Cuban Black Beans and Rice

Ingredients

• Salt
• 1 cup dried black beans, picked over and rinsed
• 2 cups chicken broth
• 2 large green bell peppers, halved, stemmed, and seeded
• 1 large onion, halved at equator and peeled, root end left intact
• 1 head garlic, 5 cloves minced, rest of head halved at equator with skin left intact
• 2 bay leaves
• 1½ cups long-grain white rice
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 6 ounces lean salt pork, cut into ¼-inch pieces
• 4 teaspoons ground cumin
• 1 tablespoon minced fresh oregano
• 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
• 2 scallions, sliced thin
• 1. Dissolve 1½ tablespoons salt in 2 quarts cold water in large bowl or container. Add beans and soak at room temperature for at least 8 hours or up to 24 hours. Drain and rinse well.

Instructions

1. 1Combine the soaked beans, two cups of water, chicken broth, one bell pepper half, the root-end onion half, the halved garlic head, bay leaves, and one teaspoon of salt in a Dutch oven.
2. 2Bring the mixture to a simmer over medium-high heat, then cover the pot and reduce the heat to low, cooking for 30 to 35 minutes until the beans are just tender.
3. 3Remove and discard the bell pepper, onion, garlic, and bay leaves using tongs, then drain the beans over a large bowl to save two and a half cups of the cooking liquid.
4. 4Add water to the reserved liquid if it measures less than two and a half cups, and leave the pot unwashed for the next stage.
5. 5Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit and adjust the rack to the middle position.
6. 6Rinse the white rice in a large fine-mesh strainer under cold running water for about one and a half minutes until the water runs clear.
7. 7Shake the strainer well to drain all excess water from the rice and set it aside.
8. 8Pulse the remaining bell peppers and onion half in a food processor about eight times until chopped into quarter-inch pieces, scraping the bowl as needed, then set aside.
9. 9Heat one tablespoon of olive oil and the salt pork in the empty Dutch oven over medium-low heat, stirring often for 15 to 20 minutes until the pork is browned and the fat has rendered.
10. 10Stir in the remaining tablespoon of olive oil, the chopped bell peppers and onion, ground cumin, and fresh oregano.
11. 11Turn the heat up to medium and cook for another 10 to 15 minutes, stirring frequently until the vegetables soften and start to brown.
12. 12Mix in the minced garlic and cook for one minute until fragrant, then add the rinsed rice and stir for 30 seconds to coat the grains.
13. 13Pour in the cooked beans, the reserved cooking liquid, red wine vinegar, and half a teaspoon of salt, bringing everything to a simmer over medium-high heat before covering and moving the pot to the oven.
14. 14Bake for about 30 minutes until the rice is tender and the liquid is fully absorbed, then fluff with a fork, let it rest uncovered for five minutes, and serve with the sliced scallions.
15. 15Notice how the sofrito mixture provides a deep, aromatic foundation for the beans and rice.
16. 16Present this classic Cuban side dish as a flavorful accompaniment to roasted meats or poultry.
17. 17Store any leftover beans and rice in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to four days.

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