'Crafting' Pot of Charro Beans
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2H SAN ANTONIO EXPRESS-NEWS SUNDAY, AUGUST 1, 2010 RECIPE FIND Daughter shares ‘Crafting’ pot of charro beans BY CHRIS DUNN Christie’s story Special to the Express-News Almost everyone has We thought our recent cooked a pot of beans at column was the last one one time or another, but we’d write on Christie’s, few have ever “crafted” the popular, now-closed one. Among those few is restaurant on Broadway. the Fernandez family, But there’s more to tell. whose every batch of La After the column ran Perla Charro Beans can on the history of Christie’s only be described as a and the fact that a Chris- study in artisanal crafts- tie’s restaurant is still KAREN HARAM manship. open in Houston, I heard Juan Miguel Fernan- from KatinaSarrisFrie- tie’s until he died in 1972. dez says his father and dlandwho says, “My fa- My uncle, Jimmy Lampis, owner of La Perla, Mi- ther, Gus Sarris, and my died a few years previous guel Fernandez, is the uncle, Jimmy Lampis, to that. When my father undisputed master when were the owners of Chris- died, my cousin, Johnny it comes to making this tie’s Restaurant here in Lampis, the son of Jimmy recipe, though the son San Antonio. When our Lampis, ran the restau- and other family mem- family moved to San Anto- rant until he sold it. bers assist when the nio around 1940, the first “About this same time, need arises. Juan Miguel restaurant they owned my brother, Christie Sar- says the quality begins HELEN L. MONTOYA/[email protected] was called the Ship Ahoy, ris, established a Christie’s with the ingredients. La Perla Charro Beans are carefully crafted by members of the Fernandez family, owners which was located on Aus- in Austin. It existed for a “We use many ingre- of the restaurant. tin Highway. A year or so number of years until the dients in our charro later they found a location property was sold to build beans; it is really impor- make its presence The Fernandez family on Broadway that they de- ahotel. tant to choose them Bean trivia known, but not so much takes great pride in the cided would be an ideal lo- “I (wrote) because I well.” Q: What is the difference as to overwhelm the attention to every detail cation for a restaurant. thought you would like to This proves to be an between borracho beans beans. The same is true in making their charro “They needed help fi- read a true history of a understatement, as Fer- and charro beans? of the jalapeño. beans. And the end re- nancing the acquisition of wonderful seafood restau- nandez describes in de- A: Borracho (drunken) “If you add too much, sult is a panoply of pork the property and went to rant that was such a part tail what goes into the beans have beer in the (the customers) won’t eat and pintos like none you Mrs. EleftheriaChristie, of San Antonio for so pot. recipe; charro beans the beans,” he says. The have ever tasted. the wife of Theodore long.” “The chorizo is one of usually do not. chicharrones (pork rinds) La Perla is at 2255 S.E. Christie in Houston, who I asked if Friedland had the most important in- are softened in warmed Military Drive. also happened to be my any of Christie’s recipes to gredients,” he says, sug- not canned. The country salsa ranchera before be- mother’s sister. She agreed share. Unfortunately, she gesting that you use only sausage has to have just ing added to the beans. Pat Mozersky’s Chefs’ to help finance the restau- doesn’t, noting “What hap- the highest quality. The the right amount of spi- Fresh cilantro adds just Secrets column will resume rant here and became a pened to the recipes (from tomatoes must be fresh, ciness — enough to the right aromatics. Aug. 15. third partner with the Christie’s), I don’t know.” stipulation the restaurant She was, however, will- be named Christie’s. ing to share one of her “A few years later, Mrs. personal favorite recipes. La Perla Taqueria Tapatia Charro Beans Recipe Christie divorced Mr. “It’s my very favorite Ingredients Directions Christie and decided she Hamburger Stroganoff would rather live in that I think is outstand- 1 pound pinto beans Rinse and sort the beans. Place in a Tester’s Notes: Salt the beans toward Greece where she was ing,” she says. 1 link Mexican chorizo large pot, cover with water, and let the end of cooking — otherwise, they born. At that time, my fa- sausage soak for about an hour. Do not add will never get tender. Before peeling ther and my