Overnight Black Beans with Bacon Sofrito (Frijoles Dormidos)

Method

1. Pick out any stones and broken beans, rinse, then cover with cold water by 5 cm and soak for 8 hours (or overnight).

   Add in this stepDried black beans (black turtle beans) 120 g

2. Drain and rinse the beans and put them in a 18 cm pot with the cooking water, the bay leaves, and half the onion and half the pepper left in big whole chunks. Bring to the boil on high heat, skim, then lower to medium-low heat, cover with the lid ajar and simmer for 1 h 5 min, until the beans squash to a cream. Top up with hot water if needed.

   Add in this stepCooking water 1,000 mlBay leaves 1Onion ¼Green bell pepper ¼

   high heat→medium-low heat

3. In a 20 cm pan cook a little over half the olive oil with the bacon, cut into 1 cm pieces, on medium heat for 5 min, until the fat runs and the edges are crisp.

   Add in this stepExtra virgin olive oil 0.9 tbspBacon (or salt pork) 40 g

   medium heat

4. Add the rest of the onion and pepper, finely diced (5 mm), and cook on medium heat for 7 min until soft and lightly golden, then add the minced garlic, cumin and oregano for 1 minute. Pour in the wine, scrape up the browned bits from the pan and let it bubble for 1 min to cook off the alcohol.

   Add in this stepOnion ¼Green bell pepper ¼Garlic cloves 4Ground cumin ½ tspDried oregano ½ tspDry white wine 40 ml

   medium heat

5. Fish the onion and pepper chunks and bay leaves out of the beans. Mash or blend the cooked vegetables with a ladle of beans until smooth and stir back into the pot with the sofrito, salt and sugar. Simmer uncovered on medium-low heat for 20 min, stirring, until creamy.

   Add in this stepSalt 1 tspSugar ½ tsp

   medium-low heat

6. Let it cool a little, cover and refrigerate overnight to "sleep" (dormidos). Before serving, reheat on medium-low heat for 10 min, stirring, adding a splash of water if too thick. Turn off the heat, stir in the vinegar and remaining olive oil, and serve with white rice.

   Add in this stepWhite vinegar 1 tspExtra virgin olive oil 0.6 tbsp

   medium-low heat