Sopa de Frijoles - Mexican Bean Stew

Sopa de Frijoles - Mexican Bean Stew

Always make so much of this that you have plenty to put in the freezer for another time when you crave some heat!

Ingedients to make a big pan full

three tins of red/black/white kidney beans -
two tins of chopped tomatoes
can of lager
large onion
garlic
3 rashes of bacon
chillies (not chilli powder)
tablespoon of cumin
1 clove
4cm stick of cinnamon

Sopa

Chop up your onion, add to a pan thats hot with olive oil in it, chop the bacon into large pieces and add, add garlic, stir around until the onioins are starting to go clear. Add the whole spices. Now I use quite a few different types of chilli, but it really depends on what you have and how hot you like it. So add 'em, and stir, add the cumin and stir and when you can smell the cumin rising add the tinned toms and the beer. Leave to simmer for a while and then add the drained rinsed kidney beans. Reduce the simmer and let it 'just and so' simmer for at least 40 mins.

I enjoy this as a sopa, with some creme fresh or cottage cheese. But it can easily become what ever you want - in a wrap with chicken, added to a chilli beef mince...

Refried Beans

If you were to mash the beans and then use them in a frying pan they become 'refried'.