By Chantal Coady, The Chocolate Detective
A little dark chocolate brings unexpected richness and depth to these deliciously spiced black beans. Dame Chantal Coady shares a favourite recipe from her book Real Chocolate, along with a clever shortcut for when time is short.
Inspired by the Venezuelan staple caraotas, traditionally served with arepas, white cheese and fried eggs, this is a wonderfully versatile dish for brunch, lunch or supper. Without the traditional sides, the recipe is suitable for vegans.
Chantal recently revisited the recipe while planning a dinner with her husband James, who had been perfecting homemade Mexican tortillas using blue masa cornmeal and a cast-iron press.
The secret to the beans? Time, a little patience and, of course, chocolate.
Mexican Refried Beans with Chocolate Sauce
From Real Chocolate by Chantal Coady (Quadrille, ISBN 1-84400-017-6).
Ingredients
250g small South American black beans (not black-eyed beans)
2 red onions, roughly chopped
3 garlic cloves, roughly chopped
1 tbsp olive oil
15g butter
5cm piece of fresh ginger, finely chopped or grated
1 fresh red chilli, deseeded and finely chopped, or more to taste
200ml tomato passata
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
25g unsweetened cocoa powder or dark chocolate
Fresh coriander or flat-leaf parsley, to garnish
Method
1. Two days ahead, soak the black beans overnight in cold water.
2. The following day, drain, cover with fresh water and simmer gently until completely tender.
3. Sauté the onions and garlic in the olive oil and butter for around 10 minutes, until golden.
4. Add the ginger and chilli and cook for another minute or two.
5. Stir in the drained beans and tomato passata. Season with salt and pepper, then leave overnight for the flavours to develop.
6. The next day, simmer gently for an hour. Stir in the cocoa or chocolate just before serving and garnish with fresh coriander or parsley.
Chantal's tip: These beans are even better after three or four days. If you're short of time, use a pressure cooker to cook the beans without soaking.
Chantal's Clever & Quick Cheat
For a speedy alternative, Chantal recommends Ice Kitchen's Mexican Smoky BBQ Fajita Paste
Ingredients
2 tins of black beans, drained
1 portion of Ice Kitchen Mexican Smoky BBQ Fajita Paste (half a pack)
A little oil
Method
1. Heat the Smoky BBQ Fajita Paste in a saucepan with a little oil.
2. Add the black beans and cook until tender and heated through.
3. Blitz with a stick blender to your preferred consistency.
To Serve
Pile the table with warm tortillas, guacamole, crumbly white cheese, tomato salsa, rice, crème fraîche or Greek yoghurt, fresh coriander, lime wedges and extra chilli sauce. Add grilled meats if you wish.
A family connection: Chantal declares a special interest in Ice Kitchen: founder Cesar Roden is her nephew.
"His pastes are brilliant. I use them all the time when I want a quick meal, adding fresh vegetables and so on
