Black beans with pumpkin seeds and hoja santa

Let's start with what hoja santa is. It is a large leaf used in Latin, Mexican, and South American cooking but is relatively unknown outside the region. This herb is used as a wrap for slow-cooked meats or as a flavouring agent for salsas, moles, and sauces. It has a unique, deep flavour that adds a lot to any dish. Here is an excellent article on this herb.

Black beans are usually cooked with tomatoes and dried chilies, but this recipe is unusual. Here, the beans are cooked in a thickened sauce of pumpkin seeds and hoja santa leaves, giving a creamy, rich sauce that is perfect with any taco.

Diana Kennedy is the queen of Mexican cuisine. For her contribution to Mexican cuisine and her work in the region, she has received both Mexico’s Order of the Aztec Eagle and membership in the Order of the British Empire. I have quite a few of her books; they are absolutely amazing and a must for anyone who really wants to deep-dive into Mexican cuisine. This book encompasses all the regions in Mexico and is filled with exciting recipes, just like this one.

For more recipes from this cookbook, click here.

Ingredients:

8 oz. black beans, soaked overnight in about 8 cups of water

1/2 medium onion, sliced

1 large sprig epazote, if available, or 1 tablespoon cilantro and 1/2 teaspoon Mexican oregano

1 1/3 cups pumpkin seeds

1 large hoja santa leaf, or 2 dried avocado leaves

2 serrano chilies

Salt to taste

Dry roast the pumpkin seeds in a pan until they begin to pop and are lightly toasted. Cool completely, then grind to a fine powder.

Roast the whole serrano chiles using tongs over an open flame until charred. Set aside.

Drain the water from the beans that were soaking overnight. Refill with approximately 5 cups water, add the onions and epazote, and simmer until the beans are cooked but still have a gentle bite, about 15-20 minutes. Set aside.

Add the ground seeds and simmer gently for 10 minutes until the sauce thickens. The sauce will tend to stick to the bottom of the pan, so stir often, scraping the bottom to dislodge stuck paste. Add the hoja santa and the charred chillies and simmer for an additional 5 minutes. Add the salt, stir, taste, and adjust as needed. Serve as a side with any tacos, tostadas, or quesadillas of your choice.