Cuban Black Beans

Black beans are the soul of the Cuban and Yucatan cuisines.  We’ve already presented a recipe featuring a Mexican recipe in the Amaranth entries, but have decided to share a Cuban-inspired version as well because of how utterly different these two dishes are.  The following is a vegetarian adaptation of a black bean recipe presented in Norman Van Aken’s New World Cuisine (ISBN 0679432027).  Note that the recipe uses a sofrito of ten different vegetables and spices that are sautéed together to make a rich sauce within which the beans are ultimately cooked.  The beans are also cooked with sherry and sherry vinegar; don’t leave these out.  If you can’t find sherry vinegar, you can try rice or wine vinegar, but the depth of flavor will not be quite the same.  

3 tablespoons olive oil
3 tablespoons butter
6 garlic cloves, minced
3 jalapeno chiles, seeded and minced
1 red bell pepper, diced small
1 ancho chili, diced small
1 red onion, diced small
2 large stalks celery, diced small
1 large carrot, peeled and diced small
1 small fennel bulb, trimmed and diced small
1 tablespoon cumin, roasted and ground
1 tablespoon black pepper, roasted and ground
2 bay leaves
¼ teaspoon liquid smoke
2 teaspoons cayenne
½ cup sherry vinegar
2 cups sherry
2 cups dry back beans, cooked until tender
3 cups vegetable stock
salt and black pepper to taste

Heat a large saucepan over medium heat, add olive oil and butter.  When the butter is melted and begins to foam, stir in garlic and jalapenos.  Cook for a minute. 

Turn up heat to medium-high and add in bell pepper, red onion, celery, carrot, fennel and sauté until the vegetables are caramelized.  Stir in cumin, black pepper, bay, and liquid smoke.  

Transfer mixture to a 3 quart pot.  Stir in cayenne, vinegar, and sherry, cooked beans, and stock.  Bring to a boil.  Lower heat to a simmer and cook until the sauce is reduced and thickened.  Adjust seasoning with salt and pepper.   Serve warm over rice. 

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