photo by andidigress

The best part about putting recipes into a blog is hearing back from people that either try them or see something out in the world that draws them back to the food.  So much more interesting that keeping the recipes in a file.  This is one of those recipes…

Ranch Style Beans are something you don’t (can’t) avoid in Texas.  My family loves them, I have loved them since the first time I had a bowl.  With jalapenos, on rice, whatever.  Trouble is, eating out of a can hasn’t been all that appealing for years.  Once you start making everything fresh, or leave college, cans just aren't as appealing.

A friend that read this blog mentioned that beans are sold in Styrofoam cups in south Texas.  I love the idea – a Big Gulp of beans.  It makes perfect sense – beans are easy to make and easy to serve.  A giant cup of beans sounds a little like an SNL skit, but I would buy one.  Sure, I've had plenty of beans as a side at one of our legendary BBQ spots, but I've never sought out a bowl of beans on their own.

This recipe is much more than a knock off of Ranch Style Beans.  Ranch beans are a common side on local tables, so its handy to have a good bean recipe.  More than handy - its critical.  If you're prepared with good recipes for ranch beans and Cuban frijoles negros, you pretty much have beans covered.

The original Ranch Style Beans use pinto, but I have found that its best to mix the pintos with red kidneys, so I keep both on hand.

These can be served over rice or on their own.  They're a simple and satisfying meal by themselves, even out of a Big Gulp cup.

Ranch Beans

1 lb dried pinto beans (or kidney)

3 onions (total), diced

1/4 cup red chili powder (I use Pendrey's Texas Red)

2 Tbsp salt

1 tsp brown sugar

1 tsp paprika

2 strips of bacon, diced

1 Tbsp oil

3 cloves garlic

1 large red bell pepper, stemmed, seeded and diced

1 large green bell pepper, stemmed, seeded and diced

1 tsp vinegar

Directions

1. Wash the beans and remove any rocks.  Soak overnight.


2. Rinse the beans and cover with water.  Make sure there are a couple inches of water above the surface of the beans.


3. Add 2 of the diced onions, chili, salt, sugar and paprika.  Bring to a boil, lower heat, and simmer for 2 hours.

1. After 2 hours, cook the bacon in a cast iron skillet.  Let the beans continue to simmer.

1. When the bacon is done to your liking, add the remaining onion, oil, garlic, and bell peppers.

1. When the onion has softened and turned translucent, use a ladle to transfer any extra broth from the beans to the skillet.  Take all the broth down to the surface of the beans.  Add the vinegar to the beans.


2. Boil off the broth from the skillet, until what remains is a thick gravy.


3. Add the gravy to the beans and serve immediately.  Garnish with cilantro, onions and Mexican oregano.

photo by A. Davey

I have mentioned in prior posts that I once read the New York Times Magazine's food column, but have since given up.  One of the main drivers that chased me towards the travel section was the addition of a series called "Cooking With Dexter".  The series centers on a young cook, maybe 4 or 5, that has more annoying foodie street cred than some of the bloggers I've read.  I have a kid the same age, and other than making play dough, I can't imagine him ever showing the slightest glimmer of the overly precocious Dexter's behavior.

I was poking around the interweb, learning about African street food, when I caught some mentions of Dabo Kolo.  The only African food I cook on a regular basis are Moroccan tagines, so its time I learned more.  One post in particular got me thinking about whether drawing the kid into cooking would be a good idea.  Seems like a simple recipe and very kid friendly.

The short answer is it was a total failure.  The Dabo Kolo turned out great, but the kid kept insisting we use his recipe, which had more to do with assembling everything in the pantry into a grey mush and cooking it.

The optional part of this recipe is the pepper.  If you include the chili, I use the same reshampatti chili I use in Indian recipes, the end result is going to have a bite kids won't like.  If you want to go the kid friendly route, cover the pieces with a little butter and cinnamon sugar while they are still warm.

Dabo Kolo

1 cup flour

1 Tbsp sugar

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp hot red chili

1 Tbsp melted butter

1/2 cup warm water

Directions

1. Mix all the ingredients together.  Add the water slowly and mix together, making sure the dough is not too sticky.


2. Knead on a floured surface.


3. Pull off a ball of dough the size of a golf ball, roll out to form a strip of dough.


4. Cook in a skillet with no oil until each piece is golden brown.  Turn regularly.

I am a Whole Foods shopper.  "Whole Paycheck" jokes aside, I admire their commitment to fresh, organic ingredients that are local where possible.  I like the people that work there.  I like the people who shop there.  I like the place.  I might be unduly influenced by the fact that they opened their first store where I live, and I remember shopping as they built their business.  This was long before they used Wall Street cash to buy up everyone doing the same sort of thing with the same sort of commitment and learn how to do it all a little better.  Maybe the stores elsewhere are different, but I have been to plenty and they seem to all have the same commitment to quality that brings me back.

The stores are disorganized.  I find things in the strangest places.  One day, while I was waiting for the seafood guy to finish up with his customers and package up my green chili smoked salmon, I was poking around the case next to smoked fish.  I noticed something strange, yet recognizable.  Salt cod.  Fish in a wooden box is not something that jumps out at you, but I knew when I saw that little box it was not the first time I had heard of salt cod.

Stamp and Go is really a recipe for cod fritters.  I have heard various stories of where the name comes from - something about a bus and the fritters being served at bus stops.  I love buses, so Stamp and Go seemed like a good place to start with salt cod.

Stamp and Go is really fried salt cod fritters.  The recipe involves a simple way of making a batter with the cod, but it does involve the fish sitting overnight to get the salt out.  So leave some time to prepare the batter - these little cakes are not a quick snack.  This is an intentionally small recipe, since I have found that these do not keep well.  They are best served fresh and hot, which really makes them the perfect street food.  This recipe will make 10-12 fritters, depending how big and how flat you make them.

After making the batter, I cooked the fritters by dropping a bit of batter in the oil and building the fritters up to the right size.  Don't try to get enough batter on a spoon to make one fritter - just drop some in and build them up the way you want them.  I make three fritters at the same time in a cast iron pan with a cover.

Stamp and Go

1/4 lb salted cod

1 Tbsp olive oil

1/2 onion, minced

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 tomato, diced

1/2 in grated ginger

1/2 cup green pepper, diced

1 habanero pepper, seeded and minced

1 cup flour

1 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 cup water

1 egg, beaten

1 tsp ground black pepper

2 green onions, chopped

Oil for frying

Directions

1. Rinse the cod under cold water.  Soak the cod in cold water overnight.  Use enough water to cover the fish well and give the salt lots of room to dissolve.

1. Rinse the cod one last time, then thoroughly flake the fish and set aside.


2. Heat the oil and sauté the onion with the garlic until the onion is translucent.  Mix in the tomato, ginger, green pepper, habanero and set aside.


3. Mix the flour, baking powder, salt in a bowl.

1. Beat the egg with the water and add to the flour mixture.

1. Add the vegetable mixture to the flour mixture and blend with the pepper, green onions and flaked fish.


2. Heat the oil in a skillet to about 350 degrees.  Drop the batter in the oil by the spoonful, building up each fritter until it is the correct size.  Cook 3-5 minutes, until nice and golden brown, then flip over and cook another 3 minutes.


3. Serve hot with lime and hot sauce or salsa.