Frijoles de la olla and Tortillas on the Comal
Black beans long-simmered in an earthenware pot, perfumed with epazote and avocado leaf, scooped up with corn tortillas just puffed on the comal. The breakfast of the Oaxacan people, and that of a president who had not forgotten where he came from.
Black beans long-simmered in an earthenware pot, perfumed with epazote and avocado leaf, scooped up with corn tortillas just puffed on the comal. The breakfast of the Oaxacan people, and that of a president who had not forgotten where he came from.
Permit a man from Guelatao to serve you himself. As a child, I tended sheep in the sierra and knew no other meal than the bean from the pot and the tortilla fresh from my aunt's comal. Having become a magistrate, and later called to higher office, I never wanted any other table: sobriety suits one who must serve the Republic. Let the beans darken well in the barro, without haste, and break the tortilla with your fingers — that is how an honest man eats.
- •Black Oaxacan beans — two handfuls per person (base)
- •Fresh epazote — a few sprigs (herb)
- •Dried avocado leaf — one or two (flavoring)
- •Salt — to taste (seasoning)
- •Nixtamalized corn (masa) — for tortillas (corn bread)
Frijoles de la olla and Tortillas on the Comal
Black beans long-simmered in an earthenware pot, perfumed with epazote and avocado leaf, scooped up with corn tortillas just puffed on the comal. The breakfast of the Oaxacan people, and that of a president who had not forgotten where he came from.
Why this dish? We know from his relatives and biographers that Juárez, born into a very poor Zapotec family in Guelatao and remaining frugal up to the National Palace, kept for his everyday table the simplest dish of Oaxaca: simmered black beans and warm tortillas. Even as president, he shunned the pomp of Maximilian's court.
Permit a man from Guelatao to serve you himself. As a child, I tended sheep in the sierra and knew no other meal than the bean from the pot and the tortilla fresh from my aunt's comal. Having become a magistrate, and later called to higher office, I never wanted any other table: sobriety suits one who must serve the Republic. Let the beans darken well in the barro, without haste, and break the tortilla with your fingers — that is how an honest man eats.
Ingredients (period version)
- Black Oaxacan beans — two handfuls per person (base)
- Fresh epazote — a few sprigs (herb)
- Dried avocado leaf — one or two (flavoring)
- Salt — to taste (seasoning)
- Nixtamalized corn (masa) — for tortillas (corn bread)
Ingredients
- Dried black beans — 250 g (base)
- White onion — 1/2 (aromatic)
- Fresh epazote (or dried) — 3 sprigs (or 1 tsp) (herb)
- Dried avocado leaf — 2 (flavoring)
- Salt — 1 tsp (seasoning)
- Corn tortillas (masa harina) — 8 to 10 (accompaniment)
Method
- Rinse the beans and cover them generously with cold water in a pot (ideally earthenware), with the half-onion. Do not salt yet.
- Bring to a simmer and cook covered for 1 1/2 to 2 hours, adding hot water if needed, until the beans are tender.
- Add epazote, avocado leaf, and salt; continue for 15 minutes so the broth thickens and becomes aromatic.
- For tortillas: mix masa harina with warm water and a little salt to form a soft dough, shape into balls, flatten them (between two sheets of plastic or using a press).
- Cook each tortilla on a comal or very hot dry skillet, 30 to 60 seconds per side, until it puffs up.
- Serve the beans piping hot in a clay bowl, with warm tortillas alongside for dipping.
How it was made : In 19th-century Oaxaca, beans were cooked in the olla de barro set on a three-stone hearth, and nixtamalized corn was ground on one's knees on the metate. The tortilla, cooked fresh on the clay comal, served as both bread and spoon.
The contemporary twist : Mash some of the beans into a purée and top with pickled red onion and a little crumbled fresh cheese, for 'frijoles refritos' worthy of an Oaxacan fonda.
Sources : Jeffrey M. Pilcher, ¡Que vivan los tamales! Food and the Making of Mexican Identity (1998) · Diana Kennedy, Oaxaca al Gusto (2010)
Benito Juárez · Charactorium