Caribbean Black Beans & Rice

This is a good side dish to serve with Jamaican Jerk. I also enjoy it as a main dish on its own. The beans take quite a long time to cook. Cook slowly over low heat until the beans start to break open making a rich black, almost creamy, broth. Start them early in the day or, better, the day before; they take a long time and seem creamier on the day after. If you prefer to use canned beans, use 2 cans of black beans and do NOT drain.

Caribbean Black Beans & Rice

I got this recipe when living in Connecticut. I believe it is a modified (for ingredients more prevalent in the state) Puerto Rican black bean recipe. I've always made this with dry beans and it turns very creamy if you cook it long enough. Serve over white rice with fresh onions soaked in lime juice.

1 pound dry black beans (about 2 cups), or 2 cans of beans, undrained
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 large onion, chopped
1/4 cup olive oil
3 Tbsp. chopped jarred pimento (can substitute roasted red peppers or fresh red peppers)
2 Tbsp. lime juice (add after beans are cooked)
Steamed White Rice, for serving
2 thick slices sweet onion, chopped, for serving
lime juice, for serving

Pick through the beans to remove any stones and rinse well with water. Cover the beans with an inch or two of water, bring to a boil, turn off the heat and soak overnight.

The next day, drain the beans and cover again with an inch or two of fresh water. Add the garlic, onion, and olive oil. If not using jarred pimento (pickled with vinegar), but roasted or fresh red peppers, you could add that at this time.

Note: Do NOT add jarred pimento or lime juice until after the beans are cooked. Acid keeps the beans from softening. If using red peppers, you can add them with th

Bring to a boil; turn down the heat and bring to a simmer (be sure to keep them at a simmer) and cook until tender (1 1/2 - 2 hours). For canned beans, see the indent below.

Once the beans have softened, add the pimento and lime juice. Acid keeps beans from softening, so don't add it until the beans are cooked. Continue to simmer for several hours (2 - 3 hours) adding more water as necessary until the beans are are very soft and the soup is creamy, not watery. The liquid will thickened from the breakdown of the beans. Stir the beans every so often, especially once the beans start thickening. You do not want the beans to cook down to mush, though, so remove from the heat once they turn creamy.

Canned Beans: Do not drain the canned beans; you need their cooking liquid to help thicken the beans. Add them to the pot with the garlic, onion, olive oil, pimento and lime juice. Because canned beans are already cooked until soft, cook further only until the vegetables cook down and the beans have a creamy texture. You will need to add some water.

The beans will have a creamy texture similar to a thin tomato sauce used for pasta, but the beans will be still be whole. You can mash some of the beans against the side of the pot to add to the creaminess, although this will happen if the beans are simmered long enough. The beans will be served over rice and you want it to hold up on its own. If the beans are too thick, add water; if too watery, cook longer to evaporate the water out.

About an hour before serving, chop the sweet onion and cover with lime juice. Refrigerate to marinade.

To serve, ladle hot black beans over Steamed White Rice. Spoon some of the fresh sweet onion and lime juice on top. Add some sweet fried plantains as a side dish!

Makes 8 servings

Puerto Rican Style Stewed Black Beans (Habichuelas Negras)
from https://salimaskitchen.com/

These Puerto Rican style stewed black beans (Habichuelas Negras) served with white rice are a staple to island cuisine. Made with sofrito and adobo seasoning, they are infused with Puerto Rican flavor and make a fabulous meal.

If you’ve ever had Puerto Rican cuisine, you know just how important rice and beans are to our culture. My mom used to joke that all she ate growing up on the island was rice and beans.

Here are some easy substitutes you can use if you’re missing any of the key ingredients:

  • Sofrito – don’t have time to make your own sofrito? You can subsitute this traditional Puerto Rican ingredient with a diced yellow onion, minced cilantro, garlic, and green bell pepper.
  • Adobo Seasoning – if you don’t have your own adobo seasoning, you can use a blend of cumin, oregano, garlic powder, onion powder, and a pinch of paprika.
  • Canned Black Beans – this recipe can be made in half the time using canned black beans. See recipe notes for directions!

2 cups dried black beans *see note for instructions on how to use canned beans
1/4 cup sofrito
2 tsp adobo seasoning
1 tsp salt
3 bay leaves
1 tbsp olive oil
8 cups water
rice to serve with
lime & cilantro to garnish

Rinse thoroughly and remove any rocks or scraps from the dry beans. *See note if using canned beans.

In a large soup pot combine beans, sofrito, adobo seasoning, salt, bay leaves, oil, and water. Stir everything together and bring to a boil, before lowering the heat to a simmer.

Stew the beans for an hour or until they are cooked through (can take up to 2 hours depending on how fresh your beans are), stirring every 20 minutes or so, to make sure they don’t stick.

Remove the bay leaves and serve the beans with rice and garnish with a squeeze of lime juice and sprig of cilantro.

Yield: 6 servings

Notes

  • If using canned beans: add to the pot with their broth, along with everything else. Stew for 20-30 minutes.
  • For a thicker consistency: continue to stew the beans over a slightly higher temperature for a thicker broth.
  • Add ham hocks: add a smoked ham hock to the pot with everything and stew together for added flavor.