Quick Cuban Black Bean Soup

Quick Cuban Black Beans for 2

Filed under: beans,sides — Jose @ 11:37 pm

“Feliz nuevo ano, Consorte” says my friend Nikita. We chit-chat about the Holiday and he mentions he’d like to come by to say Hello. I’d just put some water to boil in my plans for a chicken soup using last night’s leftover chicken, so I mention “Si, tengo una sopita pa’ el almuerzo.”

This quickly becomes a full on meal and dammit to hell, where can I get some Cuban bread! Sadly there is no such thing in my city by the bay, but there is a half hour to make black beans to go with my leftover rice.

In this scenario, if you have a can of beans, you’re 65% of the way there. ‘Cause all you need to make Cuban style black beans is two things:

1. Well cooked beans

2. Heavy duty sofrito-action

Of course there are variations and each different bean has it’s own slightly different prep and way of being cooked. But really, what separates Cuban style beans from the rest of y’alls beans is the sofrito. This ain’t no 59¢ Taco Bell pinto beans in a Styrofoam baby bowl with half-white, half-yella cheez on top. This is some turbo legumes, Meng.

For the Sofrito:

1/2 Green, Red, Yellow, Orange or Weird Half Breed Green-Red-Yellow Pepper, minced.

1/2 Onion, Yellow but any type is good, minced.

2 Garlic Cloves, smashed, smooshed and minced.

2-3 tbsp Olive Oil

2 tsp Cumin powder

1 tsp Red wine Vinegar

1 Bay Leaf (Laurel)

1/3 Beef Bouillon

1 cup Water

For the Beans:

1 Metal Can with cooked black beans inside. Drain the beans.

It’s goin down:

Add the olive oil to a medium heat pan. Once the oil is hot, add the onion and pepper. Cook, stirring frequently until the pepper starts to smell sweet, about 7 minutes. Add the minced garlic and and stir for about a minute. ¡Oh my frijoles! does that smell good right now?

Add the teaspoon of red wine vinegar, stirring to reduce the vinegar with the heat for about a minute or so. Add the cumin and stir for about 30 seconds, then add the water, the bouillon and the hoja de Laurel.

Add the beans and cover, leaving slightly ajar and SIMMER for 10-15 minutes. If the beans seem too liquid, continue cooking uncovered, stirring occasionally until they cook the way you like ‘em. That’s it! You can double the entire recipe, more or less, and it will still be jammin. Be careful with the bouillionon, it is quite salty. If you’re not serving this over white rice, please, never visit this site again.

I’m not saying their Mami’s beans or anything, “pero se parecen de perfil, por lo menos“.