Make Your New Favourite Bean Dip With Refried Black-Eyed Peas

Canned black-eyed peas are quickly becoming one of my favourite pantry staples. They make an excellent quick stew, a surprising hummus, and — as I had suspected for a while now — are extremely delicious when refried.

[referenced url=”https://www.lifehacker.com.au/2018/05/you-should-make-your-own-refried-beans/” thumb=”https://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/image/upload/t_ku-large/wkdbm3mvjfn3hijpbfjm.jpg” title=”You Should Make Your Own Refried Beans” excerpt=”I have nothing against food that comes in cans, especially when it comes to beans, but refried beans are something that I absolutely prefer making myself. Beyond just tasting “better”, you can manipulate them to suit your specific palate as you adjust the seasonings, aromatics and – most importantly – the fat.”]

When fried in bacon grease and blended with some alliums, the nutty, savoury legume becomes silky and rich—perfect for smearing on tortillas, scooping up with corn chips, or serving alongside vegetables for a rustic crudité platter.

Like any refried bean, refried black eyed peas are not at all difficult or time-consuming to throw together. To make them, you will need:

• 1 can (about 2 cups) of black eyed peas, drained and rinsed

• 1-2 tablespoons of bacon grease, lard, or vegetable oil (or any other oil you might enjoy)

• 2 cloves of garlic, minced

• 1/4 of an onion, diced

• 1 bay leaf

• Salt to taste

• 1-2 tablespoons of water

Drain and rinse the black eyed peas, and leave them in a colander on top of a dish towel to drain. Heat one tablespoon of your chosen fat in a small Dutch oven over medium heat and, once it’s melted, add the garlic and cook until it is fragrant and ever so slightly golden. Remove the garlic with a slotted spoon and set aside.

Add the onion, bay leaf, and a big pinch of salt, and cook until the onion is soft and translucent. Increase the heat to medium high, add the black eyed peas and cook until they start to fall apart, scraping the bottom of the pot as needed to remove any browned bits. If things start to look a little dry, add another tablespoon of fat.

Once the beans are falling-apart soft, transfer to a food processor and pulse or blend to your desired consistency, adding water a tablespoon at a time to loosen things up if needed. (You can also use an immersion blender, or even a potato masher if you like a chunkier consistency.)

Scrape into a serving vessel for dipping, or directly onto tortillas.