Name: Cuban Black Beans (Frijoles Negros)
Yield: Serves 6 with rice
Cuisine: Cuba
Ingredients: 1 lime, cut in half; 2 bay leaves; 1½ teaspoons salt; 2 cups small black beans, soaked overnight in water to cover by 2 inches and drained, or 6 cups cooked black beans; ¼ teaspoon ground cumin; Sprig of oregano (optional); 2 onions, minced; About 2 ounces Canadian bacon, cut into small cubes (optional); 4 cloves garlic, minced; Approximately 7 cups water; 2 tablespoons bacon drippings, lard, or olive oil

Preparation info

Serves
6
with rice

Difficulty
Easy

Appears in

Seductions of Rice

By Jeffrey Alford and Naomi Duguid

Published 1998

About

This rich-tasting bean dish is meant to be served over a mound of white long-grain rice, preferably rice cooked Cuban-style.

As with many bean dishes, we like to cook twice as many beans as we need, then freeze half. Cooked beans are always handy to have around. To thaw, just place in a pot with a little hot water over medium heat. If you’re making this dish, put some rice on to cook and then prepare the sofrito while the frozen beans are warming.