There's nothing more Central American than a pot of beans, and there's nothing I love more than making one, so I figured it would be a good place to start. The idea struck me half way through chopping, so you will have to use your imagination as to what these veggies looked like before hand.
What we have here folks is whatever veggies I have laying around. This bowl consists of one red pepper, a large yellow onion, your Italian grandmother's amount of chopped garlic and a carrot. Sometimes all I have on hand is just some onion & garlic, which does just as well, but I was excited to have this much color.
I am pretty new at the whole dry bean thing. I've always loved beans out of a can, but let me tell you... I've been converted, and I don't think I'll ever be able to eat a mushy canned bean again.
Usually I am really good at planning ahead and soaking the dry beans over night, but on this lazy Sunday, I cheated. I brought the dry beans to a boil in this... thing. Our main cooking device. Once they were boiling, I turned the heat off, and let them soak for an hour in the hot water.
These beans aren't nearly cooked. They are just ready to be thrown in a pot with lots of water, olive oil and veggies and soak up all those yummy flavors. That's the beauty of dry beans from scratch. They really absorb great flavors and maintain a vegetable like consistency, instead of mush.
In the mean time, I've sauteed the veggies on our other cooking device.
It only takes about 20 minutes for things to get hot on this thing. "Tico Time" we like to call it.
Once I've got some good smells going, I add what is probably 3 cups of water and 2 cups of chicken broth. I'm bad at measuring.
After letting the beans sit for as long as I can stand in that hot water, I throw them in their soupy home. Look how pretty!
If you can see the black beans, you probably need to add more water. They absorb a lot of water, and there's nothing worse than opening up your pot to a dry black bean paste.
And now, we wait. We cover, and we wait. And we resist the urge to eat them every time we open and smell that wondrous smell.
I usually let my beans simmer for at least 2 1/2 to 3 hours. It depends on how much you are cooking really.
In the mean time, I'll take you on a tour of our kitchen.
Welcome, to the Green Forest School Apartment Kitchen (which also serves as laundry room at times)
Equipped with some of today's latest technologies.
And with quite the view at times. (Unfortunately, we are in a cloud right now, but sometimes you can see the dormant Platanar volcano from here.)
From the kitchen, you can view the state of the art laundry system.
I kid, I kid. I am thankful for this humbling place, and it truly has everything we need. It may take 40 minutes to boil water, and I may have to wash the black pan 3 times to make one multi-course meal, and we may have to wait a few days for things to air dry in the rainy season of a tropical climate, but I love it here and am thankful for hot, nutritious food and clean clothes (albeit damp).
Speaking of food... our beans might be ready.
The once brothy bowl of beans has turned into this bubbling beauty of married flavors.
Now, there are 2 things here in Costa Rica that make my black bean experience a little different from anything you will be able to match anywhere else.
One, is this gift from the gods:
This, my friends, is Natilla, and it is worthy of that capital "N." A cousin of sour cream, some might say. It's a little more milky, a little less bitter. Can you bring dairy through customs? Must I smuggle this creamy goodness back to the states? I don't know. Maybe you will just have to visit and taste it for yourself.
Next, we have some of the most beautiful avocados I've ever seen in my life.
I don't mean to brag, but they pretty much all look like this, and are a fraction of the price compared to US supermarkets.
A few sprigs of cilantro, and here you are:
Oh, don't forget the bread.
That was fun, right? I'll try to be better about keeping you guys in touch.
Love,
Natalie
Good stuff! enjoyed reading this. Looking at those beans is making me hungry!!
ReplyDeleteLove reading this, you are such a good cook! Keep writing. I love you!
ReplyDeleteI'm pretending I'm sitting in your Thomas St kitchen eating this with you! Love you lots!
ReplyDelete