Cuban-Style Black Beans

By margiekyle

Ingredients

• 1 pound dried black beans 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 to 2 teaspoons olive oil 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• 1 teaspoon white vinegar Ten to fifteen 3-inch cilantro stems, tied in a bundle
• 3 bay leaves
• 1 onion, diced
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

Preparation

Step 1

Soak the beans with the baking soda in 10 cups of water for about 3 hours. Rinse and drain.

Add the beans to a Dutch oven and add 10 cups fresh water, along with the olive oil, cumin, oregano, sugar, vinegar, cilantro stems, bay leaves and onion. Simmer until the beans are soft, about 2 hours. Add 2 teaspoons of salt (or more to taste) and freshly ground black pepper to taste.