Tutu à Mineira

The mashed beans from our Brazilian night. This recipe is enough for three hungry, wintered-in Seattlites - scale up, by all means. We used flaky, toasted manioc flour (farofa) instead of the fine manioc flour, and it was tasty.

Tutu à Mineira
1/2 lb black beans
(optional: sprig of epazote)
water to cover
3 cups beer or salted water (1 tsp per cup)

1 1/2 Tbl extra-virgin olive oil or canola oil
1 medium onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, pressed or minced
1 large tomato, chopped (if you're feeling ambitious, peel, core and seed)
1 green bell pepper, cored, seeded, and chopped
1/2 cup flaky manioc flour
1/2 tsp fresh oregano, chopped (or 1/4 tsp dry)
1/4 cup fresh curly parsley, chopped
salt and pepper to taste
1/2 cup scallion greens, chopped (save the white bulbs for another use)

1. Pick through the beans for any rocks or broken pieces. Rinse.
2. Soak the beans overnight, or quick-soak the beans by putting in a saucepan with enough water to cover by an inch, cover, bring to a boil for 2 minutes, and remove from heat and let sit for an hour.
3. When ready to cook the beans (they should take about 45 minutes), rinse them and refresh the water to cover by 2 inches or so.
4. Add additional beer or salted water and epazote, if using, and simmer on medium-low for 40-50 minutes. (Keep all bean-cooking liquid.)
5. Meanwhile, chop vegetables.
6. Sauté onion and garlic in oil over medium heat for about 5 minutes, until onion is translucent.
7. Add tomato and green pepper and continue to cook until the peppers are limp and almost tender, about 4 minutes.
8. Add manioc flour, toss, and continue cooking another minute.
9. Add 2-3 cups of bean-cooking water, a little at a time and stirring constantly, until the mixture forms a light, wet paste (warning: this will be gluey!)
10. Fold in the oregano and parsley and set aside.
11. Season the beans with salt and pepper to taste, and drain (keeping cooking liquid!).
12. Transfer beans to a food processor, pulse beans on and off in batches until smooth, adding a little bean liquid as needed to keep the mixture loose. You may not use all the bean liquid.
13. Process in batches, as needed, until all beans are processed and are a smooth and soft, but not heavy, texture.
14. Place the bean pureé in a clean pot. Add the vegetable mixture and fold together.
15. Keep warm, preferably over a pan of simmering water, until ready to serve.
16. Serve with scallions sprinkled on top, as a part of a meal with rice, kale, and a fried banana.