Cuban Black Beans I

"Vinegar is optional and is really only used in some regions of Cuba. My family also does not use chile peppers. Cuban cooking does not normally use hot spices. Instead the key is to use garlic ..." See moreand salt to your tastes....beans are great the next day so I tend to make them the day before I need them. The flavor seems to concentrate. Additionally, I like to boil the beans and in a separate pan, I sweat the onions, oil and other spices and add the pre-cooked items to the beans -- I think it improves the flavor."

"We make theis recipe frequently. One trick I have learned regarding beans is that if I forget to soak them overnight, that covering them with boiling water and then letting them sit for an hour gets ..." See morethem to about the right state."

"Since it was just the two of us, I wanted to make a smaller portion using canned black beans. I actually weighed one can of beans and while it was a 15-1/2 oz. can, it weighed just 8 ozs., which was ..." See moreperfect to scale this recipe down to half. I sauteed the vegetables in butter first (used jalapeno for the hot green chile pepper called for), then added the drained and rinsed beans, the seasonings, and 1 cup of chicken stock. I was too chicken to use the full amount of balsamic vinegar called for, so for this half recipe I added only 1 T., half the amount called for. I simmered it all, uncovered, until most of the stock was absorbed. This was just delicious and pretty on the plate. Hubby said he hates black beans, but he likes these since this wasn't as spicy or hot as some black bean recipes are. This was the perfect accompaniment to our Cuban meal of Sea Bass Cuban Style, Saffron Rice and Jicama Salad with Cilantro and Lime, all recipes from this site."