Smoky Refried Bean Tostadas

Looking for a quick dinner to celebrate Cinco de Mayo? These refried bean tostadas are fresh, satisfying, and they come together in no time.

• 7 Tbs. canola or vegetable oil; more if needed          
• 8 5- to 6-inch corn tortillas
• Kosher salt
• 1 medium onion, finely diced
• 1 tsp. ground cumin
• 2 15-oz. cans pinto beans, rinsed and drained
• 2 Tbs. chipotle (smoked) Tabasco sauce
• 1 cup crumbled feta (about 6 oz.)
• 3/4 cup finely diced fresh tomato
• 1/2 cup thinly sliced red radishes
• 1/2 cup loosely packed cilantro leaves

Heat the oven to 200°F (or heat a warming drawer if you have one). Line a baking sheet with paper towels. Heat 5 Tbs. of the oil in a small (8-inch) nonstick omelet pan over medium-high heat until the oil bubbles right away when the edge of a tortilla is dipped into it. Using tongs and working with one tortilla at a time, fry the tortillas until golden brown on both sides, about 30 seconds per side. As each one finishes frying, briefly dangle the tortilla above the pan to allow some of the excess oil to drip back into the pan, and then transfer the tortilla to the paper-towel-lined baking sheet. Sprinkle each tortilla with a little salt while it’s still hot. As you fry, adjust the heat to keep the oil from getting too hot or cool, and if the pan goes dry, add more oil, 1 Tbs. at a time. When all the tortillas are fried, keep them warm in the oven

Heat the remaining 2 Tbs. oil in a 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring often, until softened and lightly browned around the edges, about 3 minutes. Stir in the cumin and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add the beans, 1 tsp. salt, and 1 cup water. Working quickly, mash the beans with the back of a fork until most but not all of them are broken apart, and simmer until the beans look creamy and spreadable and much of the water has been absorbed, about 3 minutes. Stir in the chipotle Tabasco sauce and season to taste with more salt if needed.

To serve, spread each tortilla with about 1/3 cup of the beans, and top with the feta, tomato, radishes, and cilantro leaves.

Spicy Red-Eye Baked Beans

The addition of the coffee, for which the recipe is named, deepens the other flavors in the beans.

• 1 lb. dried pinto beans
• 3 Tbs. unsalted butter
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 2 large cloves garlic, chopped
• 1 Tbs. ancho chile powder
• 1 tsp. chipotle chile powder
• 1 tsp. ground cumin
• 1/4 tsp. ground allspice
• Freshly ground black pepper
• 6 cups lower-salt beef broth
• 1 meaty smoked ham hock
• 1 cup brewed coffee
• 1/3 cup mild molasses, such as Grandma's Original
• 1/3 cup ketchup
• 1 Tbs. Worcestershire sauce
• 2 sprigs fresh oregano
• 1 Tbs. bourbon (optional)
• Kosher salt

Tip:

Don't have time to soak the beans overnight?
Put them in a 4-quart saucepan. Add enough cold water to cover by 2 inches and bring just to a boil. Remove from the heat and soak for 2 hours. Drain the beans and continue with the recipe.

Sort through the beans to make sure there are no little stones and then put them in a large bowl or pot. Add enough cold water to cover the beans by 2 inches and let soak overnight. Drain the beans well, tilting the colander instead of shaking it to gently extract the water and protect the beans' skins.

Position a rack in the center of the oven and heat the oven to 300°F.

Melt the butter in a 5- to 6-quart Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the onion and garlic and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, 5 to 7 minutes.

Add the chile powders, cumin, allspice, and 1/2 tsp. pepper. Cook, stirring, until aromatic, about 30 seconds. Add the broth and ham hock. Stir to combine. Add the beans and bring just to a simmer. Cover and bake until the beans are easy to bite into but still a little mealy in texture, 45 to 60 minutes.

Stir in the coffee, molasses, ketchup, Worcestershire, and oregano. Bake, uncovered, until the beans are fully tender, 30 to 60 minutes more. Cool to room temperature. Discard the oregano stems and the skin from the ham hock. Cut the meat off the bone and chop. Add the meat to the beans and discard the bone. Cover and refrigerate overnight.

To finish, bring to a simmer, uncovered, over medium heat. Reduce the heat to low and continue to simmer until the sauce is reduced to the consistency of thin gravy, stirring occasionally so the bottom doesn't burn, 40 to 60 minutes. Stir in the bourbon (if using) and season the beans to taste with salt and pepper.

Spicy Red-Eye Baked Beans

The addition of the coffee, for which the recipe is named, deepens the other flavors in the beans.

• 1 lb. dried pinto beans
• 3 Tbs. unsalted butter
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 2 large cloves garlic, chopped
• 1 Tbs. ancho chile powder
• 1 tsp. chipotle chile powder
• 1 tsp. ground cumin
• 1/4 tsp. ground allspice
• Freshly ground black pepper
• 6 cups lower-salt beef broth
• 1 meaty smoked ham hock
• 1 cup brewed coffee
• 1/3 cup mild molasses, such as Grandma's Original
• 1/3 cup ketchup
• 1 Tbs. Worcestershire sauce
• 2 sprigs fresh oregano
• 1 Tbs. bourbon (optional)
• Kosher salt

Tip:

Don't have time to soak the beans overnight?
Put them in a 4-quart saucepan. Add enough cold water to cover by 2 inches and bring just to a boil. Remove from the heat and soak for 2 hours. Drain the beans and continue with the recipe.

Sort through the beans to make sure there are no little stones and then put them in a large bowl or pot. Add enough cold water to cover the beans by 2 inches and let soak overnight. Drain the beans well, tilting the colander instead of shaking it to gently extract the water and protect the beans' skins.

