Cookbook # 29 - Asada

Since we don’t currently have a functional grill, a lot of the recipes in Asada by Bricia Lopez (2023) were off limits to me, but I was able to make Frijoles Charros in Broth. This made a huge batch of meaty bean soup—the recipe claims to serve 4 to 6, but it’s more like 14 to 16, and I’m going to freeze over half of it for future homemade meals on evenings none of us feel like cooking. It’s good with tortillas and cotija cheese.

Frijoles Charros in Broth

• 2 lbs dry pinto beans, cleaned of any pebbles and rinsed

• 1 large white onion, quartered

• 1 head garlic, smashed and peeled

• 1 T sea salt, plus more as needed

• 4 oz. bacon (about 8 strips), chopped

• 6 oz. deli-sliced ham (about 8 slices), chopped

• 6 hot dogs, chopped into small pieces

• ½ tsp ground cumin

• ¾ c crumbled Mexican chorizo

• ½ c chopped Spanish chorizo

• 2 ½ c chopped tomatoes

• 1 c chopped cilantro

In a large pot, combine 1 gallon water with the dried beans, onions, and garlic. Bring to a boil Once boiling, lower the heat to a simmer, cover, and cook until the beans are softened. This should take about 1 hour but can take up to 2 hours, depending on the freshness of the dried beans. Add the salt to the pot once the beans are cooked. Discard the onion and garlic. Turn off the heat.

In a large frying pan over high heat, add the bacon, ham, hot dogs, ground cumin, and Mexican and Spanish chorizos. Fry until the meat is cooked, about 7 minutes. Add the tomatoes and cook until their liquid is reduced, about 6 minutes. Add this chorizo mixture to the pot of beans and stir to combine. Bring to a simmer and cook for an additional 20 minutes.

Stir in the cilantro. If you would like a thicker broth, mash the contents of the pot with a potato masher. Taste and adjust seasonings before serving.