Preparation
Quick soak method: place black beans in large pot. Pour enough hot water to cover beans. Bring to a boil for two minutes. Remove from heat. Cover and let stand for 1 hour.
While beans are waiting, sauté the onions until transparent, then add cumin and both cans of chili peppers. Rinse and drain beans. Add beer, ham hock, onion mixture, and chicken or beef stock, enough to cover beans by about two inches. Pour 2 tbsp. olive oil. Bring beans to a boil, then simmer until beans are soft (at least 1 1/2 hours, or longer depending on the consistency of beans), stirring occasionally. Add remaining 4 tablespoons of olive oil, sugar and salt to taste.
Serve over rice. If you prefer, you can puree the cooked beans in a blender and serve it as a soup or potage with a scoop of crème fraiche over it.
Ingredients
2 lbs, black beans
2 mid-size onions chopped
2 tsp. cumin
1 can chili peppers mild
1 can chili peppers hot
2 bottles of beers preferably dark
1 ham hock
3 – 4 cups chicken or beef stock
6 tbsp. olive oil
Salt to taste
3-4 tbsp., sugar
Quick soak method: place black beans in large pot. Pour enough hot water to cover beans. Bring to a boil for two minutes. Remove from heat. Cover and let stand for 1 hour.
While beans are waiting, sauté the onions until transparent, then add cumin and both cans of chili peppers. Rinse and drain beans. Then add beer, ham hock, onion mixture, and chicken or beef stock, enough to cover beans by about two inches. Pour 2 tbsp. olive oil. Bring beans to a boil, then simmer until beans are soft (at least 1 1/2 hours, or longer depending on the consistency of beans), stirring occasionally. Add remaining 4 tablespoons of olive oil, sugar and salt to taste.
Serve over rice. If you prefer, you can puree the cooked beans in a Cuisinart and serve it as a soup or potage with a scoup of creme fraiche over it.
Ingredients
2 lbs black beans
2 mid-size onions chopped
2 tb cumin
1 can chili peppers mild
1 can chili peppers hot
2 bottles of beers preferably dark
1 ham hock
3 – 4 cups chicken or beef stock
6 tbs olive oil
Salt to taste
3-4 tbs sugar
LORENZO PABLO MARTINEZ 
Ah black beans! Such memories….As a little boy in Cuba ( I must have been 6 or 7) I tried my luck at farming in my backyard. With my mother’s assistance I planted a few rows of black beans and made sure I watered them often. After some time the beanstalk appeared and grew, much to my delight. At the right time my mom told me it was harvest time and I picked the beans and placed them in a cooking pan. I anxiously waited in the kitchen while mom cooked MY beans. Then I feasted on them, probably accompanied with white rice, which any good Cuban can tell you is our national dish. Thank you Lorenzo for rekindling such fond memories of my childhood and of my mami.
Fernan, what a wonderful story. Your planting your own beans and then cooking them with your mom’s help. That’s what memories are made of, fabulous, nostalgic memories. Thank you for sharing it.
Thank you, Lorenzo for the delicious sounding recipe.
I enjoyed your story, Fernando.
Thank you, Susan, for stopping by. Fernan’s story made this post worthwhile.