Black beans and Rice
yield: serves 2-4 people; easily scaled up or downward
prep time: see discussion of bean soaking below. Hands-on prep, about 30 minutes, then 1-2.5 hours cooking time, depending on age of beans and whether you add a ham hock.
Before starting the recipe, be sure your beans are fresh. If your beans have been sitting in the cupboard for months or longer, please toss them and buy a fresh bag. If possible, buy beans that have a sell-by date or give a “packed on” date. Barring these, buy your beans at a store with a lot of turnover.
3/4 cup/6 ounces/180 grams black beans
olive oil, for the pot
1 carrot, scraped and cut into coins
1 shallot, peeled and chopped
1 stick celery, chopped
1 garlic clove, peeled and minced
bay leaf
parsley
ham hock (optional)
salt and pepper
3/4 cup/6 ounces/180 grams Basmati rice
optional extras:
your favorite hot sauce
sliced onion
sliced avocado
lemon or lime wedges
sour cream
tortillas
Soaking the beans:
I buy Rancho Gordo beans, and soak them for 3-4 hours in regular tap water. If you have a bean soaking method that works for you, by all means use it. This is what works for me.
I rinse the beans in a colander and cook them in fresh tapwater. Again, I know people have strong opinions about this. Do what works best for you. They’re beans, okay? This is not the UN.
If you don’t have a bean pot, use a heavy pot with a lid. Lacking a lid, use tinfoil. A clay or ceramic pot is ideal, but use what you have. Add just enough olive oil to cover the bottom of the pot. Add the carrot, shallot, celery, garlic, bay leaf, and parsley. Turn the heat to low and simmer the aromatics gently for a few minutes. Add the beans and just enough water to just cover–don’t swamp the beans.
If you are adding the ham hock, put it atop the beans.
Bring the beans to a gentle boil, stir as best you can, given the ham hock, then turn the heat down to simmer. Skim off any foam that rises, then put the lid on. Given my stove, I need to tinker with the heat level to ensure it simmers rather than boils. If you have the same issue, consider buying a flame tamer. They’re inexpensive and easily found at hardware stores.
Cooking time depends on the age of the beans. Mine beans are ready in an hour, but yours may need more time.
Once the beans are soft, you can add salt.
The ham hock, if you’re using it, may take longer to cook. Just keep the heat at a medium low simmer. Once the ham hock is soft, remove it to a dish and let it cool. When you are able to handle it, tear the meat from it in fork-size pieces. Put these back in the bean pot. As cook, you get to sample the hock to ensure it tastes right.
If you’re having rice with your beans, now is the time to make it. Get your rice pot out, or turn on your rice cooker.
You can serve black beans and rice separately, or spoon the beans over the rice.
Black beans and rice keeps, refrigerated, up to five days. Black beans may be frozen up to three months. Rice may be frozen up to two months. It is not a good keeper. If you aren’t freezing it, eat it within four days.
Serve black beans and rice with sliced avocado, onion, tomatoes, lettuce, tortillas, hot sauce, and sour cream. Black beans and rice dish is a classic dish with countless variations. The recipe is but one.