Congri (Cuban black bean rice)

This one is always a hit when I make it use lots of fresh garlic and good olive oil. You could serve it with yuca con mojo and roasted pork (follow the pernil recipe for the pork).

 

Ingredients for 6 Servings

Ingredients:

•             1 lb dry black beans (or red kidney)

•             3 tsp. of Vegetable Oil

•             4 cloves of garlic, minced

•             1 bay leaf

•             6 tsp. olive oil

•             1 1/4 tsp.salt

•             1 medium bell pepper, chopped

•             1/4 oregano

•             1/4 tsp. cumin

•             1/4 tsp. ground black pepper

•             1 lb. long grain rice

•             1 large onion, chopped

Preparation:

 Soak beans overnight before cooking

Cook beans in six cups of water by bringing to a boil. Remove and let stand for about 60 minutes. Do not discard the liquid (you need it to make the rice black).

In a cast iron or aluminum pot place the vegetable oil rice and stir until the rice grains get oily. This is prevents the rice grains from sticking to another. Add garlic, onion, bell pepper, cumin, bay leaf, oregano, black pepper, and salt. Add 2  1/3 cups liquid from the beans, bring to a boil and cook on low heat for about 15-20 minutes or until liquid is almost absorbed by the rice. Lower the flame, cover the pot with aluminum foil or lid to seal in the steam. If rice is still hard, add more bean liquid, a little at a time. Cook for an additional 4 to 5 minutes or until, rice is well done. Once rice is ready, add the beans that have been drained and stir without breaking them.

THIS IS THE MOST IMPORTANT PROCESS

 Saute 3  or 4 chopped garlic cloves with the olive oil in a small pan, for 1-2 minutes, pour over rice to add additional flavor and shine and stir gently to combine. You could drizzle more olive oil for extra flavor.