Cuban Black Beans

As with the Cuban pork roast recipe, this is not my grandmothers. This is a far more complicated, requiring more ingredients. I have even tweaked this recipe a little, for more ease in the kitchen. After tasting the flavor of these beans, I find if very difficult to revert to the original recipe. Although, this recipe takes much more time and requires you to pay attention when cooking. You will not be disappointed by the end result.

Serve with over white rice and blare Cuban music, your guests will feel they have stepped into a Cubano casa filled with love and good food.

Serves 8-10

Cuban Black Beans

1 Pound dried black beans, preferably Goya
8 Cups water
1 Meaty ham bone
1 Head of garlic, peeled and halved crosswise, plus 8 cloves garlic, crushed through a press
2 bay leaves
1 tablespoon olive oil
3 three slices of bacon, chopped
1 medium onion, finely chopped
1 red or green bell pepper, cored, seeded, and diced
2 teaspoons dried oregano
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 tablespoon paprika
1 teaspoon cayenne
One 16-oz can tomatoes, chopped, liquid reserved
1 small bunch cilantro, tied

1. In a large sauce pan, combine the beans, water, ham bone, whole garlic and bay leaves, and bring to a boil, skimming off the froth. Reduce the heat to low, cover, and simmer until the beans are almost tender, about 1 1/4 hours.

2. Heat the oil in a large skillet over a med. heat. Add bacon and cook, stirring, for about 3 to 4 min., until bacon renders most of its fat. Add onion, crushed garlic, and pepper and cook, stirring, until the onion is soft, about 7 min. Add the oregano, cumin, paprika and cayenne and stir for 1 min. Add the wine and cook for about 10 min.

3. Add the contents of the skillet to the beans, along with the tomatoes and their reserved juice and the cilantro. Cook over low heat, stirring once or twice, for 20 min. Add the vinegar, salt and pepper to taste. Cook stirring for 1 min.

4. Remove cilantro and the ham bone from the beans and discard the cilantro. When the ham is cool enough to handle, remove the meat from the bone. Cut the meat into bite-sized pieces, and return to the beans. Remove the bay leaves from the beans and serve the beans over rice.

Recipe comes from: FIESTA , Anya Von Bremzen.