uncle bought Recipe Find appears Sundays salt at this time. the tomatoes, drop them in boiling out her share of the res- in Taste. If you are looking 6 strips bacon, chopped water for a few seconds, then taurant. The restaurant for a lost recipe or have a fa- Bring to a simmer and cook for about 1 link fully cooked spicy country “shock” them in ice water. The skins was not sold to an out- vorite recipe to share, let us 2 hours or until tender. sausage (like a Hill Country should come off easily. sider, but some time in hear from you. E-mail sausage), cut into small dice Meanwhile, crumble the chorizo in a the ’50s it was leased to [email protected] or skillet over medium heat. Stir, Warming the Salsa Ranchera over a the Hill family from Cor- write Recipe Find, San Anto- 4 fresh plum tomatoes, peeled, breaking it up into very small pieces. very low flame softens the pus Christi. The lease was nio Express-News, P.O. Box seeded, and chopped (see Note) chicharrones more quickly. Iliana de la When it begins to change color, add Vega, with the Center for Foods of for 10 years, and when the 2171, San Antonio, TX 78297- 2 onions, chopped the chopped bacon and gently sauté lease was up, my father 2171. Recipe requests will be the Americas at the Culinary Institute 1 medium green bell pepper, for a few minutes more, until cooked, and my uncle resumed answered in this column only; of America, defines Salsa Ranchera as, seeded, and chopped but not crisp. control of the business. due to time limitations, no “a tomato, serrano chile, white “My father ran Chris- personal replies can be given. 1 jalapeño (or to taste), seeded Add the country sausage, tomatoes, onion, garlic and salt salsa. It is and finely chopped onion, bell pepper and jalapeño. known as salsa ranchera in Central Cook until the vegetables begin to 1 Mexico, in other areas is often ⁄2 small bunch cilantro, chopped soften. Add the cilantro and prepared referred as salsa roja.” There are two Hamburger and Noodles Stroganoff 1 cup chicharrones, chicharrones and cook for an variations: raw ingredients, blended softened in warm additional minute. and then fried; and boiled Ingredients Salsa Ranchera, and cut into When the beans are tender, add the ingredients, blended and fried. 8 ounces wide noodles 1-inch pieces (see Note) garlic and salt to taste. Stir in the Makes 10 servings, each 300 calories (34.6 percent calories from fat), 12 g fat, 20 mg 1 2 cloves garlic, finely minced sausage/vegetable mixture and gently ⁄4 cup butter cholesterol, 330 mg sodium, 34 g simmer for another 30 minutes carbohydrates, 9 g dietary fiber, 16 g protein. 1 Salt, to taste (see Note) ⁄2 cup finely chopped onion before serving. 1 clove garlic, finely chopped 1 ⁄2 pound fresh mushrooms, thickly sliced COOK IT LIGHT (or 1 [6-ounce] can sliced mushrooms, drained) 1 pound ground sirloin 1 tablespoon flour Reduced-fat sweet, crunchy salad 1 (8-ounce) can tomato sauce Original recipe Revised recipe 1 DEAR JEANNE: I had this sal- low-fat version of the dressing, 1(10⁄2-ounce) can beef bouillon, undiluted ad at a friend’s house. I cannot and I came up with amounts 251 calories 137 calories 1 ⁄4 cup Burgundy wine find a lower-fat version of this of cheese, nuts and fruit that 18 g fat 7 g fat 1 teaspoon salt dressing. I’m wondering if you worked. The original dressing could devise one. Thank you. was very sweet, so I made this 5 mg cholesterol 4 mg cholesterol 1 ⁄4 teaspoon pepper —Allison, Lansing, Mich. one sweet too, but if you prefer, 376 mg sodium 160 mg sodium 1 cup dairy sour cream you can add less sugar. I added 22 g carbohydrates 16 g carbohydrates DEAR ALLISON: With no gelatin to thicken it, so remem- 1 cup grated Parmesan cheese 4 g protein 3 g protein amounts in the recipe, I ber that if the dressing gets 2 g fiber 2 g fiber guessed how much of every- warm, because of the gelatin, Directions thing you were using. I made a it will thin out again. Heat oven to 375 degrees. Cook noodles as package label directs; drain. Jeanne Jones’ Cook It Light appears Sundays in Taste. Send your recipe for revision to: Cook It Light, San An- Meanwhile, heat butter in large skillet and sauté onion, tonio Express-News, P.O. Box 1212, La Jolla, CA 92038. Please include a stamped (61 cents), self-addressed enve- garlic and mushrooms until onion is golden, about 5 lope. minutes. Add beef and cook, stirring until it is broken up and browned. Remove from heat; stir in flour and tomato sauce.