Basic Black Beans Recipes

Steps:

• In a medium stockpot, combine soaked beans (see Editor's Note), water, onion, green pepper, garlic, bay leaves, salt, cumin and oregano. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat; reduce heat to low. Simmer, covered, until beans are tender, about 1 hour. Stir occasionally and add water as necessary so that the beans don't dry out or scorch.
• When beans are tender, stir in wine, vinegar, and olive oil.

Steps:

• For the beans: Place the beans in a bowl or pot, cover with cold water and allow to soak overnight. Drain and rinse before proceeding. (Alternatively, add the beans to a medium pot and cover with hot water. Bring to a boil, and then boil for 2 minutes. Turn off the heat, cover the pot and allow the beans to sit for 1 hour. Drain the beans and rinse them with cold water before proceeding.)
• In a medium pot, add the soaked beans, chicken broth, 2 cups water, the garlic, onions and green, red and yellow bell peppers. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat to low, cover and simmer for 1 1/2 hours. Then add the chile powder, cumin and salt and stir. Cover and continue simmering until the liquid level is to your liking, about another hour. Taste for seasoning and add more of what it needs.
• For the fixins: Serve in a bowl with sour cream, cilantro, lime wedges and diced bell peppers on the side.

Steps:

• The night before, soak the black beans in a large pot of water. The next day, rinse the beans, cover with 3 cups of fresh water and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat and simmer covered for 30 minutes, skimming off any foam. Stir in the onion and simmer 30 minutes more. Add the garlic, oregano, cumin, and red pepper flakes, and simmer uncovered for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. Stir in sugar and vinegar, and taste before seasoning with salt and pepper. Turn out into a large serving bowl and garnish with chopped scallions.

Steps:

• In a medium saucepan, combine beans, onion, and garlic, and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low. Season with cilantro, cayenne, and salt. Simmer for 5 minutes, and serve.

Steps:

• In a covered skillet, heat the oil on medium high heat. Add the onions and sauté for 5 minutes, stirring frequently. Add the cumin and coriander and stir for a minute to toast the spices.
• Add the salsa or tomato juice, stir well and cover; simmer until the onions are soft (about 5 minutes). Add the black beans and simmer until slightly thickened (about 5 minutes). If you like, mash a few times with potato masher. May finish with chopped fresh cilantro.
• OPTIONAL ADD-INS: corn, bell peppers, carrots, celery, squash.

Steps:

• Rinse beans in a colander under running water, picking out any debris.
• Place rinsed beans in a heavy pot filled with 6 cups of water and soak overnight.
• Add bay leaf and 1/4 tsp each of cumin, onion powder, and garlic powder.
• Bring just to a boil, then cover and simmer for 1 1/2 - 2 hours, or until beans are tender. Add 1 tsp salt and 1/2 tsp pepper (or more to taste).
• Makes about 6 cups of cooked beans.

Steps:

• Heat olive oil in large skillet, saute onions, garlic and spices until onions are soft but not clear.
• Add beans and tomatoes, cook until bubbly.
• Reduce heat to low, cover and cook 10 minutes.
• Add salt if necessary.
• Serve over hot cooked rice or cornbread.

Steps:

• Add the beans, chili powder, 1 1/2 teaspoons salt and 2 teaspoons pepper to a large pot. Add cold water to cover by 2 inches. Bring to the boil, reduce the heat and simmer, covered, until tender, about 6 hours. Serve as part of a taco bar.

Steps:

• Place the beans in a large bowl with 4 cups of water and 1/2 teaspoon of the salt. Cover and refrigerate for 8 to 12 hours. Drain and rinse the beans. Discard any loose skins.
• Place the beans in a 6-quart pressure cooker with ample water to cover and add the remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt. (Take care not to exceed the maximum fill-line of the cooker.) Over medium-high heat, bring to a boil uncovered. Reduce the heat to a simmer, and skim off any whitish gray foam on top. Bring to a boil again, reduce the heat to a simmer, and skim off most of the remaining foam. Rinse any beans that come out of the pot with the skimmer and return them to the pot. Add the garlic, onion, kombu (if using), and oil.
• Lock the lid in place and over high heat, bring to high pressure. Reduce the heat just enough to maintain high pressure and cook for 20 minutes. Allow the pressure to come down naturally, 10 to 12 minutes. Remove the lid, tilting it away from you to allow any excess steam to escape.
• If the beans are not tender, set (but do not lock) the lid in place and simmer them until done. Remove the onion and kombu and discard (or chop up and munch). Drain, reserving the cooking liquid if you wish, and refrigerate the beans and liquid separately for up to 3 days or freeze separately for up to 2 months.

Steps:

• Wash and pick over beans to discard any stone or other debris. After preliminary preparation, add fresh cold water (hot water toughens them) to about 2 inches above beans.
• Add soup bones or ham hocks. Bring to a boil and skim off the foam that forms. After beans have simmered covered for about 45 minutes, and are beginning to soften, add the rest of the ingredients. (If onion or salt is added in the beginning, the beans may toughen).
• Continue cooking for about 45 minutes, or until beans are very tender. Adjust seasoning to taste.

Steps:

• Note: Lentils, split peas and black-eyed peas do not need to be soaked.
• Pick through the beans, discarding any discolored or shriveled beans or any foreign matter.
• Rinse well.
• Traditional Slow Soak: In a 5-quart saucepan, cover 1 pound dried beans with 10 cups water.
• Cover tightly and refrigerate 6-8 hours or overnight.
• Drain and rinse the beans.
• Hot Soak: In a 5-quart saucepan, bring 10 cups water to a boil.
• Add 1 pound dried beans and return to a boil.
• Remove from the heat; cover tightly and set aside at room temperature 2-3 hours.
• Drain and rinse the beans.
• Quick Soak: In a 5-quart saucepan, bring 10 cups water to a boil.
• Add 1 pound dried beans and return to a boil; let boil 2-3 minutes.
• Cover tightly and set aside at room temperature 1 hour.
• Drain and rinse the beans.
• Gas-Free Soak: (The best method for gas-free beans, developed by the California Dry Bean Advisory Board.) In a 5-quart sauce- pan, place 1 pound of beans in 10 or more cups of boiling water; boil for 2-3 minutes, cover and set aside overnight.
• By morning, 75 to 90 percent of the indigestible sugars will have dissolved into the soaking water.
• Drain, then rinse the beans thoroughly before cooking them.
• COOKING BEANS: When cooking beans, do not add salt or acidic ingredients, like vinegar, tomatoes or juice- which slow the cooking substantially; add these ingredients when the beans are just tender.
• Cooking times vary with the types of beans used but also may vary with their age.
• Beans are done when they can be easily mashed between two fingers or with a fork.
• Always test a few beans in case they have not cooked evenly.
• Return the soaked, rinsed beans to the 5-quart saucepan.
• Cover the beans with 3 times their volume of water.
• Add herbs or spices (not salt), as desired.
• Bring to a boil; reduce the heat and simmer gently, uncovered, stirring occasionally, until tender (the time will depend on the type of bean, but start checking after 45-60 minutes).
• Do not boil them since this will break the skins.
• Check the level of the water and add more if it gets low.
• When the beans are tender, drain and use in recipes; or for later use, immerse them in cold water until cool, then drain well and freeze in 1- to 2-cup packages.
• One pound of dried beans will yield about 5 or 6 cups cooked beans.
• PRESSURE COOKING: This is one of the quickest ways to cook beans.
• After you've soaked 1/2 pound of beans, place them in a 4-quart pressure cooker with 4 cups water.
• Cook at 15 pounds pressure following the manufacturer's directions for the type of legume you are cooking.