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[spielchekr]

This is my own secret recipe that culminated from dozens of lesser attempts. Enjoy! CUBAN RESTAURANT STYLE BLACK BEANS WITH RICE (a.k.a. MOORS & CHRISTIANS) 4 cups (32 oz.) container Kitchen Basics Natural Chicken Stock 2 lb. smoked ham shanks (1 cup additional finely cubed ham for meatier dish) ½ teaspoon salt 3 tablespoons olive oil 1 large yellow cooking onion, finely chopped 1 or 2 red bell peppers (seeded, chopped) 5 large garlic cloves, crushed or minced 6-7 (16-ounce) cans Bush’s Best black beans, drained (or equivalent qty. of dried black beans soaked & prepped per pkg. instructions) 10 oz. can Ro-Tel Diced Tomatoes & Green Chili 2 tablespoons lime juice 1 tablespoon ground cumin 2 tablespoons cilantro flakes 1 teaspoon oregano 1/2 teaspoon thyme 4 bay leaves 1-½ cup Uncle Ben’s converted (20-minute) rice 3-1/4 cups water 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar Optional toppings: sprinkle with Louisiana Hot Sauce with chopped sweet onion, or try some Sweet Pepper Sauce (see recipe below) In a 3-quart saucepot, combine chicken stock, smoked ham shanks, and salt. Bring to a boil, then cover and simmer over low heat for 45-60 minutes. If the ham shanks are not totally submerged, turn them occasionally to cook all sides. They are done simmering when the meat can be easily separated from the bone. While ham shanks are simmering, heat olive oil in a 10” skillet over medium heat until fragrant. Then sauté the onion, red bell pepper and garlic until tender (about 10 minutes). Place sautéed vegetables into a large stock pot or Dutch oven. In an electric blender, purée 2 cans of the drained beans (and the can’s settled contents after draining off the clear liquid on top of the can) along with the 10 oz. can of Ro-Tel Diced Tomatoes and Green Chili (include the liquid). Place puréed mixture into the stock pot with the sautéed vegetables. Add the lime juice, cumin, cilantro, oregano, thyme, and bay leaves. But don’t put the vinegar in yet (not until it’s all done)! If you’re putting in extra cubed ham, put it in now. When the ham shanks are finished simmering, remove them from the broth, and place them on a cutting board. Go ahead and pour all the broth into the stock pot. Remove the meat from the bones (removing and discarding the fat and gristle), dice it and add it into the stock pot. Also put the cleaned bones into the mixture. Heat this mixture to boil and then immediately reduce the heat to medium-low. Simmer uncovered for about 1-1/2 hours, stirring occasionally and scraping the bottom of the pot to loosen any puréed mixture sticking there. The resulting base stock will be done once it has boiled down into a creamy consistency. About ½ hour before the stock is done, have 3-1/4 cups of water brought to a boil in a 2-quart saucepot. Add rice; reduce heat to low, cover and simmer/steam for 20 minutes. Remove saucepot from heat and allow rice to stand covered for at least 5 more minutes (tip: never remove the cover from rice until it is done). When the bean mixture has finished simmering, remove the bones and bay leaves. Add the remaining 4-5 cans of black beans (and the can’s settled contents after draining off the clear liquid on top of the can) and the rice to the base stock over low heat and allow it to thicken for a couple of minutes, stirring occasionally. Finally, remove from heat and stir in apple cider vinegar. If you want a soupier consistency (this stretches into great soup), add water. To thicken it, remove some solids from the soup, puree them in a blender, and return them to the mixture. This is better the day after, after all of the flavors have mingled together. It is the smoked ham shank that sets off the distinctive flavor of this dish. If you want black beans and rice to look and taste fancy, try out this topping: SWEET PEPPER SAUCE ½ cup olive oil 1-1/2 cups (1 can) tomatoes, diced 2 cloves garlic, crushed ¼ teaspoon black pepper ½ teaspoon paprika ¼ teaspoon oregano ½ teaspoon sugar ½ cup tomato puree 2 cups pimentos, chopped, with liquid from the can salt to taste ¼ cup apple cider vinegar In a skillet, heat the olive oil until fragrant. Add tomatoes and cook them until they disintegrate (about 6-8 minutes). Add everything else except for the vinegar. Cook until thickened, stirring occasionally. Add the vinegar after removing the sauce from the heat. Float this sauce on the top of a bowl or plate of black beans and rice.

[spielchekr]

This is my own secret recipe that culminated from dozens of lesser attempts.  Enjoy!

