I was 16 the first time I visited Austin, Texas. My older sister had left to attend her first year at St. Edward’s University. Facing major separation anxiety I begged, pleaded my parents to allow me to skip a week of school to visit her in Austin. To my surprise they said yes. After consulting with the principal and agreeing to 30 days of after school detention to make up for a unexcused absence I was off to Austin. From the first day I arrived I knew Austin was different. Different from the small town of Aransas Pass where I was from. Different from any place I had ever visited. Austin was energy, hope, movement all wrapped into a small town of the friendliest/coolest people I have ever met. This why my sister had so eagerly wanted to move to Austin, she belonged here. We took advantage of every hour we had together visiting thrifts stores, bakeries, clubs (fake ids) and driving..we drove all of Austin every night, until the early morning hours just before she had to attend class. We ate tacos, stacks of pancakes and drank local beer. I was 16. I was in Austin. Life was good.
In 2006, Fain started the blog Homesick Texan to share Texan food with fellow expatriates, and the site immediately connected with readers worldwide, Texan and non-Texan alike. Now, in her long-awaited first cookbook, Fain brings the comfort of Texan home cooking to you. from the Homesick Texan website
These beans are alot like Austin layer upon layer of flavor, texture and coolness. Chipotles add a smoky touch and cumin give them a Tex-Mex touch, pure goodness.
Austin-Style Black Beans
from The Homesick Texan Cookbook
makes 8-10 svgs.
1 lb. dried black beans
1 Tbs. vegetable oil
1 medium yellow onion, diced
1 carrot, diced
4 cloves garlic, minced
2 canned chipotle chiles in adobo, chopped
½ c. cilantro, divided
½ tsp. ground cumin
1 Tbs. tomato paste
¼ c. lime juice
salt, to taste
Rinse and sort through beans, discarding any stones or shriveled beans.
Place beans in a large pot and cover with 1″ of water. Bring to a boil and cook for 15 minutes.
Drain and rinse the beans in a colander in the sink.
Return the empty pot to the stove and on medium-low heat, warm the vegetable oil. Add onions and carrots to pot and cook until onions are translucent, stirring occasionally, ~8 minutes. Add garlic and cook another 30 seconds.
Return beans to the pot along with the chipotles and half of the cilantro. Cover with 2″ water, bring to a boil, then turn heat down to low and simmer uncovered for ~1½ hours.
Add remaining cilantro, cumin, tomato paste, and lime juice. Season to taste with salt. Cook uncovered for another 30 minutes, or until beans are tender all the way through (will vary depending on the freshness of your beans). When done, smash a few beans against the side of the pot with a spoon to thicken, if you wish. Stir and serve.
1 Tbs. vegetable oil
1 medium yellow onion, diced
1 carrot, diced
4 cloves garlic, minced
2 canned chipotle chiles in adobo, chopped
½ c. cilantro, divided
½ tsp. ground cumin
1 Tbs. tomato paste
¼ c. lime juice
salt, to taste
a bowl of any kind of bean means life is good!! I need to check out Lisa’s book! Glad you’re enjoying it.
I love black beans thanx for sharing this lovely recipe. I just stumbled it. 🙂
Yummy! Frijoles! I’m a big fan of The Homesick Texas and my favorite city in Texas is Austin. Love it!
Love the Homesick Texan blog! I always love to find different recipes for black beans. They’re a favorite in our house =)
Wow! Your beans look delicious! Thanks for stopping by and for your sweet comment. Look forward to cooking with you too!
Thirty days of detention! Yikes! The things we do -LOL
This sounds so yummy. Never tried putting lime in my black beans but I see how this could be so tasty. Thanks for sharing!!
I love the story, when parents let you do thinks like that it is always a great adventure, of course I love the beans too, they look delicious and I will try them for sure.
It’s fun cooking along with you 🙂 Your photos are beautiful!!
Delicious! Can you also do it with red beans?
So happy to see you were chosen for this, Bonnie! I’ve been a fan of the Homesick Texan for a long time (and Lisa and I used to be co-workers). I pre-ordered two copies of her book (one for me and one for my mom, or else mom will steal mine!) and can’t wait for them to arrive in the mail!
PS – the TWO canned chipotles might be too hot for me… a very gentle heat I enjoy and is all I can handle these days… how hot is it with 2?
🙂
V
Not hot at all….in fact, I was wishing I hadn’t thrown the can out….I probably would have added two more peppers! This is a very safe recipe…my daughter (who thinks toothpaste is hot)loved this soup and had no idea it had peppers in it.
I served this with Lisa’s cornbread recipe….threw that cornbread right into our bowls with some shredded queso blanco and diced tomatoes….OMG, what a meal!
Hi Kim~
I am so glad you loved the Beans. I adore them and also have added more peppers. Cornbread, queso and tomatoes. YUM!
Vianney~
OMGosh! This looks so delicious – and like it was truly made with a heap o’ love! I must make this. I love bean dishes and can actually digest them! YUM!
