Charro Beans
Submitted by Chef Nicole Almeida
I have been in food service for 27 years and started managing kitchens right out of culinary school in 2004. I went to culinary school at New England Culinary Institute in Montpelier, Vermont. I have always had a passion for cooking and wanted to be a chef since I was child. I started helping in the kitchen when I was two and my parents found me at the stove standing on a chair cooking my own breakfast at the age of four. By the age of ten I was cooking dinner for my family and at fifteen I had my first job as a dishwasher and prep cook in a restaurant.
I specialize in all kinds of cuisines and favor creating dishes for restricted diets. I consult with clients privately to create specialty menus and recipes for those with restricted diets due to health concerns or those who want to eat healthier. I also offer services as a personal chef for anyone in need of meal prep or that desires a private multiple course dinner for a special occasion.
I teach a variety of culinary classes at El Paso Community College through Continuing Education. I enjoy teaching people how to prepare foods and work to improve their skills in the kitchen. It is rewarding when students come back and tell me that they made dishes learned in class for their family and how much their family enjoyed it. After completing one class several students register for my other cooking classes. It is always nice to see their faces in a different class.
Charro beans, a traditional Mexican dish celebrated for its rich and flavorful taste, Charro beans, known for their rich and flavorful profile, can now be effortlessly recreated at home with Chef Nicole's simple recipe.
Ingredients:
If You Shop at Ranchland:
1 lb dry pinto beans (soaked the night before), Aisle 11
1 lb chorizo (any brand), Aisle 8
2-3 jalapenos, chopped (if you want it spicy 2 jalapenos and 2 serrano peppers), Produce
4 cloves of garlic chopped, Produce
1 medium white onion medium diced, Produce
If You Shop at Estrella:
1 lb dry pinto beans (soaked the night before), Aisle 5
1 lb chorizo (any brand), Aisle 1
2-3 jalapenos, chopped (if you want it spicy 2 jalapenos and 2 serrano peppers), Produce
4 cloves of garlic chopped, Produce
1 medium white onion medium diced, Produce
Directions:
Soak your beans the night before.
Cook chorizo, onion, garlic and jalapenos in a 4-6 quart stock pot over medium heat until chorizo is cooked.
Drain beans and put in a 4-6 qt pot. Add warm/hot water (about 3/4's full) and season with salt. Cook over medium-med high heat.
Stir beans occasionally to keep from sticking. They should take about one hour to one and a half hours to cook.