Best Oaxacan Black Bean Enfrijoladas Al Estilo Oaxaca Recipes

OAXACAN BLACK BEAN ENFRIJOLADAS AL ESTILO OAXACA,

Steps:

• 1. Make your filling first. Boil your chicken breasts or pork meat until tender. You can do this by putting in a pot with water, a half an onion, garlic powder, and salt. Cook until the meat is tender. Next shredd your chicken or pork. Heat some oil in a skillet add some more diced onion,sweet pepper, garlic powder, saute until veggies are limp add the shredded chicken or meat the tomato sauce spices oregano, cumin, then the cilantro and a little of the chicken or meat broth. Cook for a minute or two. then set aside.
• 2. Heat the oil for the beans in another skillet, add the two cups of cooked black beans with a little bean broth about 1/2 cup or if you have no cooked black beans open a can of Goya fully seasoned Black beans and add to the hot oil. With the same can measure about a 1/4 can of water and add to the beans. With a potato masher, mash down the beans in the hot oil until they are totaly mashed and your bean mixture looks creamy. Do not have the heat to high or they will dry out. Add a little more oil, garlic powder and the cumin powder stir well. Your beans should have the consistency of a thick gravy. If too thick add a little more water and mix well. Heat your flour tortilla on the griddle just to make it soft and dip into the bean mixture on each side. As if you were dipping to make enchiladas. Coat each side lay on a plate add a tablespoon of chicken or pork and fold in half then fold again in quarters put all four quarters on a plate. Sprinkle grated cotija cheese over the enfrijolada and spoon some salsa on top of the cheese. You can also spoon Mexican Crema which looks like a sour cream but it is not sour; or If you like you can use sour cream if you dont have the cotija cheese or crema Mexicana. Enjoy
• 3. I have taken into account the hour of cook time for the shredded chicken or pork. You can cut the time in half by buying a pre-roasted chicken and shredd your chicken and make it with the sauce I posted.

TAMALES DE FRIJOL (OAXACAN BLACK BEAN TAMALES)

Steps:

• Make the filling: In a large bowl, cover the beans with cold water by about 2 inches and soak overnight. The next day, drain the beans and transfer to a large pot. Add the onion, garlic, avocado leaves, salt and enough cold water to cover by 2 inches. Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce the heat to maintain a simmer. Cook, skimming any foam, until the beans are very tender, 1 1/2 to 2 hours.
• Cool for 15 minutes, then set a large strainer over a large bowl and drain. Transfer the beans, onion, garlic and 1 cup cooking liquid to a blender or food processor. Blend, adding more liquid as needed to get the machine going and to form an almost smooth puree. The consistency should be soft and spreadable, but not soupy. Season to taste with salt and cool to room temperature. Discard the avocado leaves and any remaining cooking liquid.
• While the beans cool, prepare for tamales: Heat the oil in a small saucepan until just smoking, then remove from the heat and set aside to cool completely. If you don't have plastic rounds for a tortilla press, cut off the edges of a gallon-sized resealable plastic bag to form two 10-inch squares of plastic. If you don't have a press, get out a heavy flat-bottomed large skillet.
• Heat a banana leaf on a griddle or large flat pan over high heat, turning and pressing flat until pliable and shiny, 15 to 30 seconds. Transfer to a work surface. Repeat with the remaining leaves, stacking them to keep them all warm and soft.
• In a large bowl, tear the masa into smaller chunks then add the salt and gradually add the cooled oil while kneading in. Continue kneading with both hands by punching down the mixture, then squeezing it between your fingers before gathering it into a mass and pushing it back down. Knead until the oil isn't visible and the masa is very smooth and soft.
• Assemble the tamales: Roll a 1/3 cup masa into a ball and flatten between the plastic by hand into a 1-inch-thick disk. Press in a tortilla press or against the counter using a skillet to form a tortilla-thin round (scant 1/8-inch-thick). Peel off the top plastic, keeping the masa on the bottom piece. Spread the bean filling evenly over the masa's entire surface in a thin layer (about 3 tablespoons). Using the plastic, lift the left edge and fold an inch in towards the center, then peel back the plastic and flatten it against the counter. Repeat on the right. Spread filling over the folded edges (about 1 teaspoon per side). Using the plastic, lift up the bottom third and fold it over the center as if folding a letter. Cover with filling (about 1 teaspoon), then use the plastic to lift the top and fold it over to enclose. Center an avocado leaf on top. Place the tamal upside down on a soft banana leaf and place another avocado leaf on top. Trim the leaves to fit if needed. Wrap in the banana leaf, folding in one long side, then the bottom, then the other side and rolling to enclose the end. Repeat with the remaining ingredients.
• Fit a steamer or colander into a large, deep pot and add enough water to almost reach its bottom. Stack the tamales flat in the steamer, leaving an empty space in the center. Cover with the reserved remaining banana leaves and then the lid. Bring the water to a boil and steam, replenishing with hot water as needed, until the masa is cooked through, about 1 1/2 hours. To test, unwrap a tamal and cut through the center to make sure there's no raw masa.
• Keep warm in the steamer off the heat until ready to serve. After unwrapping, the avocado leaves should be discarded before eating. The tamales can be cooled completely, then wrapped individually and frozen for up to 6 months. To serve, thaw overnight in the refrigerator, then resteam in the banana leaves or unwrap and pan-fry in oil until hot and crisp.

PASTA DE FRIJOL NEGRO (BLACK BEAN PASTE)

Steps:

• In a large stockpot, combine the beans, garlic, and onion quarters. Cover the beans with water and bring to a boil.
• Cover the pot, lower the heat to a simmer, and cook until the beans are tender. This can take anywhere from 1 to 2 hours, depending on how old the beans are. If the liquid is evaporating too fast and the beans start to show, bring another cup or two of water to a boil and add it to the beans. Once the beans are cooked, salt to taste, stir, and continue cooking for 10 minutes.
• Once the beans are tender to the bite, remove and discard the garlic cloves and transfer the beans to a blender. Add the chile de arból and avocado leaves and puree until smooth.
• Heat the oil in a large sauté pan over medium heat. Once hot, add the chopped onion and cook until it starts to soften. Add the black bean puree and fry it for 15 minutes, stirring until the bean mixture has thickened.

OAXACAN BLACK BEAN SOUP

Steps:

• place beans in a 4 qt pot, cover with 6 c water, bring to a boil.
• remove from heat and let it sit 1 hour, drain.
• add beans back to the pot with 6 c water, bring to a boil, lower to simmer.
• add chorizo, fennel, onions, chipoltes, partially cover the pot and simmer for 1 1/2-2 hours.
• use an immersion blender to puree the soup, or do it in batches in a blender.
• add the shrimp and cook for 3-4 minutes until done.
• heat oil in a skillet.
• add tortillas in batches, fry until crisp.
• drain on paper towels.
• serve the soup topped with tortilla strips and sprinkled with queso fresco.