I adapted this recipe from one that I saw in the beautiful Saveur magazine many years ago. You make a big pot of beans, have some for dinner, leftovers the next day, and freeze the rest in containers for another time. As the article mentions, the secret of these tasty beans is the sofrito of green onions, garlic and green pepper. A sofrito consists of aromatic ingredients which have been cut into very small pieces and slowly sautéed in oil. It is used to flavor many types of dishes and the ingredients vary depending upon what country you visit.
Green onions, Anaheim pepper, garlic, olive oil and a sprig of fresh oregano. The original recipe calls for a small green pepper but I substituted an Anaheim which I prefer due to its milder flavor.
Chopped Anaheim pepper, garlic and green onions.
Cooking the sofrito.
Sofrito after 10 minutes of cooking.
Cuban Style Black Beans
Updated 5/13/16
Adapted from Saveur Magazine
Ingredients
4 cups dried black beans
1 sprig fresh oregano
4 tablespoons olive oil, divided
1 tablespoon ground cumin
12 green onions, trimmed and finely chopped
6 cloves of garlic, peeled and finely chopped
1 medium Anaheim pepper, seeded and finely chopped
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Preparation
Sort through the beans and remove any small stones or broken beans. Rinse under cold water. Place the beans, oregano and 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a large pot. Cover the beans with cold water by 3 inches. Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce heat to medium so that the beans are just simmering (uncovered). Stoves may vary in temperature settings, adjust the heat as needed. Set the timer for 1 hour. Check the water level and add more hot water as needed to keep the beans covered. Set the timer for another 1/2 hour.
Check the beans to see if they are done. If they need more time, check them again in 15 minutes. It typically takes about 2 hours for the beans to be the right texture. Stir in the sofrito (directions below) and adjust seasoning. Beans need to be seasoned well or they will be bland so now is the time to add additional salt, about 1 1/2 teaspoons of kosher salt. Taste the beans and adjust seasoning as needed. The beans should not be dry, they should “soupy.” As the beans cool they will absorb more of the liquid. Continue to simmer the beans with the sofrito for a few minutes to blend the flavors.
Make the sofrito
While the beans are cooking, make the sofrito. Heat the remaining 3 tablespoons of olive oil in a small skillet over medium heat. Add the cumin, green onions, garlic and pepper and sauté for approximately 10 minutes, stirring often. If your heat is too high, turn it down to medium-low to avoid burning the garlic. Season with 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt and a few grinds of pepper.
For the Pressure Cooker:
Place 4 cups rinsed beans in your pressure cooker. Add 8 1/2 cups water, a sprig of oregano and a tablespoon of olive oil. Cook for 35 minutes. Check the beans by using the cold water release method. If the beans need more time, return to the stove and cook for another 5 minutes. Once beans are fully cooked, place the uncovered pot on the stovetop over medium heat and add the sofrito. Cook for a few minutes (or longer if you want to reduce the liquid a bit) to blend flavors.
*The beans freeze nicely and come in handy on a busy workday and they make a delicious filling for a vegetarian burrito.
