← Nouns Cooking · Caribbean

Ingredients

• 450 g dried black beans, soaked overnight
• 2 l Water
• 2 Bay leaves
• 3 tbsp Olive oil
• 1 Onion, finely chopped
• 1 green pepper, finely chopped
• 4 cloves Garlic, minced
• 1½ tsp ground cumin
• 1 tsp Dried oregano
• 2 tbsp white or red wine vinegar
• 1 tsp Sugar
• 2 tsp Salt
• ½ tsp Black pepper
• ½ Red onion, finely chopped, to serve (optional)
• chopped coriander, to serve (optional)

Method

1. Drain the soaked beans and put them in a large pot with the water and bay leaves. Bring to the boil, skim off any foam, then cover partly and simmer for 1½–2 hours until the beans are completely soft.
2. When the beans are nearly ready, make the sofrito: heat the oil in a frying pan over medium heat and cook the onion and green pepper for 8–10 min until soft and lightly golden. Add the garlic, cumin and oregano and stir for 1 minute.
3. Scrape the sofrito into the beans with a ladle of the bean liquid swirled round the pan to catch every bit.
4. Mash about a cup of the beans against the side of the pot (or blend a ladleful) to thicken the soup. Stir in the vinegar, sugar, salt and pepper.
5. Simmer uncovered for 20 min, stirring now and then, until creamy. Add a splash of water if it gets too thick. Remove the bay leaves and adjust the vinegar and salt.
6. Serve in bowls topped with chopped red onion and coriander, or ladle over white rice.

Tips

• In a hurry? Use 3 × 400 g cans of black beans with their liquid and about 750 ml water; simmer for 20 minutes after adding the sofrito.
• Salt the beans only once they are soft; salting early can keep the skins tough.

Sources

Written in our own words after cross-checking these recipes:

Curious Cuisiniere Delish D'Lites