Black Beans and Rice
The original Spanish name of this dish was Cristianos y Moros (Christians and Moors). Despite its politically incorrect history, this Latino soul food is a versatile crowd-pleaser: non-dairy, pareve (that’s ‘neutral’ for those who don’t speak kosher), high fiber, suitable as a vegetarian meal, and equally good as a side dish with roast chicken, pork or sausage.... See More
Serves 4; recipe can be doubled.
2 cups white short grain or Valencia rice
2 cans black beans OR 1 cup dried*
1 medium sweet or yellow onion, diced
3 cloves garlic, chopped
1 small stalk celery, diced (optional; leave it out if you don’t like celery)
1 green pepper, diced (instead of bell pepper, you can use Cuban, Anaheim or Pasilla for a little heat)
1 tsp cumin seeds or ½ tsp ground cumin
2 tsp dried oregano (or a couple of sprigs fresh, if you have it)
1 small bay leaf (optional)
Salt to taste
½ cup (4oz) chicken or vegetable broth or water, if needed
Olive oil for cooking
Chopped fresh onion, tomato, parsley or cilantro, and capers or pickles for garnish
Lime or lemon wedges
Gently preheat on the stove a large heavy saucepan (preferably enameled cast iron or stainless steel) with a well-fitting lid. Add olive oil to generously coat the bottom of the pan (but not enough so the vegetables will be swimming in it). Throw in the onions and sauté, stirring, until they become translucent. Add green pepper, garlic, and spices, stir, and sauté over medium heat until onions just begin to color. Add the beans, with the liquid from the can (best if you use a brand without too many additives/preservatives). Add broth or water. Season to taste and stir. Increase heat to high just until beans boil; then turn heat right down to low, cover and simmer 15 minutes. Consistency is a matter of taste, but if you accidentally add a little too much liquid, don’t worry. Just simmer the beans a bit longer with the lid off until some of the broth evaporates. This is a forgiving dish and does not mind waiting on the stove, over low heat, until you’ve got the rest of dinner ready.
Serve with the garnishes in separate bowls on the table, so people can add what they like.
* If using dried black beans, they first must be prepared according to the directions on the package. Absent other directions, you can either soak them overnight, or boil them for an hour and let sit for an hour. Then drain and proceed as for canned beans.
In the unlikely event of leftovers, you can turn this dish into a delicious black bean soup: Add chicken or vegetable stock, according to your preference, to the leftover beans, to roughly triple the volume. Blend with a stick blender or in a food processor until most of the beans are pureed (it’s better with a little texture to it). Bring just to a boil and then simmer 15 minutes. This soup may be served alone as a starter, or over a mound of leftover rice in a wide soup plate for a meal in a bowl. You can add a dollop of sour cream or crème fraiche for garnish along with the others suggested above.
The original Spanish name of this dish was Cristianos y Moros (Christians and Moors). Despite its politically incorrect history, this Latino soul food is a versatile crowd-pleaser: non-dairy, pareve (that’s ‘neutral’ for those who don’t speak kosher), high fiber, suitable as a vegetarian meal, and equally good as a side dish with roast chicken, pork or sausage.... See More
Serves 4; recipe can be doubled.
2 cups white short grain or Valencia rice
2 cans black beans OR 1 cup dried*
1 medium sweet or yellow onion, diced
3 cloves garlic, chopped
1 small stalk celery, diced (optional; leave it out if you don’t like celery)
1 green pepper, diced (instead of bell pepper, you can use Cuban, Anaheim or Pasilla for a little heat)
1 tsp cumin seeds or ½ tsp ground cumin
2 tsp dried oregano (or a couple of sprigs fresh, if you have it)
1 small bay leaf (optional)
Salt to taste
½ cup (4oz) chicken or vegetable broth or water, if needed
Olive oil for cooking
Chopped fresh onion, tomato, parsley or cilantro, and capers or pickles for garnish
Lime or lemon wedges
Gently preheat on the stove a large heavy saucepan (preferably enameled cast iron or stainless steel) with a well-fitting lid. Add olive oil to generously coat the bottom of the pan (but not enough so the vegetables will be swimming in it). Throw in the onions and sauté, stirring, until they become translucent. Add green pepper, garlic, and spices, stir, and sauté over medium heat until onions just begin to color. Add the beans, with the liquid from the can (best if you use a brand without too many additives/preservatives). Add broth or water. Season to taste and stir. Increase heat to high just until beans boil; then turn heat right down to low, cover and simmer 15 minutes. Consistency is a matter of taste, but if you accidentally add a little too much liquid, don’t worry. Just simmer the beans a bit longer with the lid off until some of the broth evaporates. This is a forgiving dish and does not mind waiting on the stove, over low heat, until you’ve got the rest of dinner ready.
Serve with the garnishes in separate bowls on the table, so people can add what they like.
* If using dried black beans, they first must be prepared according to the directions on the package. Absent other directions, you can either soak them overnight, or boil them for an hour and let sit for an hour. Then drain and proceed as for canned beans.
In the unlikely event of leftovers, you can turn this dish into a delicious black bean soup: Add chicken or vegetable stock, according to your preference, to the leftover beans, to roughly triple the volume. Blend with a stick blender or in a food processor until most of the beans are pureed (it’s better with a little texture to it). Bring just to a boil and then simmer 15 minutes. This soup may be served alone as a starter, or over a mound of leftover rice in a wide soup plate for a meal in a bowl. You can add a dollop of sour cream or crème fraiche for garnish along with the others suggested above.
No comments:
Post a Comment