In ,
Wayne Lundberg > said:
> "GJB" <nomail@network> wrote in message
> lkaboutcooking.com...
>> I bought fresh pinto beans in shell at local farmers market this
>> week...googled for recipes and see that they need to be shelled, put
>> in water, and boiled for 15 minutes. Then drain water, return beans
>> to a pan and cook with seasonings (and ripe tomatoes per one receipe
>> I looked at) and about 1 cup water per one lb of beans (that's 1 lb
>> when you started); cover and cook until beans are tender, about an
>> hour.
>> However a recipe for refried beans only had initial 15 min boiling,
>> then short saute with oil, onion, and seasonings, then pureed with
>> potato masher.
>
> I'm responding to your note with full expectations of being flamed
> because in my experience with Mexican food, we never, never use fresh
> beans in anything. I'm guessing that since beans are legums that can
> be stored for long periods of time, as with corn, that the ancient
> natives that invented agriculture, chose to keep beans for when fresh
> produce was not available. Kind of like grandma bottling peaches for
> times when fresh fruit is not available. So every recipe that I have
> calls for ... dried beans.
>
> I'm not being critical, believe me, and am curious as to what a fresh
> pinto bean might taste like. In my 70 years on this planet I have not
> had the pleasure. Peas, yes, lima beans, yes...
>
> Thank you for making me think!
>
> Wayne

Go with the first recipe. 15 minutes, and drain. (otherwize they will taste
"green") and cook for another hour with seasonings. We eat 'em like that
here, but Wayne is right, The whole idea behind the bean is that it keeps
forever. You won't find many green beans, or what we call shelled beans
with snaps in most subsistance diets. They are dried for storage, and other
greens and squash are eaten in season.