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Beans, beans, they’re good for the heart

I have had a number of solo or near-solo Thanksgivings, so this year’s forced isolation wasn’t so bad for me. While I know it’s not the same for everyone, I do truly appreciate all those who decided to stay home for the safety of everyone. 

However, just because it was just the two of us this Turkey Day didn’t mean I didn’t go all out with my usual meal prep. I’m a sucker for traditional sides, if not traditional main meats. A turkey is too much for two people. 

So, after a busy day of cooking, it’s nice to be able to have something super simple to make.

 

Bean and more dip ingredients.

I must confess that I found yet another dip recipe from Better Homes & Gardens, and I couldn’t resist making just one more. They’ve all been so good and delightfully simple, and I wanted to make just one more before the year was out. 

This one is billed as a bean dip, and while there are both pinto beans and black beans, there’s enough else in there that it doesn’t seem right to focus on the beans. There’s chorizo (I used fake!), chipotle, cheese, and that’s just other food items that start with C. 

OK, there’s not too many more beyond that and the beans, but still there’s a lot going on, and it’s simple and a total delight. Just what’s needed after stress-cooking and/or a stressful year. 

So much cheese, chorizo, and chipotle (and beans!). Nom noms.

Here’s what I did: 

Ingredients

  • 10 oz. ground chorizo (fake OK – but add a little oil if cooking with fake meat)
  • 1 medium onion, chopped
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 (15 oz) can black beans, rinsed and drained 
  • 1 (15 oz) diced tomatoes, undrained
  • ¼ c. fresh cilantro, chopped
  • 1-2 t. chipotle in adobo sauce, chopped
  • 1 (15 oz) can pinto beans, rinsed and drained (since these end up smashed, I think you could buy refried beans, but I did follow the recipe and it worked out well)
  • 1 c. jalapeno jack cheese, shredded
  • Lime wedges, for serving
  • Tortilla chips, for serving

Directions

Heat oven to 450 degrees. 

In a 9-inch ovenproof skillet, cook sausage, onion, and garlic over medium-high heat until the sausage is brown, and using a wooden spoon to break up as it cooks (if using real meat). Remove mixture from skillet and drain on paper towels. 

In a medium bowl, combine black beans, tomatoes, cilantro, chipotle peppers, and sausage mixture. In a small bowl, mash the pinto beans (if you didn’t use refried beans). Spread the pinto bean paste into the skillet. Top with the chorizo mixture. Add cheese on top. 

Bake about 15 minutes until cheese is golden and mixture is bubbling. Serve with lime wedges and tortilla chips and enjoy!

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Breaking biscuits and gravy, Part 2

As promised, I am back this week with a chorizo gravy recipe.

I feel a little bad that I made everyone wait a week and worse that I imagine most readers would rather substitute in store-bought biscuits than just forego this great chorizo gravy recipe.

Chorizo gravy ingredients.

Well, I am here to tell you that good things are worth the wait, and this is no exception.

It was a true delight.

I don’t even think all the other additions (cotija, avocado, scallions, and cilantro) are strictly necessary, even though of course I added them and would definitely do them again. That being said, as much as I love cotija, I feel like it does add the least in the addition, just because the gravy is already so fatty and so flavorful that the crumbly Mexican cheese doesn’t add as much as I would have thought. Also, for my personal tastes, I could take or leave the scallions. But when I make it again, it will definitely still have avocados and cilantro, and frankly, probably the others too.

Here is where I do admit that I did semi-cheat by not using my Le Creuset on the gravy. I thought since the biscuits called for an 8-inch skillet (maybe a typo, see last week) that it’d be safer to use the 9-inch for the biscuits and not overwhelm it with gravy that could overtop, so I went with our 10-inch cast iron for the gravy.

Technically, I think 9-inch would still work, particularly as you brown the chorizo and then remove it to make the gravy, and only are supposed to add back in half the chorizo, with the rest on top separately. I went ahead and added all the chorizo back in and it fit comfortably in the 10-inch. Alternatively, when the gravy is done, it could be poured into the sitting chorizo instead and you could keep using a 9-inch without problem.

What I’m saying is this one is pretty adaptable. Cook your gravy how you like, and add what you like, or nothing, to the top, and all is good, man. Just enjoy.

I love it when a masterpiece comes together.

