NEW AGE SOUL FOOD
with a
Caribbean & Mexican Flare
8 – 10 Servings
Ingredients
1 pound dry black beans
4 cups water
3 bay leaves
5 garlic cloves, whole
2 thyme sprigs
2 scallions, whole
1 tablespoon granulated garlic
1 tablespoon granulated onion
3 teaspoons sea salt – Used more than once
3 teaspoons Sazon – Used more than once
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 medium onion, diced
1 medium red bell pepper, diced
1 chipotle pepper in adobo sauce minced
2 cups long grain rice, raw
Note: If you use commercial Sazon which contains msg/salt do not use any additional salt.
Method
Sort beans, removing any broken beans and other debris and rinse in cold water thoroughly. Drain and add to a large pot, the water, bay leaves and garlic cloves. Bring pot up to a boil cover and remove from heat. Let beans soak for 1 hour undisturbed. After the soaking period is over, add the thyme sprig, crush the scallions in your hand then add them along with the granulated garlic, granulated onions, 2 teaspoons of sea salt and 1 teaspoon sazon seasoning. Mix thoroughly and cook, covered over medium heat 1 hour or until beans are tender stirring occasionally. While beans are cooking, heat a medium saucepan over medium heat add the olive oil, diced onions and pepper, 1 teaspoon of sazon seasoning, ½ teaspoon sea salt saute until onions are tender. Set them to the side.
Once beans are done, remove the bay leaves, thyme stems and the scallions and discard. Remove the garlic cloves and mash them in the sauteed onions and peppers you set to the side.
Using a slotted spoon or skimmer, remove the beans from the pot and put them in a large bowl.
Add the sauteed vegetables and 1 teaspoon sazon seasoning to the bean broth, mix and bring the pot up to a boil. Taste the broth for flavor and adjust seasoning if necessary.
Mix in the rice and 1½ cup of beans, make sure the mixture is covered by at least 1 inch of liquid. If not add water or vegetable broth taste for flavor and adjust accordingly.
Cover with a tight-fitting lid, reduce the heat to its lowest setting and cook for 15 minutes or until rice is done.
Remove from heat and gently mix to combine. Cover and let pot sit undisturbed another 6 minute.
The unused portion of the beans, I place 2 cups in pint size freezer bag and freeze them. I pull them out of the freezer the day before I’m going to use them and let them thaw in the refrigerator. I treat them as if they were canned beans.
Method
Sort beans, removing any broken beans and other debris and rinse in cold water thoroughly. Drain and add to a large pot, the water, bay leaves and garlic cloves. Bring pot up to a boil cover and remove from heat. Let beans soak for 1 hour undisturbed. After the soaking period is over, add the thyme sprig, crush the scallions in your hand then add them along with the granulated garlic, granulated onions, 2 teaspoons of sea salt and 1 teaspoon sazon seasoning. Mix thoroughly and cook, covered over medium heat 1 hour or until beans are tender stirring occasionally. While beans are cooking, heat a medium saucepan over medium heat add the olive oil, diced onions and pepper, 1 teaspoon of sazon seasoning, ½ teaspoon sea salt saute until onions are tender. Set them to the side.
Once beans are done, remove the bay leaves, thyme stems and the scallions and discard. Remove the garlic cloves and mash them in the sauteed onions and peppers you set to the side.
Using a slotted spoon or skimmer, remove the beans from the pot and put them in a large bowl.
Add the sauteed vegetables and 1 teaspoon sazon seasoning to the bean broth, mix and bring the pot up to a boil. Taste the broth for flavor and adjust seasoning if necessary.
Mix in the rice and 1½ cup of beans, make sure the mixture is covered by at least 1 inch of liquid. If not add water or vegetable broth taste for flavor and adjust accordingly.
Cover with a tight-fitting lid, reduce the heat to its lowest setting and cook for 15 minutes or until rice is done.
Remove from heat and gently mix to combine. Cover and let pot sit undisturbed another 6 minute.
The unused portion of the beans, I place 2 cups in pint size freezer bag and freeze them. I pull them out of the freezer the day before I’m going to use them and let them thaw in the refrigerator. I treat them as if they were canned beans.
