Monday, July 21, 2008

Frijoles Negros de mi Tata (Grandmas Cuban Black Beans)

Now these are a HUGE STAPLE I can't live without black beans or other heavy Cuban and Spanish bean based stews. The black beans are the one's most consumed in my household.

This is how my grandma makes them and it makes a delicious simple Cuban black bean soup/ stew. It is not suppose to be thin it is a thick rich bean dish.

Now many Cubans have their own way and secret for making it, and every family has their own "family recipe" my grandmother's is simple, straight forward and delicious. A fragrant sofrito cooked in generous amounts of olive oil, and a kiss of cumin is how grandma always used to make them. Doesn't get more simple and authentic than this.

However I will say I have my own recipe for Cuban black beans that I'll share in the future :)

Ingredients:
-2 cups Black Beans (the fresher the better)
-water enough to submerge beans 1 1/2 - 2 inches
-1/2 larg bell pepper finely minced (I use green)
-1 medium or 1/2 large onion finely minced
-4 cloves of garlic finely minced or through a garlic press
-extra-virgin olive oil
-1-2 teaspoons salt or to taste
-1 teaspoons ground cumin

Directions:
(1) In a medium to large pot rinse and clean black beans and drain.

(2) Add water


(3) Bring to a boil and cover and simmer on low for atleast 1 hour (mine are usually tender in 1 hour, to check take out 1 bean and crush it with your fingers or something if it breaks or feels soft its done, it can take longer for some people if yours take longer that's ok it may take 2 hours for some people) Now cover and leave on really low heat while you do the rest

(4) Heat oil on medium high, sautee onions and bell peppers until translucent and fragrant, add garlic and sautee until garlic is fragrant (DON'T BURN THE GARLIC OUR YOU'LL HAVE TO START OVER)

(5) Add the sautee "sofrito" to the beans, cumin and salt. Stir, cover and simmer 10-20 minutes to infuse.

(6) Taste it to adjust seasoning if it needs more salt or not. To thicken broth mash some beans by pressing and crushing them with a wooden spoon and stir until it reaches the consistency you like, or you can take out some beans with the broth, blend it and add it back.

(7) Turn off heat.

4 comments:

  1. Chico... que maravilla!!!! I love beans... any bean... black, white, pink (he, he, just kidding). I also have some beans' recipes but I will try your Cuban Frijoles Negros, I think I can find some good stuff here too :D

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  2. I love beans to, all types. I consume lots of black, red, white, pinto, peruvian.

    I love other legumes to like lentils and garbanzos.

    Today Im gonna make a "Potaje de Garbanzos Con Patas de Puerco" (Chickpea and Pork Feet Stew)I'll post it at night time here.

    I know there is people who can't stand pork feet but it's so tasty and fatty haha.

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  3. Nathan,
    I made these beans tonight. All I can say is, WOW; they were so good. I served them with the garlic/lime chicken. It's a meal I will definitely be making again. Thanks for posting the recipe.

    kelli

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  4. Hi Kelli :)
    I'm glad your enjoying the recipes from the blog and they've been hits :D Thanks for visiting and trying out some new stuff :) I haven't had the garlic lime chicken in forever your making me crave it now hehe :)

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