Black Beans ‘n Rice

Black Beans with Orange and Chipotle
Adapted from Blue Eggs and Yellow Tomatoes by Jeanne Kelley

Serves 6

1 lb dry black beans
2-4 slices of bacon
1 large onion, chopped
4-6 garlic cloves, minced
3 bay leaves
Zest and juice of one orange
1-2 tsp minced canned chipotle in adobo
1 tsp red wine vinegar
Salt & pepper

To serve:
Steamed rice
Grated cheese
Avocado
Sour cream
Chopped veggies such as tomatoes, red onions, green onions, radishes, cilantro
Lime or lemon juice
Tortilla chips

I’ve been wanting to cook more beans (way too easy to open cans!) and when I saw the recipe in this inspiring cookbook (my sister HN had checked it out from the library) I decided to try it. Oddly, it didn’t instruct me to soak the beans, just cook them for 1.5 hours. That sounded like a recipe for rocks, so I turned to trusty Cook’s Illustrated, a recent issue featured Cajun Red Beans and Rice, for detailed instructions about preparing the beans.

In a large bowl, dissolve 3 T salt in 4 quarts water. Pick over the beans, and add them to the water – soak at room temperature at least 8 hours and up to 24. Drain and rinse them when ready to cook.

In a soup pot or Dutch oven, cook the bacon until crisp. Remove the strips and crumble them to add back in later. Add the onions, and cook until softened. Add the garlic and cook and stir a minute or two. Add the beans, bacon, bay leaf, orange zest, 1 tsp salt, and 7 cups water. (Note: I used 8 cups as the recipe calls for, and the result was basically a thick soup. I was wanting more of a baked-bean consistency, so next time I will try less, or perhaps leave the lid off the pot to let some evaporate. But I’m cautious of not adding enough water, the beans won’t soften all the way if they don’t cook in enough liquid. On the other hand, things thicken up some once the beans are fully cooked. So there’s a balance to strike here…)

Bring the pot to a boil, then reduce the heat to a steady simmer. After about an hour, or when the beans are just tender, stir in the orange juice, chipotle, and vinegar. Stir these items in well, taste, and adjust the seasoning. Cook, uncovered, for another 30 minutes or so, to thicken up the stew.

Serve over rice with toppings of your choice.