|
Base Ingredients
1 pound bag of black beans
Onions (or green onions or both)
Mushrooms (portobello if you can get them for cheap)
Garlic
Tomatos (fresh, canned, or Ro-Tel — add towards the end)
Spices
Fennel seed (chop and add at the beginning)
Fres cilantro (chop and add at the end)
Cumin (or curry or both)
Hungarian hot paprika
Cayenne pepper
Method
Rinse the black beans and cover them with water. Add the garlic, onions,
mushrooms, and chopped fennel. If you have any red wine in the house,
this is a good excuse to pop it open. Add some to the marinading beans
and pour yourself a glass while you're at it. Take a peek in the morning
and add more water if the beans have soaked it all up. If you want to
jumpstart this process, put it in a pot, bring it to a boil, then transfer
it back to the crockpot and let it go. Otherwise, if you've marinaded
the beans in the crockpot (that's what I do) you can just turn it on low
and let it go. I can't tell you how long this will take. One business
day? One shift? Six watch of the guard? Something like that. As long as
there's enough water and you keep it covered, you can't go wrong.
Now, when you get home (maybe you never left?) add the tomatos and spice
it up to your liking. I mentioned cumin because I think it goes perfectly
with black beans. But, hey, it's your life; eat whatever you like. Take
these spices as simple ideas. Now run with it. Salt it to you liking.
What are you going to do with this enormous vat of black beans? Cook up
some rice and invite some friends over.
Best enjoyed with good bread, some good wine or beer, and friends.
|