Frijoles negros, a popular Hispanic dish, is a complex recipe of black beans, onions, peppers, garlic, vinegar or wine, and Latin seasonings. The legumes are soaked overnight, simmered for at least 30 minutes, mashed with onions and peppers, and seasoned with oregano, cumin, brown sugar, bay leaf, adobo or sazon, and vinegar or white wine. Variations include adding tomato paste or protein. Black bean soup is also a common appetizer.
The Hispanic dish frijoles negros, or black beans, is a regular accompaniment to many Latin American dishes. Typically served with yellow or white rice, or even as a soup, cuisines from Cuba and Puerto Rico to Mexico and beyond rarely serve an entrée without these tender morsels as a side. While the name implies simplicity, this common recipe is a complex blend of onions, peppers, garlic, an acidic element such as vinegar or wine, and a range of Latin-focused seasonings.
Before the frijoles negros can begin to take shape, the dark legumes of the Phaseolus vulgaris variety must be cleaned and then immersed in water, resting overnight in the refrigerator. Some skip this step by using canned beans, but many chefs abhor this practice, preferring to cook their own beans in the water they’ve soaked. It takes at least half an hour for black beans to simmer.
Towards the end of the beans’ cooking time, a hot oiled skillet is filled with chopped onion, garlic, and bell pepper until caramelized. Then, some of the beans go into the pan to mash. This thickens the sauce naturally. Some also add chunks of ham and tomato during this stage.
After a paste has formed in the pan, the rest of the beans and some water or stock can go into the pan, along with seasonings like oregano, cumin, brown sugar, and bay leaf. In some countries such as Puerto Rico it is customary for frijoles negros to have dry seasonings instead of fresh, such as adobo or sazon, two distinctive blends of many native spices. Salt and pepper are also added to taste. Towards the end of cooking frijoles negros, many chefs will add vinegar and even white wine to give the final dish some extra flavor. Just before serving, the bay leaf is removed and a generous helping of olive oil comes in to take its place.
Slight variations of frijoles negroes abound. Some add tomato paste instead of regular tomatoes. This adds tart flavor, but also thickens the sauce. Others combine the finished beans with a protein such as ham, bacon or ground beef to make the beans more of a meal. As an appetizer, black bean soup is commonly served without rice or an appetizer to detract from its complex flavors.
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