Photo courtesy of Emdot/Marya

Frijol – Official State Vegetable of New Mexico

The pinto bean (Spanish: frijol pinto, literally “painted bean”) is named for its mottled skin (compare pinto horse), hence it is a type of mottled bean.  In the southwest United States, the pinto bean is an important symbol of regional identity. Along with the chile/chilli, it is one of the official state vegetables of New Mexico (under the name frijol). The prepared beans are commonly known as frijoles.

Source: Wikipedia

According to the New Mexico State Legislature, in 1965, the legislative debate over the adoption of the state vegetable centered on the argument that the two vegetables were inseparable, so both the chile and frijoles were adopted as the official state vegetables.

Frijoles Recipe

First Round of Ingredients

• 1-1/2 – 2 cups pinto beans
• 10 cups water
• ham hock or a couple of strips of bacon
• 3 bay leaves
• a couple of hot dry red chiles like pico de gallo or pequin

Second round of ingredients

• Half a dozen cloves of garlic
• 1 Tablespoon dry leaf oregano
• 1 tsp. whole cumin seed, crushed a bit
• Black pepper to taste
• 1-4 Tablespoon ground chile powder
• 1 tsp. vinegar

Third round of ingredients

• 1/2 tsp. baking soda
• 1/2 tsp. sugar
• bit of salt

Directions

1. Wash and clean beans thoroughly and then soak them overnight with the first round of ingredients.
2. Heat ingredients until they are at a medium simmer. Simmer for several hours.
3. Add second round of ingredients and simmer for several hours until beans are tender.
4. Add water as needed during this time. Water should cover the beans. Simmer until beans are tender.
5. Remove mixture from heat and add third round of ingredients.
   Note: Don”t add the salt until the frijole (beans) are done, or they will get  tough. For refried beans (frijoles refritos), take some of the bean mixture and fry it in a pan with some bacon grease.

Delicious Frijoles Just for You

The New Mexico Legislature adopted the biscochito (bizcochito) as the official state cookie in 1989.  This act made New Mexico the first state to have an official state cookie.

The History of Biscochitos:

New Mexico State Cookie

How to Make Biscochitos

Ingredients for Biscochitos

• 6 C. flour
• 1/4 Tsp. salt
• 3 Tsp. baking powder
• 1-1/2 C. sugar
• 2 Tsp. anise seeds
• 2 eggs
• 2 C. lard
• 1/4 C. brandy
• 1/4 C. sugar
• 1 Tbsp. cinnamon

Directions for Biscochitos

1. Sift flour with baking powder and salt.
2. In separate bowl, cream lard with sugar and anise seeds until fluffy.
3. Beat in eggs one at a time.
4. Mix in flour and brandy until well blended.
5. Refrigerate 2-3 hours.
6. Turn dough out on floured board and pat or roll to 1/4- or 1/2-inch thickness.
7. Cut into shapes (the fleur-de-lis is traditional) and dust with a mixture of sugar and cinnamon.
8. Bake 10-12 minutes at 350°F or until browned

Other Delicious Anise Cookies for You

Pecans are both the state nut of Alabama, and the state tree of Texas.  These nuts are also an important agricultural product in many US states, the top five of which are: Texas, Georgia, Alabama, Louisiana, and Oklahoma, according to the College of Agriculture, New Mexico State University.

These Swedish Nuts are a wonderful holiday snack food, and they make a perfect recipe for a classroom state report project.

Swedish Nuts

[ad#Google 250 x 250 right]Calories per serving: 220 per 1/2 cup

Cooking and Preparation Time: 40 minutes

Ingredients

• 1 egg white, slightly beaten
• 2 cups pecan or walnut halves
• 1/3 cup sugar
• 2 teaspoons ground cardamom

Directions

1. Heat oven to 300F°.
3. Grease 15 x 10 x 1-inch pan with shortening or cooking spray.
4. In medium bowl, mix egg white and pecan halves until pecans are coated and sticky.

In small bowl, mix sugar and cardamom; sprinkle over pecans. Stir until pecans are completely coated. Spread pecans in a single layer in pan.

Bake about 30 minutes or until toasted. Cool completely or serve slightly warm. Store tightly covered up to 3 weeks.

New twist: Ground cinnamon can be substituted for the cardamom; both spices are perfect for the holidays.

More Delicious Treats