I'm trying to find ways to incorporate more dried beans into my cooking, because they are an awesome vegetarian protein source and cost next to nothing. The biggest hindrance for me is the time investment. With direction from Bittman (and some creative license), I got a pot of black beans cooked and kicked up with chilies, garlic and onion--along with spiced and roasted sweet potato chunks.
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| Sweet potatoes, onion, garlic, salt, chipotle peppers, cumin, chili powder. Everything but the beans. |
Firstly: The beans. I chose to soak them ahead of time, although Bittman claims this isn't necessary. I'm a little skeptical because my mom made a lot of beans when I was growing up and she always soaked them, but maybe next time I will try the more direct method.
Before soaking, I sorted through the dry beans. My method is dumping them onto a rimmed cookie sheet and sliding them across as I go through them (my mother taught me well). Then I rinsed them thoroughly and set them up to soak. If I remember correctly I think I just filled my stock pot with water and the beans and left it in the fridge for a day or so. The night I cooked them, I drained and refilled the pot with fresh water, then let them simmer away for an hour or so.
The
picture above is the beans, fully cooked and drained again--but this
time I saved some of the stock. You'll want it in a bit!
Close to the end of cooking them I added salt. To test for doneness, I pull a few out and do two things: Blow cool air across them and watch for the skins to peel back, and taste them. It probably depends on how soft you want your beans, but this seems to work for me.
Next: I cooked the onion down with oil, salt, and a pinch each of cumin and chili powder. Once it got soft I added garlic, cooked that for a minute, and then...
Half the cooked beans, a cup (? I didn't measure, just went by consistency) of the stock, and a chipotle pepper, cut in half. You can buy them in little cans, swimming in adobo sauce. They're delicious--they have a deep, smoky heat to them, very different from a lot of other chiles like jalapenos.
I also decided to add a dash of Worcestershire sauce (Annie's is a vegan version... no anchovies were harmed in the making of this meal!). More savory, salty flavor.
And while all this happened, my sweet potatoes were obediently roasting in the oven. I cubed and tossed them with a little oil and chili powder before baking.
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| Sweet tater chunks! |
The warm, earthy flavors in the beans and sweet potatoes balance nicely with crispy lettuce and bright-flavored toppings like cilantro, guacamole, and... what are those creamy-looking chunks?
Sour cream? No.
Cream cheese? No.
Cotija? Queso fresco? No...
Chevre. Yes. Goat cheese. It's creamy and tangy and wonderful and somehow works in this context. It's the kind of thing where you can't ask questions, you just have to try it. I think it's awesome.
Anyway, overall this was super tasty and a) gluten-free, b) easily made vegan by taking out the goat cheese if that just isn't your thing and, I just realized c) probably ok for people with lactose intolerance even with the cheese, because I've heard that goat cheese is digestible for many people even if they can't eat cow dairy.
It's a winner.
RECIPES
Basic Beans (Bittman pg 505, softcover)
Time: 30 mins to 2 hours, largely unattended
Any quantity dried beans, washed and picked over (see Basics of Buying and Preparing Beans)
Salt to taste
Put the beans in a large pot with water to cover. Turn the heat to high and bring to a boil, then turn down so the beans simmer. Cover loosely.
Cook, stirring occasionally, until the beans begin to become tender. Add about 1 t salt per half pound of beans, or to taste.
Continue to cook, stirring gently, until the beans are as tender as you like, adding water if necessary. Drain and serve or use in other recipes, or store in the fridge or freezer.
Black Beans with Cumin or Chili (Bittman pg 512, softcover)
Makes 4-8 servings (I made half this much)
Time: 30 minutes
1 pound black beans, washed and picked over (mine were pre-cooked so my method is slightly different and much faster, but I took some ideas from Bittman's recipe)
1/2-1 cup bean stock
1 medium onion, sliced
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 T ground cumin
2 T ground chili powder
1 chipotle pepper, cut in half, plus a spoonful of the adobo sauce (my addition)
Dash of Worcestershire sauce (my addition)
Canola oil
Salt
Heat the oil in a pan on medium-low. Add the onion and salt. When the onions start to soften, add half the cumin and chili powder. Let cook a minute or two until the spices are fragrant, add the minced garlic, and cook for another minute to soften the garlic.
Add the cooked beans, chipotle pepper, and enough stock to bring it to the desired consistency. Add the rest of the spices and Worcestershire sauce and stir together. Taste and adjust seasoning if needed.
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