CUBAN RESTAURANT STYLE BLACK BEANS WITH RICE (a.k.a. MOORS & CHRISTIANS)

4 cups (32 oz.) container Kitchen Basics Natural Chicken Stock
2 lb. smoked ham shanks
(1 cup additional finely cubed ham for meatier dish)
½ teaspoon salt
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 large yellow cooking onion, finely chopped
1 or 2 red bell peppers (seeded, chopped)
5 large garlic cloves, crushed or minced
6-7 (16-ounce) cans Bush’s Best black beans, drained
  (or equivalent qty. of dried black beans soaked & prepped per pkg. instructions)
10 oz. can Ro-Tel Diced Tomatoes & Green Chili
2 tablespoons lime juice
1 tablespoon ground cumin
2 tablespoons cilantro flakes
1 teaspoon oregano
1/2 teaspoon thyme
4 bay leaves
1-½ cup Uncle Ben’s converted (20-minute) rice
3-1/4 cups water
1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar

Optional toppings:

sprinkle with Louisiana Hot Sauce with chopped sweet onion, or try some
Sweet Pepper Sauce (see recipe below)


In a 3-quart saucepot, combine chicken stock, smoked ham shanks, and salt. Bring to a boil, then cover and simmer over low heat for 45-60 minutes.  If the ham shanks are not totally submerged, turn them occasionally to cook all sides.  They are done simmering when the meat can be easily separated from the bone.

While ham shanks are simmering, heat olive oil in a 10” skillet over medium heat until fragrant.  Then sauté the onion, red bell pepper and garlic until tender (about 10 minutes).  Place sautéed vegetables into a large stock pot or Dutch oven.

In an electric blender, purée 2 cans of the drained beans (and the can’s settled contents after draining off the clear liquid on top of the can) along with the 10 oz. can of Ro-Tel Diced Tomatoes and Green Chili (include the liquid).  Place puréed mixture into the stock pot with the sautéed vegetables. Add the lime juice, cumin, cilantro, oregano, thyme, and bay leaves. But don’t put the vinegar in yet (not until it’s all done)!  If you’re putting in extra cubed ham, put it in now.

When the ham shanks are finished simmering, remove them from the broth, and place them on a cutting board.  Go ahead and pour all the broth into the stock pot.  Remove the meat from the bones (removing and discarding the fat and gristle), dice it and add it into the stock pot.  Also put the cleaned bones into the mixture.

Heat this mixture to boil and then immediately reduce the heat to medium-low.  Simmer uncovered for about 1-1/2 hours, stirring occasionally and scraping the bottom of the pot to loosen any puréed mixture sticking there.  The resulting base stock will be done once it has boiled down into a creamy consistency.

About ½ hour before the stock is done, have 3-1/4 cups of water brought to a boil in a 2-quart saucepot.  Add rice; reduce heat to low, cover and simmer/steam for 20 minutes.  Remove saucepot from heat and allow rice to stand covered for at least 5 more minutes (tip: never remove the cover from rice until it is done).

When the bean mixture has finished simmering, remove the bones and bay leaves. Add the remaining 4-5 cans of black beans (and the can’s settled contents after draining off the clear liquid on top of the can) and the rice to the base stock over low heat and allow it to thicken for a couple of minutes, stirring occasionally.  Finally, remove from heat and stir in apple cider vinegar.

If you want a soupier consistency (this stretches into great soup), add water.  To thicken it, remove some solids from the soup, puree them in a blender, and return them to the mixture.

This is better the day after, after all of the flavors have mingled together.  It is the smoked ham shank that sets off the distinctive flavor of this dish.



If you want black beans and rice to look and taste fancy, try out this topping:


SWEET PEPPER SAUCE

½ cup olive oil
1-1/2 cups (1 can) tomatoes, diced
2 cloves garlic, crushed
¼ teaspoon black pepper
½ teaspoon paprika
¼ teaspoon oregano
½ teaspoon sugar
½ cup tomato puree
2 cups pimentos, chopped, with liquid from the can
salt to taste
¼ cup apple cider vinegar

In a skillet, heat the olive oil until fragrant.  Add tomatoes and cook them until they disintegrate (about 6-8 minutes).  Add everything else except for the vinegar.  Cook until thickened, stirring occasionally.  Add the vinegar after removing the sauce from the heat.  Float this sauce on the top of a bowl or plate of black beans and rice.

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PS if you use dried beans, reserve the final soaking water and use 3-1/4 cups of it in place of the water. This gives the broth that authentic black coloring, which will be missing if you use canned beans.