mari's famous cuban black beans

Name: Mari's Famous Cuban Black Beans
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 1 h
Yield: 8
Cuisine: Cuban
Ingredients: 1 pound(s) dried black beans; 1 bay leaf; 1/4 cup(s) olive oil, light; 1 large green bell pepper, divided use; 5 clove(s) garlic, chopped; 1 red onion, chopped; 1 tablespoon(s) ground cumin; 1 tablespoon(s) oregano, crushed; 2 tablespoon(s) white vinegar; 2 tablespoon(s) sherry dry cooking wine; 2 teaspoon(s) sugar; kosher salt, to taste; cornstarch, optional

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Lori L (JostLori)

San Diego

Updated on Dec 9, 2023

This recipe is from my daughter-in-law's mother, Mari, who was born and raised in Cuba. She's recently immigrated to the United States, and I'm so happy that she's willing to share her family recipes - Mari's an expert resource when making Cuban dishes - she's an outstanding cook! And so is her husband, Manuel.

Rate

prep time 10 Min

cook time 1 Hr

method Pressure Cooker/Instant Pot

yield 8-10 serving(s)

Ingredients

1 pound dried black beans
1 bay leaf
1/4 cup olive oil, light
1 large green bell pepper, divided use
5 cloves garlic, chopped
1 red onion, chopped
1 tablespoon ground cumin
1 tablespoon oregano, crushed
2 tablespoons white vinegar
2 tablespoons sherry dry cooking wine
2 teaspoons sugar
kosher salt, to taste
cornstarch, optional

How To Make mari's famous cuban black beans

Step 1

Clean and sort the black beans to ensure there are no pebbles in the mix. Place the beans and the bay leaf in the Instant Pot (in Cuba, they use a regular pressure cooker). Pressure cook on high, or the "beans" setting" for 40 minutes. Let the steam release naturally.

Step 2

While beans cook, make the sofrito. Pour the olive oil into a saucepan and heat. Add the garlic, onion, and bell pepper. Add the cumin and oregano. Cook over medium low heat until the veggies are very tender and aromatic. If necessary, add a little more olive oil - the sofrito should not be dry.
Step 3

When beans are done, transfer the sofrito to the bean pot. Stir to incorporate. Add the vinegar, cooking wine, and sugar. Add salt to taste.
Step 4

Stir the beans and smash some against the sides of the pot to thicken them up. They will still be quite liquid. If you want them thicker, dissolve some cornstarch in a bit of water and add, a little at a time, until it reaches your desired consistency. This will change the flavor if you use too much, though!
Step 5

Return the pot to the instant pot and cook for an additional 10 minutes, to further soften the beans and to make the flavors infuse.
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