Adapted from: America's Test Kitchen
Serves: 4-5
Rest time: 8-24 hours
Prep time: 15 minutes
Cook time: 90 minutes
Ingredients:
1.5 tbsp salt + more
185 g (6.5 oz) dried black beans
475 ml (2 cups) vegetable broth, reduced sodium
475 ml (2 cups) water
2 green capsicums / bell peppers, halved and seeded
1 large onion, halved with root end intact, peeled
1 head of garlic halved at equator, skin on
2 bay leaves
1.5 tsp salt, divided
6 slices bacon, finely chopped
4 tsp ground cumin
1 tbsp fresh (1 tsp dried) oregano, minced
5 garlic cloves, minced
1.5 cup brown or white rice
2 tbsp red wine vinegar
2 scallions
1-2 limes
185 g (6.5 oz) dried black beans
475 ml (2 cups) vegetable broth, reduced sodium
475 ml (2 cups) water
2 green capsicums / bell peppers, halved and seeded
1 large onion, halved with root end intact, peeled
1 head of garlic halved at equator, skin on
2 bay leaves
1.5 tsp salt, divided
6 slices bacon, finely chopped
4 tsp ground cumin
1 tbsp fresh (1 tsp dried) oregano, minced
5 garlic cloves, minced
1.5 cup brown or white rice
2 tbsp red wine vinegar
2 scallions
1-2 limes
Let it be said this photo does no justice to the warm cumin and lime-tanged bites you will devour. It took an entire day to get to this point and it tastes like that hard work paid off ten-fold. Your taste buds transported you far away from your messy kitchen to a little villa. Or perhaps a quiet campsite. Or even a packed street filled with the sounds and smells of dinners being prepared within every threshold.
This is probably one the lengthiest meal preps I will ever endeavor over and over again. It is also one of the most delicious. And it has bacon in it (sshhhhhh). But it's easy enough to modify for veggie/vegans. I have too many favourite parts of this recipe. I am most fascinated by cooking dried beans and plopping in the root end of an onion and the whole head of garlic sliced in half along the equator (who does this?!). Cooking the beans in all of these vegetables and broth adds a whole depth of flavour for which any other process would be blasphemous to the hearty and homey vibe of this dish.
The beans and bean water could be made and stored a day or two ahead, to save time. Additionally, use of white rice will speed up the cooking process.
Seriously, tell me about your experience cooking and eating this one and we can reminisce together on your villa/campground/crowded street.
Ingredients:
1.5 tbsp salt + more
185 g (6.5 oz) dried black beans
475 ml (2 cups) vegetable broth, reduced sodium
475 ml (2 cups) water
2 green capsicum / bell peppers, halved and seeded
1 large onion, halved with root end intact, peeled
1 head of garlic halved at equator, skin on
2 bay leaves
1.5 tsp salt, divided
6 slices bacon, finely chopped
4 tsp ground cumin
1 tbsp fresh oregano (1 tsp dried), minced
5 garlic cloves, minced
1.5 cup brown or white rice
2 tbsp red wine vinegar
2 scallions
1-2 limes
1.5 tbsp salt + more
185 g (6.5 oz) dried black beans
475 ml (2 cups) vegetable broth, reduced sodium
475 ml (2 cups) water
2 green capsicum / bell peppers, halved and seeded
1 large onion, halved with root end intact, peeled
1 head of garlic halved at equator, skin on
2 bay leaves
1.5 tsp salt, divided
6 slices bacon, finely chopped
4 tsp ground cumin
1 tbsp fresh oregano (1 tsp dried), minced
5 garlic cloves, minced
1.5 cup brown or white rice
2 tbsp red wine vinegar
2 scallions
1-2 limes
Directions:
1. Dissolve salt in 1900 ml (2 quarts) of cold water. Add beans and soak for 8-24 hours. Drain & rinse.
2. In a Dutch oven, stir in drained beans, vegetable broth, water, 1 bell pepper half, the root-end onion half, both halved garlic heads, bay leaves, and 1 tsp salt.
3. Bring the beans to a simmer on medium-high heat. Cover and reduce heat to low. Cook until the beans are just soft, 30-35 minutes.
4. Meanwhile, cut the remaining peppers and onion into 2” pieces and run in a food processor about 8 pulses.
5. Once beans are tender, turn off the heat and use tongs to remove and discard the pepper, onion, garlic, & bay leaves.
6. Over a large bowl, use a colander to save the cooking liquid when draining the beans. Set both aside.
7. Preheat oven to 177 C / 350 F. Add a splash of olive oil (if needed) and cook bacon in the Dutch oven until well done or crispy (5-7 minutes).
8. To the pot, add some more olive oil, the chopped vegetables, cumin, and oregano.
9. Increase the heat to medium, stirring frequently until vegetables are softened & browning (10 minutes).
10. Add the minced garlic and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute.
11. Add rice and stir to coat (30 seconds).
12. Stir in the beans, the bean liquid, vinegar, and 1/2 tsp salt.
13. Increase heat to medium-high and bring to a simmer. Cover and transfer to the oven.
14. Cook until the rice is tender, about 50 minutes. Check every 20 minutes or so and add more water as needed.
15. Serve immediately with squeezed lime wedges and thinly sliced scallions.
1. Dissolve salt in 1900 ml (2 quarts) of cold water. Add beans and soak for 8-24 hours. Drain & rinse.
2. In a Dutch oven, stir in drained beans, vegetable broth, water, 1 bell pepper half, the root-end onion half, both halved garlic heads, bay leaves, and 1 tsp salt.
3. Bring the beans to a simmer on medium-high heat. Cover and reduce heat to low. Cook until the beans are just soft, 30-35 minutes.
4. Meanwhile, cut the remaining peppers and onion into 2” pieces and run in a food processor about 8 pulses.
5. Once beans are tender, turn off the heat and use tongs to remove and discard the pepper, onion, garlic, & bay leaves.
6. Over a large bowl, use a colander to save the cooking liquid when draining the beans. Set both aside.
7. Preheat oven to 177 C / 350 F. Add a splash of olive oil (if needed) and cook bacon in the Dutch oven until well done or crispy (5-7 minutes).
8. To the pot, add some more olive oil, the chopped vegetables, cumin, and oregano.
9. Increase the heat to medium, stirring frequently until vegetables are softened & browning (10 minutes).
10. Add the minced garlic and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute.
11. Add rice and stir to coat (30 seconds).
12. Stir in the beans, the bean liquid, vinegar, and 1/2 tsp salt.
13. Increase heat to medium-high and bring to a simmer. Cover and transfer to the oven.
14. Cook until the rice is tender, about 50 minutes. Check every 20 minutes or so and add more water as needed.
15. Serve immediately with squeezed lime wedges and thinly sliced scallions.
Yumm! We had this for dinner tonight! The lime at the end MADE this dish - note the rest time on this recipe. You should plan ahead or have a very late dinner (like we did by accident)! ha! Thanks for sharing, Kaile!!
ReplyDelete