Soupy black beans - frijoles de olla

Frijoles de Olla are the soul of Mexican home cooking—simple yet deeply flavorful. The name translates to “pot beans,” referring to the traditional way they are cooked in a clay pot (olla de barro), which imparts a subtle earthiness. Frijoles de olla are served whole, in their rich, brothy cooking liquid, making them a staple side dish or base for countless Mexican dishes. Black beans are traditional to southern Mexico, whereas in the North (where Chili Maven’s founder is from), pinto beans are more common. The key to making black beans is to add epazote and Chili Maven’s MILD & SMOKY salsa macha. Epazote is a traditional Mexican herb with an earthy distinctive aroma and flavor that enhances the taste of the beans and aids digestion. The salsa macha adds warmth and spice.

Ingredients

250g black beans (I used a Black Bean kit from Cool Chile Co)

1 dried arbol chilli

1 tsp of epazote

3 tsps Chili Maven MILD & SMOKY salsa macha

4 British shallots, peeled and cut in half

1 tsp salt

1 tsp neutral cooking oil

For garnish

Crumbled queso fresco (or feta cheese as alternative), Mexican crema, diced avocado, coriander leaves and diced tomatoes

For Mexican Crema

Greek yogurt, lime juice and a pinch of salt

method

serves 3-4,

  1. To cook the beans, rinse them under cold running water, removing any stones that you may find. In a large sauce pan with a lid, soak the beans in 1 litres of water for 2-4 hours until the middle of a bean is soft (not chalky) or quick soak by bringing to a boil for a couple of minutes then let sit for an hour. Do not drain the soaked black beans as you will lose some of the beautiful black colour.

  2. Put the soaking beans in the pan with the water (which is now black) on a medium to high heat, add the epazote, árbol chillies and the shallots. Bring to a boil, cover and turn down to a simmer. Cook gently, adding water as necessary until the beans are soft (approx. 2 hours). There should be lots of liquid around the beans and they should be free floating at all times. 

  3. Add the salt and MILD & SMOKY salsa macha at the end of the cooking time, when the beans are soft.

  4. To serve garnish with the cheese, crema, avocados and coriander