Before I re-invented myself as the height of sophistication, I was a sweet sincere hippie looking for peace and often confused by the cruelty of the world. Actually, I was as messed up as the next person if I were being honest with myself, but I desperately wanted to be simple and pure. It just wasn’t in the cards.
Now, so much of the latest data about health stresses the need for whole grains. When friends are over or if I’m feeling needy, I would never serve this kind of thing but if it’s just a night home alone, watching Tivo’d Judge Judy reruns, I try and eat whole grains, lots of vegetables and minimal meat. I tell myself this helps balance out the more indulgent things I eat but it’s based on emotions, not science.
My long-winded point is that good brown rice (like Massa‘s), nopales, beans and some good sausages make a fine weeknight meal.
If someone were to cook this for me when I came over, I would be thrilled! But then, I did grow up in a hippie household myself, so that looks a lot like comfort food.
I love masa’s brown rice. My best find, while visiting my son in San Fran, has been your beans & masa at the same time. At least once a week I combine the two. I cook the rice as mentioned in Saveur (I believe) 12 C. boiling water, 1 C. rice, boil rapidly for 30 minutes, drain, put the rice back in the pot, with a lid for 10 minutes. Then I add a large dribble of lemon olive oil & salt. I make it in the morning then have rice to go with my beans for a few days – all sorts of ways. I make any of your beans the usual way, serve them, eat them then when they are getting down a bit, stick a roasted chicken, carcass & all in the pot, some stock, cook a bit then that is it for the last of the beans. This is truly the best!
It may look a teeny but fancier than this, but I serve Massa brown rice and Rancho Gordo beans to all my friends and no one ever complains one bit. I also highly recommend the Saveur brown rice cooking method Carla mentions.
Steve, I need to tell you gently: avoid the Judge Judy reruns please. And BTW please find a way for us mortals on the other coast to get the good brown rice & nopales of which you speak. Be the revolutionary you are and help us on both coasts to transform our diets, the way you have already here on the East Coast from the West! Total regards as always.
I foresee more for Rancho Gordo beyond beans, chiles and bottled sauce, just sayin’. Let’s start your dream.
I don’t have broadcast TV anymore so I actually can’t indulge in my Judge Judy habit. When I worked from home everything stopped at 4pm for an hour of The Judge. I loved solving all problems in 15 minutes in a neat and tidy package. Not like reality!
Can’t you get nopales where you are? Could you grow them? Mine survived freezing temperatures just fine, but probably not for extended periods.
I had the correct rice and beans, but not the other ingredients. I cooked the beans with some leftover smoked brisket, and cooked the rice by the Saveur method (worked great). Then we added some mild green taco sauce, cheddar cheese, and cilantro, and topped it with avocado. Very satisfying! We’ll make this again with a different flavor profile, just to keep things interesting.