Black Beans

By smleonard

Ingredients

• Beans:
• 12 cups water
• 1 lb (2 1/2 cups) dried black beans, picked over and rinsed
• 1 smoked ham hock, rinsed
• 1 medium green bell pepper, cored, seeded, and quartered
• 1 medium onion, minced
• 6 medium garlic cloves, minced or pressed through a garlic press (about 2 tablespoons)
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 1/2 teaspoon salt
• Sofrito:
• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 medium onion, minced
• 1 small green pepper, cored, seeded and minced
• 8 medium garlic cloves, minced or pressed through a garlic press (about 3 tablespoons)
• 2 teaspoons dried oregano
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 1/2 teaspooons ground cumin
• 1 tablespoon juice from 1 lime
• 1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro leaves
• Salt and ground black pepper

Details

Servings 6

Preparation

Step 1

For the beans:
Bring all the bean ingredients to a boil over medium-high heat in a large, heavy-bottomed saucepan or Dutch oven, skimming the surface as the scum rises. Reduce the heat to low and simmer, partially covered, adding more water if the cooking liquid reduces to the level of the beans, until the beans are tender but not splitting (taste several, as they cook unevenly), about 2 hours. Remove the ham hock. When cool enough to handle, remove the ham from the bone, discard the bone and skin and cut the meat into bite-size pieces; set aside. Remove and discard the bay leaves.

For the sofrito:
Meanwhile, heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat; add the onion, bell pepper, garlic, oregano, and salt; saute until the vegetables soften, 8 to 10 minutes. Add the cumin; saute until fragrant, about 1 minute longer.

To finish the dish:
Scoop 1 cup of the beans and 2 cups of the cooking liquid into the pan with softrito; mash the beans with a potato masher or fork until smooth. Simmer over medium heat until the liquid is reduced and thickened, about 6 minutes. Return the sofrito mixture with the meat from the ham hock to the bean pot; simmer until the beans are creamy and the liquid thickens to a sauce consistency, 15 to 20 minutes. Add the lime juice; simmer 1 minute longer. Stir in the cilantro, adjust the seasonings with pepper and salt, if necessary and serve hot over white rice. (The beans can be refrigerated in an airtight container for several days. To reheat, thing iwth water, if necessary, and warm over medium-low heat).