The Black Beans

By popular demand, here is my black bean recipe that has become so popular with my friends in 3 Sac and '05. I've eaten this with my vegan/vegetarian friends as the main protein (served with veggies), as well as have begun to use this as my standard bean accompaniment to my favorite Mexican and Cuban dishes, such as tacos al carbon and roast pork with mojo. It's super simple but a crowd pleaser. The "secret" to these beans is that they are cooked in tomatoes instead of water. As the water in the tomatoes evaporates, the thickened tomato sauce makes these beans almost a stew.

Note that this is the regular size recipe. I typically multiply this by eight for Co-op dinner.

1 lb dried black beans, soaked in cold water for 3-4 hours*

1 medium white, Spanish, or red onion, diced (Co-op: I use three very large Co-op onions)

3 cloves garlic, minced

1 tbs olive oil

2 28oz cans whole, peeled tomatoes, blended very well with juices (Co-op: Use 1 1/2 large cans)

water

2 tsp dried oregano

1 tsp red pepper flakes, more if desired

salt + pepper

Heat the oil over medium heat. Add garlic and cook until golden. Add onions and cook until translucent. Add beans, tomatoes, and enough water so that the beans are covered by about 1/2 inch of liquid. Add salt, pepper, oregano, red pepper flakes. Bring to a simmer and reduce heat to maintain a nice, slow simmer. Cook for 3 hours, stirring occasionally. Taste and season as needed.

If you are in a pinch, these beans can be finished quicker. Soak in cold water for as long as possible and cook the beans for two hours over a higher heat. This will leach out a lot of the nutrients in the beans' skins and gives the garlic a bit of an over cooked flavor that bothers me, but no one else seems to notice.

Serve over brown rice.