🙂
Valerie
What a fun story! I’ve been to Austin. I’ve never been to Texas (outside of the airport)….this cookbook is making ME homesick for Texas LOL. Your beans look wonderful! Looking forward to cooking with you this month 🙂
i’d be content to eat tacos, pancakes, and loads of black beans for the rest of my life, and it’s okay by me if i’m surrounded by texan cowboys as i do it. 🙂
Looks great! I love black beans, especially with some sour cream to make them creamy and delicious 🙂 And you make me want to visit Austin now… I’ve been to most of the other major cities of Texas, and I was born in Houston, but I’ve never been to Austin. Maybe some day soon I can go!
The recipe sounds delicious. I love that your parents let you go.
YUM! Your Austin experience adds to the flavor of the beans! Great to be cooking with you on this venture… we didn’t try the beans this time, but man oh man, I can’t wait to try them! Lovely!
For a vegetarian dish, it certainly looks meaty and warming! How absolutely delicious.
*kisses* HH
I have always wanted to visit Austin and trying the beans makes me want to go even more now. Such a gorgeous photo of your beans–they look so tempting. 😉
I am loving all of the posts I’m seeing from this cookbook. These beans look amazing!
I have never visited Austin, but I here it is nice. Your beans look Fab-u-lous!
Wow – that is a stunning picture of beans right there! Enjoyed reading about your Austin adventures.
The beans looking such nice and comforting! This is one of the most popular to-go meal.
Sounds like a great cookbook. An excellent recipe for black beans!
Aww. see, this is why I love your blog, so heartwarming. & those beans do look mighty tasty!
xx
Great post, I love your beans and dont they taste awesome?
Thanks for sharing..
What a sister for serving 30 days in detention for this! Austin is supposed to be amazing – I believe it!
Those beans sound so flavorful and delicious. I love a spicy bean like this.
I’m going to Austin for dove season this weekend! (Ben hunts!)
This bean dish looks delicious, love it with lots of cilantro and cumim…yummie!
Hope you are having a fantastic week 🙂
I’ve never been to Austin or had much “Texan” cooking but after reading your post, I’m eager to get that feeling and try some Texas cooking!! This really sounds delicious and looks sooo good!!
What a fun time you had with your sister. I’d love to try this recipe.
I haven’t seen that book yet; I can’t wait to get my hands on it!
I so want that cookbook. Glad to see a recipe from it. We love blackbeans in our house (how can you live in texas and not love blackbeans-right?) This looks fantastic and I am at my parents house right now and I know my dad would love these so might be making them tonight
One of my roommates in college was from Austin and she always made it sound like SUCH an awesome place! I’m sure the food was no small part of it! These black beans look amazing…everything i love about comfort food in one bowl.
I’ve been trying to pick a bean recipe to cook this week, and this looks like it will hit the spot. Thank you!
I lived in Austin, went to school in Austin (UT), had my children in Austin and now I miss Austin (maybe not the heat!). So I totally understand what you mean about how awesome it is. Love, love, love Texas food and totally miss the restaurants.
This looks like a great bean recipe and black beans are my favorite!
very nice review and good intro… look forward to her book, I have tried many of her recipes …
It’s OUT! I can’t wait to buy it!
I absolutely cannot wait for this cookbook! I’m a homesick Texan myself and have been drooling over Lisa’s recipes for years!
Hi Vianney,
I just love your wonderful memories of Austin. Your presentation of the Austin Beans is very nice, they look so good. My beans are cooking as I write this note and I can’t hardly wait to taste them, the tacos were delicious. It is fun cooking with you!
Miz Helen
ha…so austin is exactly what i think it is…i gotta get myself there! your story is so perfect…you are my kind of 16 yr old….agreeing to 30 days of detention for 1 blissful week…smart girl. your beans look gorgeous…and i know they tasted delicious…i have been gorging myself with these for days 🙂 glad to have found your blog through this fun cook-off.
best
christy
The bean look so creamy and delightful!
Lovely Post…..
These beans looks delicious, I love beans I feel they are truly a comfort food.
Yours looks perfect.
What a fun experience 🙂 These beans really look delicious and I love the photo, beautiful shot!
Hope you are having a great week, hugs
Loved your memories of Austin…The beans are delicious…and yours look perfect…Great post.
Oooh! What a fabulous story and wonderful memories of Austin 🙂 Your beans look so delicious.
Oh that looks so good!!! I could swim in that broth! LOL 🙂 Can’t wait to try these, amiga. 🙂
You need to come visit us again! These beans look great, and I can’t wait to try them. Thank you for making me smile before I head off to work. I hope you are having a beautiful Wednesday morning. As always, it was a pleasure to visit!
That bean dish looks really tasty! I’d love to have some for supper.
Cheers,
Rosa
What a delicious looking recipe, and how thoughtful that you went to visit your sister when she was feeling lonely!