Instructions: COOKING BEANS

Rinse the beans and pick over. Put the beans in a pot, cover them with the cold water, add onion and lard and bring to a boil. As soon as beans come to a boil, but back heat, and let them simmer covered for1-1/2 (for pink or pinto) to 2 hours (for black), or until they are just tender but not soft.

Do not stir during this time. Add salt and simmer another 30 minutes. Set aside, preferably until next day. There should be plenty of soupy liquid.

Heat the lard and fry the onion, without browning, until it is soft.

Add 1 cup of the beans and their broth to a 10-inch frying pan and mash them well over a very high flame. Add the rest of the beans gradually, mashing them all the time, until you have a coarse puree.

When the puree begins to dry out and sizzle at the edges, it will start to come away from the surface of the pan. As you let it continue cooking, tip the pan from side to side. The puree will form itself into a loose roll.

This will take 15 to 20 minutes. Tip the roll, rather like folding an omelet, onto a warm serving dish and garnish with the cheese. Spike it with the crisp triangles of tortillas. Decorate the dish with lettuce and radishes. Serve immediately.

You have to fry the beans almost dry to form the traditional bean roll or brazo. The dark brown of the beans, sprinkled with the white cheese, looks very attractive against the green and red of the lettuce and radishes. They are served generally towards the end of the meal. Often they are just fried to a loose paste and served with breakfast eggs or with Chilaquiles or antojitos at supertime.

Any leftovers will freeze very well. To reheat, defrost the beans and then fry them in a little more lard. A little chile serrano or jalepeno en escabeche can be eaten with them. You may need to add a little water to make them less dry.

NOTES : Water: 10 cups should be enough for black beans. More like 12-14 for pinto or pink, but also depends on size of pot, how lid fits, etc., so cant be exact.

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