I have a friend, Liz, who is a half-Egyptian, half-Cuban beauty. Tall and fit, she more like glides when she walks, ever mellow but always in step with the world around her. The color of her eyes exactly matches her burnt-caramel skin. The corona of springy, black curls that frames her face is her signature feature. She is blithe, guarded and possesses a disarming, sardonic wit.
And she reminds me of beans, so hard and stoic until you cook them down, slowly. Patiently. What is impenetrable at first eventually becomes velvety smooth, full of texture, hearty and dependable. Also, we ate a lot of black beans and rice together when we were low-budget law students living in Baltimore. 
It was 1995. Our first year of law school. We spent time on campus feigning self-confidence, eating free pizza and drinking cheap beer in the student lounge, and surreptitiously stalking the cutest boys. Sure, we studied. But we had a hell of a lot of fun—probably more than law students are supposed to have—running around Charm City.
And in between the parties and the lawyer preparation, we cooked.
Liz, a vegetarian, introduced me to lentils and Cuban-style black beans, soaked and simmered in hand-me-down pots on her microscopic gas stove. We might spend an entire Sunday in her small Mt. Vernon apartment, complete with a rectangle kitchen reminiscent of the vintage, die-cast-toy variety. We were two young women, gossiping and listening to Wu-Tang Clan, Albita and the Fugees playing in the other room, the boombox too big for the kitchen counter. Without an island on which to alternately strand ourselves, we took turns chopping, stirring and leaning against the door jamb. We drank red wine, feeling too hip to play the role of a stereotypical 1L. In the next room, Liz would insert an incense stick into the soil of a lonely houseplant. Its coco-mango smoke swirling into the air, mixing with the aroma of stewing legumes and carrying away our twenty-something laughter.
Those were the days.
PrintHipster Black Beans
- Total Time: 2 hours 45 minutes
- Yield: 2 to 4 servings 1x
Description
These spicy hipster black beans are a hearty and flavorful dish, simmered with garlic, onions, and optional bacon for a rich, comforting meal reminiscent of Cuban-style cooking.
Ingredients
- 1 lb black beans
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 3 to 4 slices bacon (optional)
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 small onion, chopped
- 2 or 3 serrano peppers, chopped (optional)
- 1 or 2 tomatoes, chopped
- 4 cups chicken stock (Vegetarian option: use vegetable stock)
- Salt to taste
- Fresh cilantro, for garnish
Instructions
- Sift through the black beans and remove any broken pieces or sediment. Rinse thoroughly under cold water.
- Soak the beans in water overnight in a large pot, or cover them with 2 to 4 cups of water, ensuring there is enough liquid for the beans to expand.
- Drain and rinse the soaked beans. Set aside.
- In a large pot, heat the olive oil over medium heat. If using, add the bacon slices and cook until crispy. Remove bacon and set aside, leaving the rendered fat in the pot.
- Add the minced garlic, chopped onion, and serrano peppers to the pot. Sauté for 5-7 minutes until the onions are soft and translucent.
- Add the chopped tomatoes and cook for another 3-4 minutes until the tomatoes start to break down.
- Add the soaked beans to the pot, along with the chicken or vegetable stock. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to low and simmer for 45 minutes to 1 hour, or until the beans are tender and the liquid has reduced.
- Season with salt to taste. If using, crumble the cooked bacon and stir it back into the beans.
- Garnish with fresh cilantro before serving.
Notes
For a vegetarian version, omit the bacon and use vegetable stock instead of chicken stock. These beans can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Serve with rice for a complete meal. Adjust the number of serrano peppers to control the spice level.
- Prep Time: 2 hours
- Cook Time: 45 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Cuisine: Cuban
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cup
- Calories: 250
- Sugar: 2
- Sodium: 600
- Fat: 6
- Carbohydrates: 40
- Fiber: 12
- Protein: 14
- Cholesterol: 10
