A one-dish meal, this stew is usually made with white beans (ibes), although many other varieties are acceptable: lima beans, red beans, pinto beans, black-eyed peas or black beans. Vegetables such as chayotes, sweet potatoes, yams, white potatoes, squash, etc., may be added as you like.

To pan roast garlic and chiles, put in a heavy pan or on a comal over medium-low to medium heat and dry roast, rotating and turning often, until the desired degree of blackness is achieved over about 80 percent of the garlic clove.

Epazote is an herb well-known to Mexican and Caribbean cooking. The name comes from the Aztec (Nahuatl) epazotl. It is also known as pigweed or Mexican tea and is frequently regarded as a garden pest. It is most commonly used in black-bean recipes to ward off some of the "negative" side affects of eating beans. Much like cilantro, it is referred to as an "acquired taste." It is more commonly found in dried form in the United States, but sometimes found fresh in Mexican markets. It is also easy to grow.

POTAGE DE IBES
White Beans with Pork
(Serves 4-6)

1 pound small white beans
1/2 pound pork shoulder or leg, cut in 1-inch squares
1 sprig fresh or 1 tablespoon dried epazote
1 medium white onion, peeled and diced
1/2 pound longaniza or chorizo, cut in bite-sized pieces, optional
1-1/2 tablespoons vegetable oil
6 unpeeled garlic cloves, roasted and peeled
1 habanero chile or 2 to 3 jalapeño or serrano chiles, well charred, left intact
1 cup diced tomatoes
1-1/2 tablespoons Recado Colorado (see recipe below) dissolved in 3 tablespoons sour orange juice or 2 tablespoons mild vinegar
Salt and pepper, to taste
Chopped fresh cilantro, optional
Raw or pickled red onions (see recipe below), optional
Toasted and ground pumpkinseeds, optional
Chopped boiled eggs, optional
Lime wedges, optional

Cook the beans in water to cover until beginning to soften (about 1 hour or 15 minutes in a pressure cooker).

Add the pork and epazote and continue cooking until the beans are done and the pork is tender. Drain and reserve 1 cup of the cooking liquid.

Sauté the onion and longaniza (if using) in the oil until beginning to brown, add the garlic, chile and tomatoes and cook for 1 to 2 minutes more. Add the recado, season with salt and pepper and simmer until the tomatoes are soft.

Combine the beans and pork, reserved cooking liquid and the seasoning fritanga (onion mixture) and simmer 15 minutes to combine the flavors and thicken it a little. Adjust for salt and serve.

Garnish, if desired, with chopped cilantro, raw or pickled red onions, toasted and ground pumpkinseeds, chopped boiled eggs and lime wedges.


Recado Colorado is the most commonly used of the recados in Maya cooking. The Maya use it to season meats, poultry and seafood before cooking and to flavor and color sauces and tamales.

Achiote paste is readily available in markets and groceries in both the United States and Mexico, and the store-bought version, usually labeled Condimento de Achiote, is quite serviceable (Hoyer says he uses it a lot), but at times, it is gratifying to create the distinct flavors of the homemade variety and to control the subtle tastes oneself. The annatto seeds are pretty tough. If you do not have a molcajete or a powerful spice grinder, use pre-ground annatto seeds or stick to the commercially prepared recado.

To toast seeds and spices, put in a heavy pan or on a comal over medium heat and toast until just fragrant. Do not walk away from toasting spices — they burn easily, and if burned, they are bitter and should be discarded.

To pan roast garlic, put the garlic in a heavy pan or on a comal over medium-low to medium heat and dry roast, rotating and turning often, until the desired degree of blackness is achieved over about 80 percent of the garlic clove.

RECADO COLORADO
Red Seasoning Paste
(Makes about 8 ounces)

1/2 cup annatto seeds (achiote) or 1/3 cup ground annatto seeds
2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar, plus more as needed
8 whole allspice berries, lightly toasted
1/2 teaspoon coriander seeds (optional), lightly toasted
2 teaspoons whole black peppercorns, lightly toasted
1/2 teaspoon cumin seeds, lightly toasted
4 to 5 whole cloves, optional
12 to 14 unpeeled garlic cloves, roasted and peeled
1 tablespoon Mexican oregano, lightly toasted
1-1/2 teaspoons salt

Mix the annatto seeds with the 2 tablespoons of vinegar and soak for several hours (if using pre-ground seeds, proceed to the next step without soaking).

Finely grind all the ingredients in a molcajete or durable spice grinder. Mix until a smooth, stiff paste is formed, adding more vinegar as needed. Form into a block or in circular discs, wrap well and refrigerate to store.


These savory, sweet and sour onions are the ubiquitous garnish for the majority of dishes in the Yucatan cooking repertoire, and their striking color and crunchy texture make a suitable embellishment for many other Maya plates as well. They will keep for several months in the refrigerator, and they may be easily canned for long-term storage.

Before serving, take the onions out of the refrigerator to allow them to warm a little; they taste better at room temperature.

To toast seeds and spices, put in a heavy pan or on a comal over medium heat and toast until just fragrant. Do not walk away from toasting spices — they burn easily, and if burned, they are bitter and should be discarded.

To pan roast chiles, put in a heavy pan or on a comal over medium-low to medium heat and dry roast, rotating and turning often, until the desired degree of blackness is achieved over about 80 percent of the chile.

CEBOLLAS MORADAS ENCURTIDAS
Pickled Red Onions
(Makes about 3 cups)

1 cup mild vinegar, such as apple cider, rice or pineapple
1/2 cup sour orange juice or water
1 garlic clove
1 teaspoon whole allspice berries, toasted
2 teaspoons whole black peppercorns, toasted
4 whole cloves
1 (2-inch) piece canela (Mexican cinnamon) or regular cinnamon
4 bay leaves, toasted
1 or 2 sprigs fresh thyme and/or marjoram
1 habanero chile, well-charred, left intact, optional
2 tablespoons canela or raw sugar
1 tablespoon salt
1 unpeeled orange or tangerine
3 large red onions, peeled and sliced 3/8 to 1/4-inch thick in rounds or strips

Put everything except the onions in a nonreactive saucepan. Bring to a boil and cook for 7 minutes. Remove the orange.

Put the onions in a bowl, pour the hot mixture over the onions and stir well.

NOTE: You may strain the liquid to remove the spices before adding to the onions, if you prefer. I like the rustic quality and added flavor gained by leaving them in.

Juice the orange and add the juice to the bowl of onions. Stir again to ensure the onions are completely submerged. Cool to room temperature, stirring several more times. Refrigerate.

(If canning, add the orange juice, skip the cooling, pour into the canning jars and follow canning instructions for heating and sealing.)