Yesterday was a pair of firsts. I miss having access to El Pollo Loco, so I looked up their marinade recipe that had been printed in The Orange County Register. Also, I’ve never made refried beans from scratch.
Now, it’s closing in on a decade since I’ve had El Pollo Loco chicken. I can’t remember exactly how it tasted. One thing – and I’ve looked it up in a couple of places – is that it calls for 1/8 teaspoon of ‘mild chilis’, finely minced. Ar? An eighth-teaspoon isn’t enough for anything. And what’s a ‘mild chili’? I minced half of a fresh jalapeño. Couldn’t taste it. And I used a charcoal grill. I think they use a gas flame. Anyway, it was very tasty and the SO liked it.
The beans were similar to how I make a ‘mess of beans’; soak them and simmer them. Normally I’d put a ham hock in. For the refried beans I boiled them with water and nothing else. SO flatly said she would not eat anything with lard in it. Anyway, I couldn’t find any. So after the beans were cooked and drained, I used a couple of tablespoons of bacon grease. The name makes the difference! Add some salt and bean water, and Bob’s your auntie’s live-in lover. My first attempt at making refried beans from scratch w successful.
To round it off, I made Rice-A-Roni Spanish Rice with a can and a half of spicy Rotel tomatoes instead of regular diced tomatoes, and some good flour tortillas we bought at Cash & Carry.
[QUOTE=Johnny L.A.;14994813 SO flatly said she would not eat anything with lard in it. Anyway, I couldn’t find any. So after the beans were cooked and drained, I used a couple of tablespoons of bacon grease. The name makes the difference! [/QUOTE]
I was gonna say… I don’t get how bacon fat, which is full of salt and nitrates (which can become carcinogenic under high temps), is considered tasty and wonderful, while lard, particularly the rendered non-hydrogenated stuff, which has none of that, is somehow supposed to be disgusting and bad for you. I mean, you haven’t had a great pie crust until you’ve had it made with a mix of lard and butter.
An eighth-teaspoon isn’t enough for anything. And what’s a ‘mild chili’? I minced half of a fresh jalapeño. Couldn’t taste it. And I used a charcoal grill. I think they use a gas flame. Anyway, it was very tasty and the SO liked it.
Add some salt and bean water, and Bob’s your auntie’s live-in lover. My first attempt at making refried beans from scratch w successful.