Serves 4 to 6
• 6 Tbs. vegetable oil
• 2 Tbs. butter
• 1½ yellow onions
• 1 clove garlic, minced (optional)
• 4½ cups cooked kidney beans
• 2 cups cooking liquid from beans
• salt to taste
• garnish
• grated mild cheese such as Jack, mild Cheddar
1. Heat the oil and the butter together in a large, heavy skillet. Chop the onions and sauté them in the oil and butter until they are golden. If you want to add garlic, sauté it with the onions at this point.
2. Add the beans and their cooking liquid and lower the flame slightly. Cook the beans, stirring often, until most of the liquid has been absorbed. Mash some of the beans with a wooden spoon—some people prefer to mash all the beans; I like mine about half-mashed, but this is just a matter of taste. Continue cooking and stirring—for perhaps ½ hour—until the beans have the consistency of a fairly thick paste.
3. Serve hot as a side dish or use as a filling for tacos, either alone or with cooked potatoes. If served as a side dish, some grated cheese should be sprinkled on top or stirred in.
