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1
Soak the Beans Overnight
8 Hrs Soak (Passive)
Cold water, about 20°C (68°F)
Put the picked-over beans in a large bowl, cover with cold water by at least 8 cm, and leave to soak overnight. In the morning, drain and rinse them well.
In a hurry, use the quick soak: cover the beans with boiling water, leave 1 hour, then drain and rinse.
Done when: Beans doubled in size, plump and smooth, with no hard, dry centres.
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2
Simmer the Beans Until Tender
60 Mins
Simmer at about 95°C (200°F)
Put the soaked beans in a large pot with 1.2 litres of fresh cold water and half the minced garlic. Bring to a boil, skim off any foam, then turn down to a gentle simmer, cover with the lid ajar, and cook for about 60 minutes until the beans are completely tender. Ladle out 120 ml of the cooking liquid and set it aside.
Keep the simmer gentle, not rolling: hard boiling breaks the beans apart and clouds the liquid.
Done when: A bean crushes easily between finger and thumb, with a creamy inside and an intact skin.
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3
Fry the Onion and Garlic
5 Mins
Medium heat, about 160°C (320°F)
Heat the oil in a wide pan over medium heat. Add the diced onion and the remaining garlic and fry for about 4 minutes, stirring, until the onion is soft and golden at the edges.
Do not let the garlic brown: golden garlic is sweet, brown garlic is bitter and will flavour the whole pot.
Done when: Onion soft and translucent with golden edges; garlic fragrant, not browned.
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4
Add the Beans, Liquid and Salt
10 Mins
Gentle simmer at about 95°C (200°F)
Drain the beans and add them to the pan with the cooking liquid, the salt and the cumin if using. Stir gently and simmer for 10 minutes. Mash about a quarter of the beans against the side of the pan with a spoon — this is what thickens the pot without turning it into a puree.
Mash lightly and stop early: whole beans with a creamy background are the goal, not refried beans.
Done when: Beans glossy and coated in a lightly thickened, creamy liquid; most beans still whole.
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5
Stir in the Crema and Rest
5 Mins
Warm through at about 80°C (175°F); do not boil
Take the pan off the heat and let it sit for 1 minute. Stir in the crema until the beans turn pale and creamy, then rest for 5 minutes before serving so the flavours settle.
Crema splits if it boils, so keep the pan off the heat and stir it in gently — the residual heat is enough.
Done when: Evenly creamy beans, pale and glossy, with the crema fully mixed in and no white streaks.
auto_awesome Finishing Touches & Plating
Serve hot in bowls, about 260 g per person, scattered with chopped cilantro — with rice, fried plantains and warm tortillas on the table so everyone builds their own plate.
El Salvador
1h 15m
