first the dried beans are spread out on the kitchen table and bad beans and small stones are picked out. then the beans are washed, and then cooked in a pressure cooker until soft. after that, the spices are added and the beans simmer on the stovetop until all the flavours have been infused into the beans. a pressure cooker is an essential cooking tool in Cuba, everyone has one, they are given by the state to every family. the majority of Cubans do not have ovens, though on my last trip I did see one at a friend's house who is part of Cuba's nouveau riche.
the rice is long grain white rice, and even though rice is grown in Cuba, most of the rice comes from Vietnam. the rice is poor quality in that it has not been cleaned or sorted, and there are still small stones and dead bugs. this is another time consuming task in Cuban cooking, the rice is spread out on the kitchen table and the grains are sorted one by one into two piles; the good rice, and the rubbish. once the good rice has been sorted out, it is washed and cooked with about one tablespoon of vegetable oil and one teaspoon of salt. the rice cooker is the other essential cooking appliance in Cuba, and they are distributed to every family by the state.
in Havana basic services are sometimes not available. either the water is out, or the electricity has been shut off by the government in an attempt to conserve energy. cooking becomes a challenge to say the least. your friend or neighbor across the street or on the next block may have their services while you do not, and this is when cooking and eating truly becomes a community event. I am always amazed at the level of adversity Cuban's have, and that in the face of such adversity they can still create a cuisine that is steeped in amor.
the following is our adapted recipe, using canned black beans. we have a pressure cooker, but using cans just saves so much time. we have been using Primo Black Beans, which we buy at Buy Low Foods, but you can use any other brand. just remember that if the canned beans do not include salt, you will need to add a little more than is suggested below in the recipe. Cuban's cook their beans with what is called vino seco, or dry cooking wine, and I'm sure authentic vino seco can be found in latin american specialty shops, but I have not ventured beyond my grocery stores to look for it, so I use Tosca Sherry Cooking Wine. for vinegar, I use Bragg Apple Cider Vinegar. the sugar that I prefer to use is Roger's Organic Sugar. for everything else, I choose organic.
ingredients: serves 6
6 tablespoons of vegetable oil
1 medium white onion, thinly sliced
6-9 cloves of garlic, minced
1/4 medium red or green pepper, thinly sliced
3 cans primo black beans
1 1/2 cans of water
1 1/2 tablespoons of dried oregano
2 1/2 tablespoons of ground cumin
3 cap fulls of apple cider vinegar
2 cap fulls of dry cooking wine
2-3 bay leaves
1 teaspoon of sugar
1 teaspoon of salt (if you use beans that do not already contain salt, then add more to taste)
cooking instructions
make the sofrito
1. add the vegetable oil to a stock pot, and set the temperature to medium-high
2. add the garlic and sautee, do not over cook
3. add the onions and sautee
4. add the pepper and sautee
5. continue cooking and stirring until the onions are almost translucent
6. add some of the oregano and cumin and one bay leaf, continue stirring
add the beans
7. when the spices have infused the ingredients add the cans of beans
8. for each can of beans, add 1/2 cup of water, in this case add 1-1/2 cups of water
9. stir well to blend the sofrito into the beans.
10. add the rest of the ingredients and bring to a boil.
11. turn the heat down to low and continue simmering for about 45 to 60 minutes.
this dish is gluten free by nature, there is nothing in the dish that contains gluten. it is important to make sure that you do not use malt vinegar as it is not gluten free, check labels carefully. this dish is also vegetarian and vegan if you can ensure your sugar was processed accordingly.
serve hot or let the beans cool on the stovetop, which will make the beans' consistency thicken, which is the best way to eat Cuban beans. the best is to let them set overnight in the fridge and simply reheat on the stovetop the next day. the beans will keep for a few days in the fridge. serve with rice (brown is ok if it's what you prefer). Buen Apetito! Andrea.
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2 comments:
Your black beans recipe is so good!! I just returned from Havana and ate at a place that served black beans and rice and platters of chicken. I wanted to replicate it when I got home and this was exactly like what I had there. I will be making this everytime I miss cuba!
Hi Anonymous! Thanks for your feedback! I am so glad you enjoyed the recipe, it's is my mother-in-law's, so it's very authentic. I will be in Cuba again in January, and can't wait to eat all my favorite foods there. What places did you eat at? Andrea
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