Cuban Black Beans (Frijoles Negros)

Method

1. Spread the beans on a tray, pick out any small stones or broken beans and rinse. Put them in a large bowl, cover with cold water by 5 cm and soak for 8 hours (or overnight). They will almost double in size.

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

2. Drain off the soaking water, rinse the beans and put them in a 18 cm pot with the cooking water and bay leaves. Bring to the boil on high heat, skim off the foam, then lower to medium-low heat, cover with the lid ajar and simmer for 1 h 5 min. They are done when a bean squashes to a cream between your fingers; if the water drops below 1 cm over the beans, top up with hot water. Do not add salt yet.

   Add in this stepCooking water 1,000 mlBay leaves 1

   high heat→medium-low heat

3. When the beans are nearly done, make the sofrito: dice the onion and pepper (5 mm) and mince the garlic. Heat most of the olive oil in a 18 cm pan on medium heat and cook the onion and pepper for 7 min, until soft and translucent, then add the garlic, cumin and oregano and cook for 1 minute more until fragrant.

   Add in this stepOlive oil 1.9 tbspOnion ½Green bell pepper ½Garlic cloves 3Ground cumin ½ tspDried oregano ½ tsp

   medium heat

4. Tip the sofrito into the beans. Scoop out a ladle of beans, mash them with a fork and stir them back in; this thickens the liquid. Add the salt and sugar and simmer uncovered on medium-low heat for 15 min, stirring now and then, until it is like a thick soup that flows slowly off a spoon.

   Add in this stepSalt 1 tspSugar ½ tsp

   medium-low heat

5. Turn off the heat, remove the bay leaves, stir in the vinegar and the remaining olive oil and leave for 5 min. Taste, adjust the salt and serve over white rice.

   Add in this stepWhite vinegar 1 tspOlive oil 0.6 tbsp