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CHOW: Recipes: Mexican Black Beans with Epazote

Mexican Black Beans with Epazote Recipe

From: Field Guide to Herbs & Spices , by

Epazote is native to Mexico and the tropical regions of Central and South America, where it is commonly found wild. It is also widely naturalized throughout the world and the United States, especially California. In Mexican cooking, epazote is always added to the pot when cooking black beans for its natural carminative (gas-preventing) properties and because its potent aroma cuts the heaviness of the beans.

What to buy: Epazote is available fresh in supermarkets in Texas and others parts of the southwestern United States, but it’s more often found dried in Mexican markets.

INGREDIENTS
  • 1 pound dried black beans
  • 3 cups chicken stock
  • 3 cups water
  • 2 large sprigs fresh epazote (or 2 tablespoons dried)
  • 1/2 pound chopped fresh chorizo sausage
  • 1 diced onion
  • 2 diced carrots
  • 2 diced celery stalks
  • 1 tablespoon chopped garlic
  • 1 tablespoon ancho or New Mexico chile powder
  • 1 tablespoon ground cumin
INSTRUCTIONS
  1. Soak black beans overnight in cold water to cover. Drain and rinse.
  2. Preheat the oven to 300°F. Place the beans, chicken stock and water, and epazote in a Dutch oven. Bring to a boil on the stove top, skim off foam, then cover and bake for 1 1/2 hours.
  3. In a large, heavy skillet, brown chorizo sausage. Remove the chorizo, leaving the fat in the pan. Add onion, carrots, celery stalks, and garlic to the pan and cook over medium heat until the vegetables become soft.
  4. Remove the pot of beans from the oven and stir in the vegetables and chorizo, along with ancho or New Mexico chile powder, ground cumin, and salt to taste.
  5. Cover and bake for 1 hour, or until the beans are soft.

This recipe, while from a trusted source, may not have been tested by the CHOW food team.

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COMMENT

  • Yum! These came out great. I didn't have chicken stock so I just added a bay leaf and some back peppercorns to the epazote in my bouquet garni. These would also be a great base for a black bean soup.

  • You might want to have a look here: http://mexicocooks.typepad.com/mexico_cooks/2009/12/frijolitos-refritos-estilo-mexico-cooks-refried-beans-mexico-cooks-style.html.

    The basic recipe for Mexico Cooks!-style beans is the traditional recipe used by Mexican cooks since before written history. The Mexico Cooks! recipes are just as useful for black beans as for frijol peruano.

    Enjoy!

  • After purchasing dried epazote several years ago, I can heartily NOT RECOMMEND IT! It may have its uses, but only Fresh leaves should be used with black beans.
    BTW the cooking time seems WAY too long. I'd check every 30 minutes after the first hour. Add the fresh epazote before the 'last' 30 minutes.
    As long as we're going to tweak :-), leave out the carrot, celery, reduce cumin to one tsp and...+READ

    After purchasing dried epazote several years ago, I can heartily NOT RECOMMEND IT! It may have its uses, but only Fresh leaves should be used with black beans.
    BTW the cooking time seems WAY too long. I'd check every 30 minutes after the first hour. Add the fresh epazote before the 'last' 30 minutes.
    As long as we're going to tweak :-), leave out the carrot, celery, reduce cumin to one tsp and consider substituting one split habanero for the dried chiles.-COLLAPSE

  • Forgot to mention, it's in the herb and spice aisle.

  • I hope you've found it before now, but I buy it in Mexican supermarkets. You can also get it online through gourmetsleuth.com or the Spice House in Chicago. You can also find the plants (to grow your own) in nurseries in the springtime.

  • I am having a hard time finding epazote. I live in fort worth, texas. Do you know where I can find it?

  • i am having a hard time finding epazote. i live in texas do you know where i can find it?