Frijoles Negra

Ingredients

• 1 cup dried black beans
• 4 cups water, more if needed
• 1/4 - 1/2 medium onion, chopped
• 1/2 jalapeño pepper, seeded and minced
• 1 medium cloves garlic, peeled but left whole
• 2 tsp chili powder
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 tsp ground cumin (toast the seeds and hand grind)
• 1 large chicken bouillon cube
• 1 tbsp finely chopped cilantro, optional (at the end)
• 1/2 tbsp lime juice (add at the end)
• 1 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil (or lard, for authenticity)
• Freshly cracked black pepper, to taste

Instructions

1. No need to soak the beans

2. First, pick through your black beans for debris (sometimes tiny rocks can sneak in)

3. Place the beans in a fine mesh colander or sieve and rinse very well.

4. Pour the beans into a large Dutch oven or saucepan (4 quarts or larger in capacity)

5. Sauté the onion in the olive oil or lard until tender

6. Add the jalapeño and sauté for 1-2 minutes

7. Add the onion, jalapeño, garlic, bay leaves, olive oil, salt, cumin, and chili powder to the pot

8. Pour in the water

9. Cover the pot and bring it to a boil over high heat

10. Remove the lid and reduce the heat to low to maintain a gentle simmer

11. Give the beans a stir to make sure none are stuck to the bottom of the pot, and set a timer for 1 hour.

12. Leave the pot uncovered and adjust the heat as necessary to maintain a gentle simmer (you should see several small bubbles popping to the surface at any given moment).

13. Once the timer goes off, test a couple of beans by using a fork to press them against the side of the pot

14. If they’re easy to press through, taste a few to see if they’re sufficiently plump, tender and delicious

15. Otherwise, continue cooking, testing in 15 to 30 minute intervals as needed, until they’re done

16. If you’re running low on liquid, add water in 1-cup increments so the beans are covered at all time

17. Once the beans are very tender and tasty, you can increase the heat a little to reduce the cooking liquid into a more gravy-like consistency, about 5 to 15 minutes (it will continue to thicken up as the beans cool)

18. Remove the pot from the heat

19. Carefully remove the orange zest and both bay leaves

20. Use a fork to press the garlic against the side of the bowl to break it up

21. Add the cilantro, if using, and lime juice

22. Stir to combine

23. Season to taste with additional salt and black pepper