Drunken Beans

Drunken Beans

• 1 lb beans of choice: pintos, cannelini, romans, etc., soaked in boiling water for a few hours or overnight
• garlic (a lot)
• jalapeno, at least one, chopped
• 4 slices thick slab bacon
• 1 bottle of beer
• 1 (14 oz) can diced tomatoes
• 1 tsp cumin
• Cilantro, salt, pepper, and a sluice of vinegar

Brown bacon in skillet, remove and reserve, pour off most of the fat. In remaining bacon fat, saute garlic and jalapeno. Return bacon to pan, add beans, beer, tomatoes, and water to cover by about 1".

Cook until tender, about 90 minutes, or about 5 minutes in a pressure cooker (can you see that I love kitchen gadgetry??). Add cilantro, salt, pepper, and a slug of vinegar (balsamic is great with beans).

Carolyn D.
(2/20/01)