Olla De Frijoles Negros - Mexican Black Beans
Ingredients
- 2 cups black beans
- 1 large onion peeled and quartered
- 1 bulb garlic whole
- 1 bunch epazote or other herb, eg oregano, dried or fresh
- 1 whole ancho chilli (optional) or x2 Kashmiri or other large dried chilli
- 1 whole chipotle or morita chilli (optional) Or 1/4 tsp smoked Spanish paprika
- 2 bay leaves
- salt to taste
Instructions
- place the beans in a bowl, cover with at least twice it's volume of water and leave to soak 8-12 hours - effectively overnight
- transfer the drained beans into a large pot. Add all the other ingredients including a little salt & enough cold water to cover by a couple of inches
- Once boiling simmer on medium-low heat until the beans are soft but hold their shape: 50-90 minutes in a conventional pot; 30 minutes in a pressure cookerTop up with water as necessary
- Remove the garlic remnants & bay leaves and adjust the seasoning
- The beans should be very tender but hold their shape and the liquid should be thick enough to coat the beans. Cook for a little longer if necessary to achieve this consistency
- Serve with rice, corn or wheat tortillas or a slice of crusty bread and a crispy salad. Black beans love a sprinkling of fresh crumbly cheese such as Greek feta or the traditional Mexican "queso fresco" if you can source it
Notes
Storage
Refrigerate left-over beans once they have cooled down.
The following day put them in a pot, add a teacup-full of water and cook them covered over medium high heat for at least 10 minutes.
Stir them occasionally to break them up then re-fry (see following post)