Texas Goes to Cuba Beans
I love Cuban black beans, but my husband hails from Texas and loves pinto beans. Whenever I make beans and I don't include pintos, he gets that slightly disappointed look I call the boo-boo face. To make him happy and still make what I love, I made these beans for a barbecue and they were the hit of the meal.
Yield 10 servings
Ingredients
1 1/2 cups black beans
1 cup pinto beans
12 cups water (plus more for initial boil)
10 peppercorns
1 bay leaf
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil (optional)
4 slices thick cut bacon, cut crosswise into 1/2-inch slices
1 cup chopped onion
1 cup chopped celery
1 serrano chili pepper, minced
2 green bell peppers, chopped (divided use)
3 tablespoons minced garlic
1 tablespoon ground cumin
1 tablespoon dried oregano
2 teaspoons ground coriander
1 tablespoon cider vinegar
1/4 cup brown sugar
1 tablespoon of sherry
1 tablespoon sea salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1 cup chopped fresh cilantro
| 1 | Place the beans in a large pot, add water to cover and bring to a boil. Remove from heat and set aside for 1 hour. |
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| 2 | Drain the beans, then add the 12 cups water, bay leaf and peppercorns. Bring to a boil, then lower the heat to a simmer. Cook, covered, for 1 1/2 hours. |
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| 3 | Meanwhile, fry the bacon in a medium skillet over medium-high heat. If the bacon is very lean, add a little olive oil. Reserve 1/2 cup bell pepper for later use. Add the onion, celery, remaining peppers and cook, stirring, until soft, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic, cumin, oregano, and coriander and cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 1 minute more. (If dry add a bit of oil.) Remove from heat, then add vinegar, scraping up brown bits. |
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| 4 | When the beans have cooked for 1-1/2 hours, add the bacon mixture to the beans. Stir in brown sugar and continue simmering about 1 1/2 hours more. Beans should be tender. |
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| 5 | 10-15 minutes before the beans are done, add the sherry and the reserved bell pepper. Just before serving, season with the salt and pepper to taste, and stir in the cilantro. |
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