Title: Frijoles (South American Beans)
 Categories: Colombia, Vegetables
      Yield: 4 servings
 
           Text Only
 
  Got another care package from Down Under, courtesy Mark Herron.  The
  following series of recipes are from the Raw Materials column by Meryl
  Constance who writes for the Sydney Morning Herald.  The three
  columns this time covered basil, veal and strawberries (remember
  them? ;-}). Pay attention now++there's some good-looking stuff here...
  This recipe comes from Antioquia in Colombia but variations on the
  theme are made all over South and Central America.  In Colombia, it
  is served with rice and a number of side dishes, including crisp pork
  crackling, bananas, avocados and white corncakes.  Stretched in this
  way, the quantities given here would easily serve eight.
  Into a large pot 2 cups of red kidney beans (not pre-soaked).  Add 5
  cups of a mixture made from the liquid drained from a large tin of
  peeled tomatoes (the tomatoes themselves are used later) and your
  choice of stock.
  Do not add salt it is said to prevent the beans softening properly.
  Cover the pot and put the beans to cook over a low heat.  South
  American practice is to add a tablespoon of oil when the beans begin
  to wrinkle but Raw Materials omits this with no ill-effects. Continue
  cooking until tender++about 2 to 3 hours.
  Meanwhile, finely chop 2 large onions and 4 cloves of garlic and fry
  gently in a little oil.  Add 500 g minced meat (usually beef but take
  your choice) and fry very slowly until brown.  Add the tinned
  tomatoes, a chopped green capsicum, 2 or 3 bay leaves, 2 teaspoons
  cumin, half a bunch of basil (chopped), 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper,
  pepper and salt.
  Tip the contents of the frying pan into the beans and simmer slowly
  till well blended.
  
  Serves 4 to 6.