Cuban Style Black Beans and Rice

[Andy M.]

As requested:

Black Beans and Rice

1 Lb Black Beans (dry), cleaned
2 Ea Cloves
1 Ea Small Onion, halved
2 Ea Bay Leaves
4 Cl Garlic, peeled
½ Ea Green Bell Pepper
1 tsp Ground Cumin
1 tsp Dry Oregano
2 Pkts Sazon
2 Tb Olive Oil
½ Ea Small Onion, minced
2 Cl Garlic, minced
½ Ea Green Bell Pepper, minced
3 Ea Scallions, minced
TT Salt and Pepper
6 C Cooked White Rice

Place the beans in a 4-quart saucepan and add cold water to cover the beans by three inches. Soak for at least three hours.

Stick the cloves into the onion and add them to the beans along with the bay leaves, garlic, green pepper, cumin, oregano and Sazon. Bring to a boil and reduce to a simmer. Simmer, covered, for 45 minutes.

Heat the olive oil in a skillet and add the onion, garlic, green pepper, scallion, salt and pepper. Cook over medium heat until the vegetables begin to brown around the edges.

Remove the onion, cloves, bay leaves, garlic, and green pepper from the cooked beans. Stir the sautéed vegetables into the beans and return them to a simmer. Simmer, uncovered, until the liquid reduces and the beans are soupy.

This could take around two hours depending on the amount of liquid used initially, the strength of the simmer and your definition of ‘soupy’.

Season with salt and pepper.

[PrincessFiona60]

Yum! Sounds good Andy!

[buckytom]

looking good, andy. copied and pasted to my recipe file.

btw, ea means each, yes?

[Andy M.]

Originally Posted by buckytom

looking good, andy. copied and pasted to my recipe file.

btw, ea means each, yes?

Yup.

[Alix]

What's Sazon?

And this sounds delicious! I want to try it.

[Dawgluver]

Originally Posted by Alix

What's Sazon?

And this sounds delicious! I want to try it.

It's Mexican MSG, adds a great "something extra" and comes in boxes of little packets. Black beans and rice freezes well too.

[Alix]

Thanks Dawgluver. So I should look in the spice aisle or the ethnic foods aisle. If I can't find it should I sub something or just leave it out?

[Dawgluver]

I'd leave it out, I suppose you could use Accent with some cilantro.

Goya Sazon is the brand I use. It has annatto in it as well.

[buckytom]

alix, it's not just msg. it's a spanish seasoning mix that contains msg. there's a couple of different varieties including salt free.

[Andy M.]

Originally Posted by buckytom

alix, it's not just msg. it's a spanish seasoning mix that contains msg. there's a couple of different varieties including salt free.

What he said. Where I shop it's in the Goya section of ethnic foods. I use the version without annatto.

Goya Products

[Alix]

OK, I'll look for this on my grocery run today. If I get lucky then I'll make this for dinner tomorrow. If not then I guess I get to shop online...aw shucks!

[jennyema]

I love Goya Sazon and put it in almost every savory thing I make ...

But 2 packets sounds like an awful lot to me ....

I make Cuban beans a lot with a different recipe and I only use a pinch -- maybe 1/4 of a packet at most.

That said, this recipe looks really terrific!! I'm going to try it soon, maybe with Cuban pulled pork.

Tnx!





Sazon with azafran or achiote can turn food yellow. If you care you can buy the version without them.

[medtran49]

Sazon used to be the primary seasoning in my ex's camarones criollo (shrimp creole) and arroz con pollo (chicken and yellow rice). He used to pronounce the yellow as "jello" and I wasn't too sure about eating that until he finally talked me into letting him make it for me. Chicken and "jello" rice became a joke when I finally admitted to him why I was so hesitant about trying it. I'd never been exposed to anyone who spoke English as a second language very much previously and was still getting used to that when I met him and thought he was actually using some kind of flavored jello.

Leftover chicken (off bone) and yellow rice is pretty good with black beans mixed in too.

We also use leftover Cuban roast pork and black beans to make a couscous or orzo pasta salad with corn, red bells, red onions, green bells if you want, and a balsamic vinaigrette dressing. Really good if you have leftovers but not enough for another meal as it streeeetches. And, you can even make it without the pork roast and it's still really good and filling because of the black beans, pasta and all the veges.

[Cheryl J]

Sounds delicious, Andy. Copied and pasted. Thank you for sharing.

[Roll_Bones]

I grew up in a Cuban community and my father is Cuban. We ate plenty black beans and rice growing up.
While using dried is more authentic, canned black beans can be used and you can have this dish ready in no time.

Saute bell pepper, onion, garlic, some meat like pieces of ham or bacon and a bay leaf in olive oil. Add canned beans and simmer for about 15 minutes.
Serve over white rice.
I cannot remember the last time I used dried black beans. And I know a couple Cubans that would call canned beans blasphemy.
But they are good and they are fast. In our family, they are also traditional.

[Steve Kroll]

Sounds good, Andy. I love Cuban beans.