Rinse the beans thoroughly and put them in a 3
quart microwavable casserole.
Add 3 cups of water, cover and microwave on high
100% for 10-15 minutes, until boiling.
Stir the beans and let stand, covered for at
least 1 hour.
Halve each of the onions.
Chop one half finely cover, and set aside.
Drain the beans in a colander and return the
beans to the casserole.
Add the remaining 3 cups of water and the 5 onion
halves and season with salt and pepper.
Cover microwave on high 100% for 12-15 minutes,
until boiling.
Stir the beans, cover again and cook on medium
50% for 35-50 minutes until the beans are tender, stirring after 10
minutes.
Let stand, covered, for 5 minutes.
Drain the beans in colander, reserving the
cooking liquid.
Remove and discard the onions.
Put the beans in a bowl, add 1/4 cup of the
reserved cooking liquid, discarding the rest.
Mash the bean thoroughly.
Combine the butter with the chopped onion and
garlic in a 1 cup glass measure.
Microwave on high 100% for 3-4 minutes, until the
butter is melted and the onion is softened.
Add the butter onion mixture to the mashed beans
and season with salt and pepper.
Transfer the beans to a shallow 10" microwavable
dish.
Top with the grated cheese and microwave on
medium 50% for 2-4 minutes, until the cheese is melted.
Serves 6-8
Note :
Refried beans are the expected side dish
at nearly any Mexican, but the smooth mash of beans flavored with onions
and garlic is good at nearly any meal. If you do not have Monterey jack
cheese on hand, substitute cheddar.
Cooking Tip :
No need to soak the beans overnight when
you have a microwave. "Soaking" in the microwave takes only 15 minutes
followed by an hour's standing time. The beans are then ready to cook.
