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.