All Hail the Pinto Bean

[Oola]

Pinto beans, for me, are a recent discovery. I think they're so incredibly cheap and versatile, and ever so good for you. The only thing is I'm not sure how far they have to ship them.

I thoroughly recommend them as a staple store cupboard favourite. We'd run out of baked beans when I made Rich a jacket potato, so I replaced them with pinto beans instead. I emptied the tin into a saucepan, added a big squidge of tomato ketchup, added some browned onions, salt and cracked black pepper, and let it all warm through for a few minutes. When I served it up, Rich didn't really notice at first. Then he asked me what beans I'd used and declared that they were much nicer than baked beans.

I also use them in chillis and curries, and they probably go ever so well in other one-pot cooking (stews, casseroles etc). They're slightly softer in texture and can be mashed down, or left whole. They're lower in carbs than baked beans and can replace a proportion of potatoes if mashed - and the best bit is they still stay quite fluffy.

I believe they're the basis of 'refried beans' in Mexican food. I adore refried beans, as well as 'three beans' used in a vegetarian Chimichanga!

[jazzactivist]

I like them too, Oola, but I particularly like Borlotti beans as they are chunkier, a pretty pink, and hold their shape well. I add them to any dish that needs a bit of substance. They are particularly nice in soups.

My colleague at work is from a traditional cowboy family in Colorado and says that she will bring me a recipe for how to make genuine, original baked beans on an open fire or barbecue. I'll post it on RM when I get it.