Coconut Orange Refried Black Beans

Two 16-ounce jars black beans, rinsed throughly and drained
one large onion, chopped
2 T coconut oil
1 T olive oil
fresh squeezed juice from two oranges
1 teaspoon Sriracha sauce (more or less to taste)
generous salt to taste
juice from one lime, squeezed

chopped cilantro, optional, because you know…(research about how it tastes like dirt for some people)

METHOD

Sauté onions in oils until soft in large high-sided non-stick or cast-iron skillet. Add beans, orange juice, sriracha, and salt. Cook covered over medium heat until beans are falling apart, 5-7 minutes, mashing with a potato masher several times while cooking. Add more olive oil and / or reduce heat if beans are sticking as they “refry.” Uncover and finish cooking and mashing until beans are creamy, another two minutes.

What’s the story? This is the story of a simple recipe featured in a Feb 1999 Gourmet magazine during when Ruth Reichl was editor. The entire issue was filled with recipes that were five ingredients or less, excluding salt and pepper. Made the original way was delicious. HOwever, I would buy a single can of adobo peppers and need just one for a batch, and find myself having to freeze (and sometimes forget about) until the next time I wanted to make these beans. I adapted it over the years, adding coconut milk then simplifying by using coconut oil which I always have on hand, same with sriracha, instead of adobo peppers (though I highly recommend that version if you have them on hand. Also, I like my beans creamy.