Carnitas ~ No Fry Frijoles ~ No Fry Spanish Rice

      I learned to make stove top pork roast carnitas from my father's mother, my grandmother Juanita.  Right now you may be assuming that my grandmother was of Mexican descent, but my blue eyed Irish grandmother born Juanita Sullivan didn't even know the pork roast she taught me to make was carnitas.  I didn't even know until one summer afternoon in 2005, I had the real deal at La Flor De Michoacan on Avenida Juarez in Rosarito Beach, Mexico.  My grandmother had passed not long before that day when I tasted those tender, juicy carnitas, and her face bloomed in my mind as I imagined myself in her kitchen, her teaching me how to create this same pork roast with cooked pinto beans and mashed pototoes and gravy.   Today, I serve my family carnitas with a tangy tomatillo sauce served on the side, rice and beans, and fresh tortillas.  However, I always set aside the pan drippings and make the best brown gravy a girl can make this side of Oklahoma just like my grandma taught me, so the left overs can be served up with green beans and smashed potatoes....that's the Okie in me.

     I love pinto beans.  I like them served as soup with chopped cilantro and onion, I like them in dips, chili and many other dishes and I really like them refried, especially with cheese.  I prefer my beans fried the old fashioned way in lard (I heard your gasps, studies now prove what my mother always said, natural fats like butter and lard are far better for you that man-made fats).  However, my husband has dietary restrictions, and if your doctor has restricted you from certain foods, please follow your doctors instructions.  Therefore, I came up with a delicious non-fried refried pinto bean dish that you would swear had lard in it.  

     I prepare the pinto beans as I normally would, except maybe I use a little more water than necessary.  Use caution when adding salt at this point because the beans will reduce in the "refrying" process, magnifying any flavors, especially salt.  I forgot to take this into account once and ruined an entire pot of beans.  When the skins and meat of the beans are soft, I know they are done.  I raise the heat to medium high and begin to mash them with a bean or potato masher, the beans absorb the water and become mashed and reduce.  I get them to the consistency I want my refried beans to be, takes about 5 minutes of mashing and mixing on high heat and then I serve them.  For a creamier consistency, add 1/4 to 1/2 cup of milk (any percent fat except non).

     No fry Spanish Rice is also one of my favorites.  I really enjoy fried Spanish rice, I just wanted a healthier version if possible, without sacrificing the essence.  I love the combination of the creamy boiled egg with rice, it enhances the flavor and texture greatly and this WAS taught to me by someone of Mexican descent.....although her name was Sheryl.   For this somewhat healthier version,  I kept the boiled egg and I removed any oils, adding a combination of my favorite Mexican herbs and spicy tomato sauce, and "Voila'!" No Fry Spanish Rice.  In the photo above, I used my rice cooker to cook the rice.  Another healthier version would be to use 1/2 tsp olive oil and 1/2 tsp of butter instead of cooking oil to brown the rice in.

     Thank you for your likes, shares and comments, Bon Appetit!  

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