Cuban Black
Beans • Frijoles Negros Cubanos
Servings: 8
Ingredients:
1 pound
black beans, picked over and rinsed
½
teaspoon black pepper
¼
teaspoon oregano
10 cups
water
1 bay
leaf
¼ cup
olive oil
2
tablespoons sugar
1 large
onion, minced fine
2
tablespoons wine vinegar
4 cloves
garlic, minced
2
tablespoons sherry
1 bell
pepper, minced
2
tablespoons olive oil
2
teaspoons salt
You can
prepare red and or white beans in a similar manner
Directions
• Wash the
beans and place in large pot with the 10 cups water and leave to soak
for several hours or preferably overnight.
• The next
day, cook the beans in the same water at a slow heat for 45 minutes or more
until they are tender. Cooking time will depend on just how fresh the beans
are.
• Prepare
the sofrito to season the beans. In a large pan, heat the oil and sauté the
onion, garlic and bell pepper for 7 minutes. Ladle out about 1 cupful of
beans from the pot, draining them somewhat and add them to the sofrito pan.
Sauté the beans for a few minutes and
mash them
in the pan with a wooden spoon. Return the beans together with the sautéed
vegetables to the pot.
• Add salt,
pepper, oregano, bay leaf and sugar to the beans. Cook over low heat for
another hour. Taste to correct the seasoning and add salt or pepper as
needed.
• Add the
vinegar and wine and continue cooking for about 30 minutes more to thicken.
At this point the beans will become very thick, so you should stir them
thoroughly every once in a while and take great care that they do not scorch
at the bottom of the pot. Take the pot off the heat and add 2 tablespoons of
olive oil.
• Black
beans will become thicker after being cooked and taste best when left
overnight in the refrigerator. Reheat slowly and carefully, stirring well.
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