Refried Beans with Cinnamon and Clove

from the weekly newsletter sent by the The Splendid Table

Excerpted from The Splendid Table's How to Eat Supper: Recipes, Stories, and Opinions from Public Radio's Award-Winning Food Show by Lynne Rossetto Kasper and Sally Swift (Clarkson Potter, April 8, 2008). Copyright 2008 by Lynne Rossetto Kasper and Sally Swift

Serves 4 to 6

5 minutes prep time; 18 minutes stove time
The beans hold in the refrigerator for 5 days; add liquid as needed when reheating.

* Good-tasting extra-virgin olive oil
* 1 large onion, chopped into 1/4-inch dice
* Salt and fresh-ground black pepper
* 4 garlic cloves, fine chopped
* 1 fresh jalapeño, seeded and fine chopped
* 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
* 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
* One 14-ounce can whole tomatoes, drained
* Two 15-ounce cans red kidney beans, rinsed and drained
* 1-1/2 cups water
* 2 Tablespoons butter

1. Generously film the bottom of a 10-inch skillet with olive oil, and heat over medium-high heat. Saute the onions with salt and pepper to taste until they begin to soften, about 3 minutes. You want to hear a sizzle as they cook.

2. Add the garlic, jalapeño, cinnamon, and cloves, and cook the mix until it is fragrant, about 1 minute, taking care not to burn the spices. Add the tomatoes, crushing them as they go into the pan. Saute for another minute.

3. Stir in the beans and water. Bring to a fast simmer, crushing the beans with a potato masher (or the back of a large spoon) as they cook, and scraping the bottom of the pan as the beans begin to thicken. Simmer until the beans are thick, about 10 minutes. Blend in the butter, and taste for seasoning just before serving.