Abuelo Peláez’s Frijoles Negros (Black Beans)

By -

This delicious recipe comes from Ana Sofia Peláez of Brooklyn, who dug up a handful of faded index cards that her grandparents had left behind, with treasured recipes written in neat script. —Rachel L. Swarns. Featured in: Holding On to Heritage Before It Slips Away

If you read the recipe reviews, it's like, "can't stop eating these," etc. That's how I felt when I took them off the stove, I was very skeptical but I was like ok...these are the best black beans I have ever had. Definitely recommend following the recipe to the letter. I didn't find I had to cook them as long as it said, nevertheless...do as it says. https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/12766-abuelo-pelaezs-frijoles-negros-black-beans 

2 hours 40 minutes, plus soaking time

Yield: About 8 cups

    For the Beans

    • 1 pound dried black beans, rinsed thoroughly
    • 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
    • ½ large white onion, chopped
    • 1 green bell pepper, chopped
    • 4 to 5garlic cloves, crushed
    • 1 bay leaf

    For the Sofrito

    • ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
    • ½ large white onion, finely chopped
    • 1 green bell pepper, finely chopped
    • 3 garlic cloves, finely chopped
    • 1 bay leaf
    • ½ teaspoon cumin
    • ½ teaspoon oregano
    • 1 teaspoon black pepper, plus more to taste
    • 1 and ½ teaspoons salt, plus more to taste
    • 2 tablespoons sherry vinegar
    • ½ cup dry white wine
    • ¼ cup green olives stuffed with pimentos, thinly sliced
    • 1 teaspoon sugar
  • Cooked white rice for serving (optional)

Step 1

In a large pot, soak beans overnight in 10 cups of water (you don't have to drain the water when they're ready - stuff in step two gets added right to the beans).

Step 2

Add 1 tablespoon oil, the onion, bell pepper, garlic cloves and bay leaf to beans, and bring to a boil. I also added some epazote (a Mexican herb) because I had some here. Lower heat to medium and simmer for 1 hour, checking regularly and skimming the foam that forms on top.

Step 3

Meanwhile, make the sofrito. Warm remaining ¼ cup oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the half onion, 1 bell pepper and 3 garlic cloves and sauté for about 5 minutes until soft. Add 1 bay leaf, cumin, oregano, black pepper and salt, and cook for 2 minutes more.

Step 4

Add the sofrito to beans. Stir in sherry vinegar, wine and olives, and bring to a boil (I used 2 tbsp sherry, and 2 tbsp cider vinegar cause that's all I had). Lower to a simmer and cook, covered, for about 1 to 1½ hours, stirring frequently, until slightly thickened and cooked through.

Remove both bay leaves, and adjust salt and pepper to taste.
Remove from heat and add sugar.
Serve as soup or a side dish, or over white rice.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Pizza Dough

By -
2 (1/4-ounce) packages active dry yeast 4 1/2 to 5 1/2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour, divided, plus additional for dusting 2 cups warm water (105–115°F), divided 2 teaspoons salt MAKE DOUGH: Whisk together yeast, 2 Tbsp flour, and 1/2 cup warm water in a measuring cup and let stand until mixture develops a creamy foam, about 10 minutes. (If mixture doesn’t foam, discard and start over with new yeast.) Stir together salt and 3 cups flour in a large bowl. Add yeast mixture and remaining 1 1/2 cups warm water and stir until smooth, then stir in 1 cup more flour. If dough sticks to your fingers, stir in just enough flour (up to 3/4 cup), a little at a time, to make dough just come away from side of bowl. (This dough may be wetter than other pizza doughs you have made.) Knead dough on a lightly floured surface with floured hands, lightly reflouring work surface and your hands when dough becomes too sticky, until dough is smooth, soft, and elastic, about 10 minutes. Divide dough i...
Read more

"Light" Caesar Salad

By -
I'm not sure where the "light" comes from. But this was a really good classic Caesar dressing. We even had to resort to (haha) using powdered parmesan from the store and it was still classically good. 1/4   cup   (60 mL)  grated  Parmesan cheese 1/4   cup   (60 mL)  light mayonnaise 2   tbsp   (30 mL)  white wine vinegar 1   tbsp   (15 mL)  extra virgin olive oil 1   tbsp   (15 mL)  water 1   tbsp   (15 mL)  Dijon mustard 1   tsp   (5 mL)  Worcestershire sauce 1   clove garlic , minced 1   pinch   salt 1   pinch   pepper 8   cups   (2 L)  romaine lettuce , torn, 1 small head 1   cup   (250 mL)  prepared croutons 2   tbsp   (30 mL)  cooked  bacon , crumbled In jar, shake together Parmesan cheese, mayonnaise, vinegar, oil, water, mustard, Worcestershire sauce...
Read more