| Rice Cooked in Black Beans | Print |
- 4 cloves of garlic, peeled
- 2 teaspoons of salt
- 4 strips of bacon, chopped
- 2 tablespoons olive oil (or sunflower oil)
- 1 onion, finely chopped (about 1 cup)
- 1 green pepper, seeded and finely chopped
- 1 bay leaf
- ¼ teaspoon ground cumin
- ½ teaspoon dried oregano
- 1½ cups long grain white rice
- 2 cups cooked black beans with ⅓ cup of their cooking liquid(could substitute 2 15½ oz. cans of black beans with their liquid) See about cooking black beans below.
- 1 cup chicken stock + ¾ cup water (or all water if you don't have chicken stock on hand)
- 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
- Roughly chop the garlic on a cutting board and then sprinkle with 1 teaspoon of salt. Let it sit for a few minutes (while you start cooking the bacon). Then mince garlic and salt into a paste with a large knife. Set aside.
- Place the chopped bacon and olive oil in a large lidded pot over medium high heat. Saute the bacon until it renders its fat and turns a golden brown color, about 6 minutes. Stir to prevent sticking as it cooks. A little sticking is okay- in fact it's a good thing.
- Add the onion, green pepper and garlic paste to the bacon and saute until the veg starts to soften and appear somewhat translucent, about 7-10 minutes. Add the remaining teaspoon of salt, bay leaf, cumin oregano and rice, and stir for one minute until well mixed and the rice is coated in oil.
- Add the beans and their liquid, along with the 1 cup chicken stock + ¾ cup water, and the vinegar. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer. Cover and cook for 35 to 40 minutes, or until all the water/stock has been absorbed by the rice. Allow the pot to sit, still covered, for at least 5 minutes before serving.
Really delicious as is, or may be served with:
*a dollop of yogurt
*chopped cilantro
*grated cheddar
*your favorite chips and salsa
*guacamole or simply some diced avocado
*leftover rice & beans would make a great breakfast with a fried egg on top
*COOKING CLASS**
Let’s talk for a bit about cooking dried beans. We all know the benefits: they’re super affordable, super nutritious, they have a super creamy texture, less salt – so many virtues. Knowing this, we still often shy away from cooking our own beans for a variety of reasons, including time and convenience. Here are some thoughts that might clarify the process:
To soak or not to soak?
Soaking these beans from FTY is not essential, they are uber fresh and cook relatively quickly. However, soaking can lead to better digestion – so this becomes an individual choice.
Start simply – only cook as many beans as you need in a recipe, such as the rice & beans recipe above – that way, your kitchen is not overrun by beans, beans and more beans.
If you do have extra beans, they are great in salads, or added to soups or stir-frys, or can be frozen and used later.
Here’s how I cooked my beans for the above recipe:
~I did an 8 hour soak of 2 cups of beans (because I’m in the habit of soaking – next time I won’t, and do a comparison).
~Rinse well and place the beans in a pot with 7 cups of water, 2 bay leaves and 2 teaspoons of salt (salting beans is also controversial – some say it toughens their skins, I ignore this).
~Bring to a boil, cover and reduce heat to low – simmer for about 1 hour and then check for doneness.
~My beans took roughly 1 1/2 hours
~Give it a try! I’d love to know how your beans turned out, or any recipe for that matter, so please leave a comment.