Thursday, February 28, 2013

Best Black Beans and Rice - 10/10



This one is actually a two parter. I went all out one night and made beans and rice and enchalatas. I won't repeat the enchalata recipe because the beans and rice stole the show. The blog I got the recipe from said it would change how I thought about black beans and it was absoltely correct.

The original recipe is as follows but I like any soup recipe you can do pretty much whatever you want. The last time I added some homemade chicken broth that I had a stick of cinnamon. Unfortunately I went wasn't being attentive while Jessie and I got engrossed in a TV show and let them over cook.

Ingredients:
  • 1 large Spanish onion diced
  • 4 cloves garlic minced
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 4 tablespoons Olive Oil
  • 1 green pepper cut into 1/2 inch pieces
  • 2 teaspoon oregano
  • 1 tablespoon cumin
  • 1/4 teaspoon cloves
  • 4 15 oz. cans black beans about 6 cups
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon pepper
  • 1/4 cup red wine or cider vinegar
  • 1 tablespoon honey
  • 2 cans (from beans) water
  • sliced avocado and tomato for serving if desired
  • 1 pot of prepared rice of your choosing (we use brown rice)
Method:
  1. Saute onion, garlic and bay leaf in olive oil over medium heat until onion is soft. Add green pepper, oregano, cumin, and cloves. Cook about 2 minutes. Add black beans, salt, pepper, vinegar, honey, and water. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to low and cook at a simmer, loosely covered, for about 2 hours, stirring frequently.
  2. Serve your beans on top of rice with tomatoes and avocado.
  3. Feel free to add whatever else you want. Peppers, chilies, spices. It is hard to mess this up.
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Jessie came up with the second recipe that she had made. Although the first time she made it she accidently dropped the entire salt shaker in the pot. You can reduce the oil a little bit to cut some of the calories and it is still fantastic.

  • 1 cup extra long grain rice or basmati rice
  • 1/2 lime, juice of
  • 2 cups water
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 3 tbsp fresh chopped cilantro
  • 3 tsp vegetable oil

In a small heavy pot, add rice, water, 1 tsp oil and salt. Boil on high until most of the water evaporates. When the water just skims the top of the rice, reduce to low and cover about 15 minutes. Shut off flame and keep covered an additional 5 minute. Or just make in your fancy rice cooker.

In a medium bowl, combine chopped cilantro, lime juice, rice and remaining oil and toss until completely mixed.

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