Bean Day at UC Davis and Drunken Beans Recipe

Last week I made my annual trek to Davis for the Bean Trial day on the campus. Even though it's mostly about industrial growing, I have a lot of fun with the staff and "bean guys".

This year I made a variation on Borracho beans with our own Silvias from Guanajuato.

I was told to expect 150 people but it was more like 70, so we've been sharing the cooked beans with anyone who will stand still long enough to have us shove a container in their hands.

After the group toured the bean fields, they all came back for tri-tips, biscuits and Rancho Gordo Drunken beans.

I was lucky enough to have a lovely assistant throughout most of the day. Her name is Lindsay and although apparently she normally works with "Spam", she proved herself to be capable of handling roasted chiles and pot beans. Even better, her reputation for not relishing vegetables was smashed as she sampled grilled cactus paddles and roasted chiles! I think she has a great career in food ahead of her and I hope we both can make it to next year's bean day!

Borracho beans:

1 pound Flor de Junio "Silvia" beans
(Soaked 2-4 hours)
1 large white onion, chopped medium
1/2 pound bacon
5 cloves garlic, minced
4 green chiles like Hatch, Anaheim
1 bay laurel leaf
1 bottle Negra Modelo dark beer
salt to taste

Saute the bacon and when cooked, reserve on paper toweling.
Fry the onions and garlic in the bacon fat until soft.
Discard any extra fat.
Add the onions and garlic to the bay leaf in a stock pot. Add the beans and their soaking water. Add enough water so the beans are covered by about 1.5 inches.
Bring to a hard boil for five minutes, then reduce heat to a mere simmer and cook until the beans are soft.
In the meantime, roast the chiles and then remove the skin and seeds. Chop the chile meat.
Add the beer and more water if needed. Salt to taste. Add the chiles. Serve with cilantro and raw onions.