Spicy, Garlicky Pinto Refritos

Servings: 3  cups, serving 6

INGREDIENTS

  • 2 tablespoons off the top of Roasted Garlic Mojo
  • 2 arbol chiles, stemmed and cut crosswise into ¼-inch pieces
  • Two 15-ounce cans pinto beans, undrained
  • 2 tablespoons roasted garlic solids from Roasted Garlic Mojo
  • Salt

INSTRUCTIONS

Spoon the oil into a large (10-inch) skillet and set over medium heat.  When hot, add the arbol chile pieces and stir until fragrant, about 30 seconds.  Add the beans and use an old-fashioned potato masher or the back of a large spoon to mash the beans into a coarse puree.  Stir in the garlic solids and simmer briskly until thickened to the consistency of soft mashed potatoes.  Taste and season with salt, usually a generous teaspoon, depending on the saltiness of the canned beans.  The beans are ready to serve.  

NOTE: the beans will thicken as they sit and cool off, so if not serving right away you’ll likely need to add a little water to get them back to the soft-mashed-potato consistency.