I like coming up with cool recipes and sometimes I get random strikes of inspiration and use my Siri to record notes to myself because these strikes always seem to come when I am driving. So I'll tell my phone "Make a note about coconut rice and cuban black beans with a pepper puree" and I'll come across it at a later point in time and go "Oh yeah, let's work on that!"
After being in Cuba I was feeling like eating Caribbean inspired to kind of keep me in my vacation in a way because I had the post-trip blues pretty bad. I wanted to keep that zen-like vibe and it didn't last a day before I was aggravated in traffic. Not that all Cuban cuisine is beans and rice, but I had some of the best black beans I've ever had there, a little cup in this restaurant that I can't find on a map. So I knew I wanted to use recipes online that people got from their Cuban grandmas, and I also wanted rice, but a little more special of rice than just plain, so the thought of coconut rice came to mind. Then, because I had a ton of Cubanelle peppers from the farmers market, I figured a fancy-pants puree would be the perfect finishing touch.
The result is an elevated beans and rice dish that though it takes a little bit of time for the beans (this is definitely a Sunday dish!) is worth it for the amount of beans you end up with that can be saved for later. Plus, this reheats like a dream for lunch at work the next day, and is a gentle reminder of that island zen that can envelope us even as we eat lunch at our desks, wondering when we'll be able to escape again.
Cuban Black Beans with Coconut Rice and a Pepper Puree
Ingredients
For the beans:
- 2 cups dried black beans
- 3 tbsp olive oil
- 1 medium onion diced
- 2 cubanelle peppers or 1 green bell pepper diced
- 2 cloves of garlic minced
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- 2 tbsp white vinegar
- 1 tsp salt
- ½ tsp black pepper
- 1 tbsp sugar
- ¼ tbsp cumin
For the rice:
- 1 ½ cups of basmati or white rice
- 1 can of coconut milk
- 1 tsp salt
- ½ cup shredded coconut optional
For the pepper puree:
- 4 cubanelle peppers
- 4 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tsp of hot sauce of choice (I used Crystal)
Instructions
- The day before making the beans, soak them in a large container of water for a few hours or overnight.
- Once the beans are thoroughly soaked, rinse them thoroughly and discard the soaking water. Fill a large pot with 5 cups of water, the soaked beans, and half of the chopped pepper.
- Bring the beans to a boil, the reduce the heat to a medium-low simmer for 60 minutes and cover the pot. Stir occasionally.
- In the last 20 minutes of cooking for the beans, heat a tablespoon of olive oil over medium high heat in a frying pan. Once it’s shimmering, add the rest of the chopped pepper, the onion, and garlic. Saute for five minute or until the vegetables are soft and translucent. Turn off the heat.
- Take a slotted spoon and get a large spoonful of black beans (no liquid) and pour that one spoonful into the pan with the vegetables, and use a wooden spoon or potato masher to smash the beans fairly well.
- Pour the vegetable and smashed bean mix, plus two cups of water, back into the large bean pot.
- Cover the pot and continue to simmer for 60 more minutes on medium-low heat.
- Add three more cups of water, and the remaining ingredients (spices, vinegar, sugar) in the pot, cover, and continue simmering over medium-low heat for just 30 minutes this go round.
- Once you set the last 30 minutes on the timer, get out your Instant Pot, and ingredients for the rice and pepper puree.
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
- Pour all of the rice ingredients (except shredded coconut, if using) in the Instant Pot, stir together, and set to Manual for 12 minutes with the pressure valve on the lid set to Sealing. Let it cook and then let the pressure release naturally, which takes another 10 minutes or so.
- Now, place your cubanelle peppers on a baking tray and brush with a tablespoon of olive oil. Roast them at 400 degrees for 20 minutes, turning once with tongs, to ensure even cooking.
- Once the peppers are roasted, use a paring knife to remove the stem and seeds. Throw the peppers, 3 tablespoons of olive oil, and hot sauce in a blender and whir until the mixture is smooth. You’ll need to use a spoon or spatula to scrape down the sides after a few pulses.
- To assemble, use a clean spatula to fill a bowl to your liking with half coconut rice, and the other half with a scoop of the black beans. Top with a spoonful or two of the pepper puree, garnish with cilantro and shredded coconut, and enjoy! (For reheated versions, leave the puree off and carry in a separate container. Reheat the rice and beans and top with the puree after heating, then mix together).
