Food & Wine USA - (03)March 2020

MARCH 2020 111

Beet-and-Lemon Shrub

TOTAL 20 MIN, PLUS 2 DAYS
REFRIGERATION
MAKES ENOUGH SHRUB FOR 14 COCKTAILS

A shrub is a sweetened, flavored drinking

vinegar that makes for a refreshing cocktail

base. Start the shrub several days before

serving; it takes time for the ingredients

to meld. Fresh beet juice is key—purchase

it from a juice bar, or make it at home;

shelf-stable bottled beet juice won’t have

the same flavor or vibrant color. Mix with a

touch of vodka to stiffen and some seltzer

for spritz, then serve this low-alcohol

cocktail—it’s perfect for brunch.

SHRUB

5 cups water, divided

(^1) / 2 cup granulated sugar
2 Tbsp. distilled white vinegar
1 cup fresh beet juice
1 cup fresh lemon juice
COCKTAIL
2 Tbsp. (1 oz.) vodka (optional)
Chilled seltzer
1 lemon wheel, for garnish

1. Make the shrub: Whisk together 1 cup
   water, sugar, and vinegar in a large bowl
   until sugar is dissolved. Stir in beet juice,
   lemon juice, and remaining 4 cups water.
   Cover and refrigerate at least 2 days or up
   to 1 week.


2. Make a cocktail: Combine^1 / 2 cup beet
   shrub and vodka, if using, in a mixing
   glass; fill glass with ice, and stir until
   frosty. Strain into a large coupe or wine
   glass. Top with a splash of seltzer, and
   garnish with lemon wheel. —NIKI RUSS
   FEDERMAN AND JOSH RUSS TUPPER, RUSS &
   DAUGHTERS, NEW YORK CITY
   MAKE AHEAD Shrub can be covered and
   stored in refrigerator up to 1 week.

Enfrijoladas

TOTAL 2 HR 10 MIN, PLUS 8 HR SOAKING

SERVES 4

A creamy, savory black bean puree

drenches tortillas in this hearty vegetarian

dish. The instructions here call for cooking

beans from scratch; the starchy bean cook-

ing liquid from cooking a full pound of

beans is needed to achieve the correct

sauce texture. Stir leftover beans into

soups, or serve as a side dish for Picadillo-

Stuffed Leaves (recipe p. 40). Avocado

leaves serve a similar purpose as bay

leaves—imparting deep flavor before being

removed prior to serving, leaving a faint

fennel-like flavor behind. Substitute fennel

seeds if avocado leaves are unavailable.

BLACK BEANS

1 lb. dried black beans

5 cups water, plus more for soaking

beans

1 small white onion, peeled

3 medium garlic cloves, smashed

2 dried avocado leaves or^1 / 8 tsp.

fennel seeds

1 epazote sprig, rinsed and roughly

chopped (about 3 Tbsp.) or^1 / 2 tsp.

dried oregano

1 Tbsp. fine sea salt

ENFRIJOLADAS

1 chile de árbol, stemmed and

toasted

(^1) / 2 cup plus 1 Tbsp. vegetable oil,
divided
12 (6-inch) white corn tortillas
Fine sea salt, to taste
8 oz. Oaxaca cheese or low-moisture
mozzarella, torn into strands
2 oz. queso fresco, crumbled (about
(^1) / 2 cup)
Thinly sliced white onion and
chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley, for
garnish

1. Make the black beans: Place beans in a
   large pot; add water to cover by at least 2

inches. Let soak at least 8 hours or up to

overnight. Drain beans.

2. Combine drained beans, 5 cups water,
   onion, garlic, and avocado leaves in a
   large pot; bring to a boil over medium.
   Cover and reduce heat to medium-low;
   simmer, stirring occasionally, until beans
   are tender and creamy, 1 hour and 30
   minutes to 2 hours. Remove from heat.
   Remove and discard onion, garlic, and
   avocado leaves. Stir in epazote and salt.
   Drain beans, reserving cooking broth.


3. Make the enfrijoladas: Combine chile,
   2 cups cooked beans, and 2^1 / 2 cups bean
   cooking broth in a blender. (Reserve
   remaining 4 cups beans and any remain-
   ing cooking broth for another use.) Pro-
   cess mixture until smooth, about 30
   seconds. Set aside.


4. Heat^1 / 2 cup oil in a large skillet over
   medium. Fry tortillas, 1 at a time, until soft
   and pliable, 10 to 20 seconds per side;
   transfer to a baking sheet lined with paper
   towels to drain. Set aside.


5. Heat remaining 1 tablespoon oil in a
   medium saucepan over medium. Add
   bean mixture; cook, stirring often, until
   simmering, 4 to 5 minutes. (The consis-
   tency should be similar to heavy cream;
   stir in water or additional reserved cook-
   ing broth,^1 / 4 cup at a time, if needed to
   loosen.) Remove from heat; season with
   salt to taste.


6. Place 1 tortilla in hot bean mixture in
   pan; let soften, about 15 seconds per side.
   Place tortilla on a serving plate, and fold in
   half. Repeat process with remaining 11
   tortillas, placing 3 folded tortillas on each
   of 4 plates.


7. Spoon remaining hot bean mixture
   evenly over tortillas (about^1 / 3 cup each).
   Sprinkle evenly with Oaxaca cheese and
   queso fresco; garnish with sliced onion
   and chopped parsley. —FROM OAXACA:
   HOME COOKING FROM THE HEART OF
   MEXICO BY BRICIA LOPEZ AND THE LOPEZ
   FAMILY, WITH JAVIER CABRAL, GUELAGUETZA,
   LOS AN G ELES
   MAKE AHEAD Black beans can be cooked
   up to 4 days in advance; bean puree can
   be made up to 2 days in advance. Cover
   and refrigerate both; thin bean puree with
   a splash of water if needed. Tortillas can
   be fried up to 4 hours in advance.
   NOTE Avocado leaves and epazote may be
   purchased at Latin markets or online.
   BEER Lightly malty Mexican lager: Modelo
   Especial. (Turn the Modelo into a
   michelada using Guelaguetza I Love
   Micheladas mix.)