Position a rack in the center of the oven and heat the oven to 300°F.

Melt the butter in a 5- to 6-quart Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the onion and garlic and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, 5 to 7 minutes.

Add the chile powders, cumin, allspice, and 1/2 tsp. pepper. Cook, stirring, until aromatic, about 30 seconds. Add the broth and ham hock. Stir to combine. Add the beans and bring just to a simmer. Cover and bake until the beans are easy to bite into but still a little mealy in texture, 45 to 60 minutes.

Stir in the coffee, molasses, ketchup, Worcestershire, and oregano. Bake, uncovered, until the beans are fully tender, 30 to 60 minutes more. Cool to room temperature. Discard the oregano stems and the skin from the ham hock. Cut the meat off the bone and chop. Add the meat to the beans and discard the bone. Cover and refrigerate overnight.

To finish, bring to a simmer, uncovered, over medium heat. Reduce the heat to low and continue to simmer until the sauce is reduced to the consistency of thin gravy, stirring occasionally so the bottom doesn't burn, 40 to 60 minutes. Stir in the bourbon (if using) and season the beans to taste with salt and pepper.

Smoky Refried Bean Tostadas

Looking for a quick dinner to celebrate Cinco de Mayo? These refried bean tostadas are fresh, satisfying, and they come together in no time.

• 7 Tbs. canola or vegetable oil; more if needed          
• 8 5- to 6-inch corn tortillas
• Kosher salt
• 1 medium onion, finely diced
• 1 tsp. ground cumin
• 2 15-oz. cans pinto beans, rinsed and drained
• 2 Tbs. chipotle (smoked) Tabasco sauce
• 1 cup crumbled feta (about 6 oz.)
• 3/4 cup finely diced fresh tomato
• 1/2 cup thinly sliced red radishes
• 1/2 cup loosely packed cilantro leaves

Heat the oven to 200°F (or heat a warming drawer if you have one). Line a baking sheet with paper towels. Heat 5 Tbs. of the oil in a small (8-inch) nonstick omelet pan over medium-high heat until the oil bubbles right away when the edge of a tortilla is dipped into it. Using tongs and working with one tortilla at a time, fry the tortillas until golden brown on both sides, about 30 seconds per side. As each one finishes frying, briefly dangle the tortilla above the pan to allow some of the excess oil to drip back into the pan, and then transfer the tortilla to the paper-towel-lined baking sheet. Sprinkle each tortilla with a little salt while it’s still hot. As you fry, adjust the heat to keep the oil from getting too hot or cool, and if the pan goes dry, add more oil, 1 Tbs. at a time. When all the tortillas are fried, keep them warm in the oven

Heat the remaining 2 Tbs. oil in a 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring often, until softened and lightly browned around the edges, about 3 minutes. Stir in the cumin and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add the beans, 1 tsp. salt, and 1 cup water. Working quickly, mash the beans with the back of a fork until most but not all of them are broken apart, and simmer until the beans look creamy and spreadable and much of the water has been absorbed, about 3 minutes. Stir in the chipotle Tabasco sauce and season to taste with more salt if needed.

To serve, spread each tortilla with about 1/3 cup of the beans, and top with the feta, tomato, radishes, and cilantro leaves.

Spicy Red-Eye Baked Beans

The addition of the coffee, for which the recipe is named, deepens the other flavors in the beans.

• 1 lb. dried pinto beans
• 3 Tbs. unsalted butter
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 2 large cloves garlic, chopped
• 1 Tbs. ancho chile powder
• 1 tsp. chipotle chile powder
• 1 tsp. ground cumin
• 1/4 tsp. ground allspice
• Freshly ground black pepper
• 6 cups lower-salt beef broth
• 1 meaty smoked ham hock
• 1 cup brewed coffee
• 1/3 cup mild molasses, such as Grandma's Original
• 1/3 cup ketchup
• 1 Tbs. Worcestershire sauce
• 2 sprigs fresh oregano
• 1 Tbs. bourbon (optional)
• Kosher salt

Tip:

Don't have time to soak the beans overnight?
Put them in a 4-quart saucepan. Add enough cold water to cover by 2 inches and bring just to a boil. Remove from the heat and soak for 2 hours. Drain the beans and continue with the recipe.

Sort through the beans to make sure there are no little stones and then put them in a large bowl or pot. Add enough cold water to cover the beans by 2 inches and let soak overnight. Drain the beans well, tilting the colander instead of shaking it to gently extract the water and protect the beans' skins.

Position a rack in the center of the oven and heat the oven to 300°F.

Melt the butter in a 5- to 6-quart Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the onion and garlic and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, 5 to 7 minutes.

Add the chile powders, cumin, allspice, and 1/2 tsp. pepper. Cook, stirring, until aromatic, about 30 seconds. Add the broth and ham hock. Stir to combine. Add the beans and bring just to a simmer. Cover and bake until the beans are easy to bite into but still a little mealy in texture, 45 to 60 minutes.

Stir in the coffee, molasses, ketchup, Worcestershire, and oregano. Bake, uncovered, until the beans are fully tender, 30 to 60 minutes more. Cool to room temperature. Discard the oregano stems and the skin from the ham hock. Cut the meat off the bone and chop. Add the meat to the beans and discard the bone. Cover and refrigerate overnight.

To finish, bring to a simmer, uncovered, over medium heat. Reduce the heat to low and continue to simmer until the sauce is reduced to the consistency of thin gravy, stirring occasionally so the bottom doesn't burn, 40 to 60 minutes. Stir in the bourbon (if using) and season the beans to taste with salt and pepper.