Cuban Black Beans

This version is based on my Aunt Concha’s recipe. She used two ham hocks and a pound of black beans, but I’ve adjusted it for our plant-based needs and smaller family size of three.

Concha was born in Cuba and lived in Tampa’s Ybor City neighborhood. I have many childhood memories watching her cook. It seemed like she was always in the kitchen making all sorts of delicious things. This recipe for black beans is a constant on our table, and served over rice, is my number 1 comfort food.

Ingredients

• 1 cup dried black beans

• 2 bay leaves

• 1 yellow onion (only ½ diced, the other half will remain as is)

• 2 tbs olive oil + more to taste

• 3 cloves garlic, chopped

• ½ tsp dried oregano

• white vinegar

• kosher salt + black pepper

Rinse the beans and soak them for 8 hours or overnight in a large pot of water. The water should cover the beans by about 2 inches. Using the same water, bring the water to boil and add the unchopped onion and bay leaves.

Reduce heat to medium low and simmer for an hour, partially covered. Add salt and continue to simmer for at least 30 minutes or until beans are tender. Once the beans are soft, remove the onion and discard.

In a separate pot, heat 2 tbs of olive oil over medium heat, sauté the diced onion for 2-3 minutes, add chopped garlic and cook for another minute or until fragrant. Add to the pot of black beans along with the oregano and pepper and simmer for another 10 minutes.

Turn off heat, add olive oil to taste, salt, pepper, and one tablespoon of white vinegar. Cover soup with the lid and let sit fir 10 minutes before serving. If you have the time, wait even longer. They taste better the longer you wait, and I especially like them the next day.

Serve with rice and top with more white vinegar.