeg
 * 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon
 * 1/2 teaspoons allspice
 * Pecan halves

Mix all the ingredients well. Place in an unbaked pie shell, top with pecan
halves, and bake in a moderate oven (350°F) until done. This is a dessert that
is more than likely good for you.



Any way you prepare your beans, except for the pie, always have some fresh
cornbread or corn muffins at hand. Don't ever serve any of that gooey
store-bought white bread with your good beans.

Beans are always complimented by having fresh tomatoes and onion nearby. Maybe a
dill pickle too.




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