BOB & LENORE's COOKBOOK
© 2011 EVOO CANNON BEACH COOKING SCHOOL

BEANS, SMOKY RANCH

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On the menu the first time in summer of 2013 on our Farmers Market Dinner Show as well as the August Dinner Shows. Beans are first brine-soaked; rinsed, and cooked in water until soft. Then they are smoked, over dry heat using hard fruit wood or other mild hardwood chips. From there the finish cooking is very simple and takes about 20-25 minutes.

Ingredients:

  • to brine:

  • 1 pound black beans
  • 1 pound pinto beans
  • 3 tablespoons salt
  • 1 gallon water

    to cook:

  • water to cover beans by 4-6 inches
  • to smoke beans:
  • 1 cup apple wood chips ( or other fruit wood variety)

    to finish cooking after beans are smoked:

  • 2-3 tablespoons EVOO
  • 2 onion, medium, yellow, minced
  • 2 large bell peppers, one red & one yellow, not green
  • 2-3 tablespoons Flavors for Frying (recipe) or it may be purchase from our online store
  • sea salt and coriander to taste

  • For refried style beans you need 1-2 tablespoons butter and 1/2 cup grated sharp cheddar

Method:

To brine the beans in a heavy salted water using 2 quarts water plus 1 1/2 tablespoons sea salt for each bean type. They may be brined together but we will only smoke the pinto so we need to keep them separate in this step. Leave on counter or in the refrigerator for 24 hours or overnight. Drain and rinse beans after brining.  Then place cook the beans, each separately, in a stock pot with plain water covering about 4-5 inches over the top of the beans. The exact amount of water depends upon pot size. Bring to boil over high heat then turn down to maintain simmer until beans are tender, about 25-30 minutes.  Keep black beans separate until after you smoke the pinto beans.

To smoke the beans:
Place beans on rack over the dry apple chips in the bottom of a dry roasting pan. Place foil or lid on top with a slight vent. Place roasting pan over high heat and wait until the chips start to smoke. Close lid to trap all the smoke and set timer for 2 minutes. Remove from heat and leave lid on another 2 minutes. Take roasting pan outdoors to remove lid. Remove lid away from you as there will be a large bloom of smoke.

After smoking, place a small amount of EVOO with the onions into a stock pot over medium to medium low heat. When onions are translucent add the peppers and Flavors for Frying spice mix. Cook another 2 – 3 minutes. Add the pinto beans combined with the black beans. Pour in enough fresh water to cover mixture by about 1 inch. Gently simmer for 20-25, or until flavors have matured and you see the liquid thickening slightly. Adjust seasoning with sea salt and more Flavors for Frying, if needed.

To make these into refried style smoky beans, simply mash about half of them and work the mashed portion into the whole with 1-2 tablespoons butter and 1/2 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese. Use these for the famous tostada stack that Bob made up when he was working in Marathon Texas helping to make vegetarian texas style menus.

Serve immediately.






TO RECIPES

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