Cuban Black Beans

For some reason, every black bean recipe I've tried so far has been disappointing. The dish ends up either runny or bland. I don't know what I'm expecting it to taste like or where I got these expectations from, but I will experiment until I can get it right. The consistency of these Cuban Black Beans is actually close to what I'd like, so I'll stick to this for now. At first, I thought it was pretty bland, but they taste better heated up the next day, sprinkled with some cheese on top. I should have known when the recipe told me to cover the beans with just water though. Next time, I'll try using chicken broth, ham bones, or sazon for more flavor.



Cuban Black Beans [Makes 6 servings]
From Eat, Live, Run

- 1 lb bag black beans, rinsed and picked over
- 1 tbsp vegetable oil
- 1 yellow onion, diced
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 tsp salt
- 1 bunch cilantro, minced
- Water

1. Soak the beans overnight in a large pot. In the morning, drain the water and set beans aside.
2. In a large dutch oven, heat the oil over medium high heat. Add the onion and saute for about six minutes, until soft and translucent. Add two cloves of the garlic and continue cooking for another thirty seconds.
3. Add the beans to the onion and garlic mixture and enough water to cover everything by an inch. Bring beans to a boil then cover (leaving a small crack open), reduce heat and simmer for one hour.
4. After an hour, stir the beans and add the remaining two garlic cloves and minced cilantro. Return to a simmer and cook another hour until beans are tender and the cooking liquid is thick. Stir occasionally while cooking.
5. Once cooked, add salt and additional minced cilantro if desired. Serve beans over rice, puree and serve as black bean soup or save for additional uses.