Here in New Mexico the saying goes that it’s not spring until the wind blows your patio furniture into your neighbor’s yard. Using that criterion, spring has not yet sprung. But it certainly has been teasing us. We’ve had a few sunny days in the high 50’s and the juniper looks almost ready to begin torturing those of us who are allergic.
But this morning I woke up to about four inches of snow, and although our road is muddy enough for a tractor-pull, snowflakes continue to swirl even as I write. It’s just the kind of day to put a pot of beans on the stove…or in the oven, whichever you prefer. So I pulled out my micaceous clay bean pot and rinsed it out in anticipation of having black beans for dinner.
What, you might ask, is the big deal about a micaceous clay pot?
I’m so glad you asked, because I’m about to tell you.
Micaceous cookware has been used by native peoples of the Southwest for hundreds of years. The pots are made from a special type of local clay that contains a high percentage of mica. Softer and lighter than metal or glass, the pots are incredibly sturdy. They’re still built by hand, using the “coil and scrape” method, and usually fired in open pits dug in the ground.
They turn out a beautiful coppery-gold color with black plumes called “fire clouds” where the pot has come into contact with the burning wood. Mica is one of nature’s best conductors of heat, and it can absorb the shock of being placed over direct flame, as well an enabling the vessel to hold temperature extremely well. The pot itself becomes almost like a small oven. This is particularly useful for foods which normally take a long time to cook. I can put a pot of dried beans on after lunch and it will be ready in plenty of time for dinner. And there’s no need to soak the beans overnight (which I could never remember to do anyway.)
In addition to their beauty and practicality, it’s said that micaceous pots imbue food with a “sweet” taste—not like sugar sweet, but a clean, balanced flavor. I love the way my pot smells when it’s wet, like the earth after a good rain, and the little soft sound it makes when the lid settles on the rim or I stir the beans with a metal spoon. If I’m getting a bit rhapsodic about a common bean pot, it’s because this is actually an uncommon bean pot.
In fact, I like to think of it as my magic bean pot.
Here’s my favorite thing to make in my magic pot, but it can be made with great success in any soup pot. It’s my version of a black bean recipe from The Nantucket Open House Cookbook by Sarah Leah Chase. This recipe derives more from Cuban/Caribbean tradition than New Mexican, but it is wonderful.
For the beans:
1 ham hock (optional)
1 pound black beans, soaked overnight in cold water. (if you have a magic bean pot, you can omit this step.)
½ onion (in one piece)
1 bay leaf
For the sofrito or seasoning:
⅓ cup olive oil
1½ Tbsp annatto seeds (optional, but available at Latin markets and gourmet grocers)
1 medium onion, diced
2 scallions, including green tops, minced
4 large cloves garlic
½ green bell pepper, seeded and diced
½ red bell pepper, seeded and diced
1 fresh jalapeño pepper, seeded and diced (remember not to touch your eyes, nose or lips while working with hot peppers.)
2 Tbsp tomato paste
3-4 Tbsp red wine vinegar
1 Tbsp dried oregano
1 Tbsp ground cumin
3 Tbsp minced fresh coriander leaves, AKA cilantro (lots of people like this stuff. It tastes like soap to me, so I substitute fresh Italian parsley.)
1-2 tsp salt (you can add more if you like, but be sure to taste first, especially if you’re using the ham hock.)
2 tsp freshly ground pepper
Drain the beans, if you soaked them. Otherwise, simply rinse and drain. Put in pot with ham hock (if using), half onion and bay leaf. Add water to cover everything by about one inch. Bring to boil over medium heat, then lower heat to simmer, cover and cook for 1½-2 hours, checking water level two or three times. Alternatively you can bring to a boil on the stove and finish cooking in a slow oven 225-250°F. The amount of time it will take for the beans to become tender will vary based on type of pot, age of beans, whether or not you soak the beans, and the altitude of your kitchen. Here in Santa Fe at 7000 feet, things tend to take longer to cook. This recipe usually runs about 2½-3 hours in a micaceous pot with no pre-soak. Just keep checking it. There’s nothing worse than crunchy beans.
While the beans are cooking, make the sofrito.
If you are using the annatto seeds, heat them in the olive oil over medium heat about 5 minutes or until they release their red/orange color. Strain out the seeds and discard them. Heat the flavored oil (or plain olive oil) in a medium skillet over med-high heat. Add the onion, scallions, garlic, bell peppers, jalapeño and sauté, stirring frequently for 7 or 8 minutes. Stir in tomato paste and vinegar; then add the oregano, cumin, salt and pepper. Cook for 5 more minutes, then turn off heat and stir in cilantro (or parsley.)
Discard the half onion and the bay leaf. Shred the meat from the ham hock and add to the pot, if desired. Add the sofrito to the cooked beans and simmer for 30-45 minutes. It should thicken a bit. You can serve at once or set aside. I personally like this better the second day. Serve with your choice of rice, tortillas, cornbread, roast pork, grilled chicken, fish tacos, baked bananas, fried plantains, sour cream, chopped avocadoes…the possibilities are endless. Enjoy!
Micaceous Clay Pots by Santa Fe artist Priscilla Hoback
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