Here’s what I did, finishing out the Bon Appetit recipe without many changes:

Ingredients 

  • 1 T. vegetable oil
  • 1 lb. fresh chorizo, casings removed (or just buy Beeler’s that already is removed from casings, like I did)
  • 3 c. all-purpose flour
  • 2 ½ c. whole milk (I accidentally did not specify when my sweetie went shopping so we used 2% and it was fine)
  • Salt and pepper, to taste
  • Hot sauce, to taste
  • 3 T. butter, if needed (my chorizo was not very fatty, so to make a roux, I needed more fat, you may too)
  • 2 avocados, for serving (optional)
  • 4 scallions, sliced, for serving (optional)
  • ½ c. cilantro, chopped, for serving (optional)
  • ½ c. cotija cheese or queso fresco, for serving (optional)

Directions 

Heat oil in a 9- to 10-inch skillet over medium heat. Add chorizo, breaking up any large pieces, and cook, stirring occasionally, until the chorizo is browned, about 8 to 10 minutes. Transfer to a bowl (small if planning to add back in to gravy, larger if planning on adding gravy to bowl).

Add additional butter if needed so that you have a total of about 3 T of fat to mix with the flour to make a roux. Add the flour once the butter has melted, if using, and whisk constantly until the roux is starting to turn golden brown, about 5 minutes.

Gradually add milk, stirring constantly, until incorporated. Reduce heat to medium-low and continue to cook gravy until thickened, another 5 to 8 minutes.

Stir in half the chorizo, or all of it, or add the gravy to the chorizo mixture, as will fit and as desired. Season with salt, pepper, and hot sauce, to taste.

To serve: Spoon some gravy over biscuits (either cornmeal from last week or store bought), and then top with avocados, scallions, cilantro, and cotija, if using any or all, and the rest of the chorizo if you didn’t mix it in. Add more hot sauce if desired, and enjoy the gluttony!

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A tortilla by any other name

It’s been nearly a decade since my family made a trip to Spain. It was, as many family trips, an experience filled with unforgettable moments, both good and bad. I’m thinking Vacation here, but like, scaled-to-reality levels of joys and traumas.

Among my favorite memories, though, was our cooking class with Josetxo.

I learned about drinking wine to cure hangovers, how to make mayonnaise from scratch, and the joys of anchovies. I also learned how to make a tortilla.

Frittata (*cough cough* tortilla) ingredients.

To American ears, this is not what you’d expect. It’s like a large frittata, not a flat flour- or corn-based wrapper for tacos or burritos. It was also the simplest and most satisfactory meal I knew immediately I’d be bringing to my kitchen at home.

My only issue with it is that it’s an egg dish that requires flipping, which usually results in a kind of eggy plate. Of course, in Spain, they make matching skillets that take care of this with ease. I never sprung for one, so I do it the difficult way.

That is, until I found a frittata — the French version of the Spanish dish — that had all the Spanish flavors I was hoping for … and some greens too.

Thanks to Bon Appetit I could make this at home easier.

However, I still am no expert in using my own broiler. The recipe said to cook in the broiler for 5 minutes; it was brown after 2 and not jiggly, but cutting in to the eggy dish revealed it was not finished yet. Trial and error minutes later it was ready. Thankfully, it never got browner but it was touch and go there for a bit.

Either way, it was worth it. I got a cleaner plate but still got my fix of eggs, potatoes, and Spanish chorizo.

Seriously, eggs, potatoes, and chorizo (and sure, greens) are the simplest but most incredible meal.

Here’s what I did:

Ingredients

  • 8 large eggs
  • 1 c. Manchego cheese, grated
  • 1 T. flat-leaf parsley, chopped
  • 1 T. chives, chopped
  • 4 oz. Spanish chorizo, thinly sliced (I used D’Artangnan chorizo, and 1 sausage link was 1 oz, shy but I went with it because I used extra cheese)
  • ½ small onion, diced
  • 6 fingerling potatoes, thinly sliced
  • 1 small bunch Swiss chard, ribs and stems removed and leaves coarsely chopped
  • 1 T. olive oil
  • Salt and pepper, to taste

Directions

Heat broiler.

Whisk eggs in a large bowl, and whisk in the cheese and herbs. Season with salt and pepper.

On the stove top, add the oil and cook the chorizo in a 9- to 10-inch cast iron skillet, over medium heat. After the chorizo is crisped, about 3 minutes, transfer to plate. Then, add the onion to the oiled skillet (or braiser), and season with salt, stirring often. Cook for about 1 minute, and then add the potatoes, until they are just softened, about 5 more minutes. Add the chard in batches, and cook each batch until wilted and fits in the skillet. Add salt and pepper, and mix back in the chorizo.

Pour the egg mixture on top of the sausage mix, tilting to ensure even distribution. Cook for about 2 minutes on the stove top, and then transfer to the oven and broil until the egg is cooked through, about 5 minutes. (Again, it seemed to me to be done after about 2 and then wasn’t so keep a close eye to ensure it’s not burnt but the eggs are also cooked through.)

Run a spatula around the edges to loosen, and slide on to a plate (or cut into wedges), and enjoy!