Cuba / Side
Rice with Black Beans (Arroz con Frijoles Negros)
Arroz con frijoles negros (rice with black beans) is one of the many rice and bean dishes that are extremely popular throughout Latin America, especially in the Caribbean. Most people serve meat or fish with rice and beans. However, it also works well as a vegetarian or vegan main course. Below is the Cuban version of this dish.
Ingredients
- dried black beans, dried; 500 g1 lb
- green pepper, halved; seeds and stem removed1
- olive oil1/3 cup
- onion, chopped1
- garlic, smashed and chopped4 clove
- green pepper, seeds and stem removed; chopped1
- salt4 tsp
- pepper1/2 tsp
- oregano1 tsp
- bay leaf1
- sugar, or 1/2 packet low-calorie sweetener2 tbsp
- cider vinegar2 tbsp
- dry white wine, dry; cooking wine or dry sherry is fine2 tbsp
- olive oil, see steps for quantities
- converted rice, converted (parboiled)2 cup
Quantities are auto-calculated from the original recipe as a guide. Items without numbers (e.g. “to taste”) are not changed.
Method 9 steps
The night before you plan to cook, wash the beans and soak them in a large pot with 10 cups of water and one half of a green pepper.
The next day, cook them in the same water until they are softer (a low boil, stirring occasionally, about an hour).
In a frying pan, heat two tablespoons of oil and sauté the chopped onion, garlic, and green pepper (this is called a sofrito) until soft (about 5–10 minutes).
Take a cup of the soft black beans in some liquid and put in a blender. Liquefy the beans. Add this to the frying pan and mix the bean liquid with the sofrito. Then, add the contents of the frying pan to the big pot of beans. Add salt, pepper, oregano, bay leaf, and sugar.
Boil about another hour, stirring occasionally. Add vinegar and cooking wine.
Boil for about another hour to thicken. Add the 2 tablespoons olive oil and serve.
In another large sauce pan, combine rice, 4½ cups water, and 2 tablespoons olive oil.
Bring to a boil then reduce to simmer for about 20 minutes.
Fluff the rice with a fork once the water has evaporated.
