Black Beans

also known as black turtle beans because of its hard shell, are a very common source of iron and protein in Latin American cuisine. The black bean is native to the Americas but can be found everywhere. This superfood is packed with vitamins and minerals and is an excellent source of phytonutrients and anthocyanins. Anthocyanins have numerous anti cancer effects, including anti inflammation, anti-mutagenesis and prevent cancer cells from spreading. And is soooooooooo delicious! You must make this a pantry staple.

Preparing dried black bean for cooking is the easiest thing to do. Soaking the beans just takes time but there are faster methods for the same quality taste. However, I do think they taste better when soaked overnight or for at least 6 8 hours. Here’s how I soak them: first I give the beans a rinse as I pick through them, looking for small debris trust me, you do not want to bite down on a small stone fragment. After rinsing and sorting through the beans, you place them in a pot (I use the same pot that I cook the bean in) and fill it way to the top with fresh water. Place the pot with the beans and water on your counter or table. The next day (or 6-8 hours later) drain the beans, give them another rinse and place them back in the pot fill with fresh water about 2 3 inches past the black bean line in your pot.

DO NOT SALT THE BEANS, DO NOT ADD ANY HERBS TO THE BEANS, DO NOT BOIL THE BEANS WITH STOCK NOR ADD EVEN A BAY LEAF. Adding any of the above to your beans will toughen the skins and will make it virtually impossible to soften.

Bring the bean to a boil, cover them with a lid, giving a crescent of space for steam to escape and lower your temperature. Cook until tender from 45 to 50 minutes. Then you’ll have tender beans to start to cook how you normally would cook your beans adding your flavorings, salts, sofritos and oils (you can also freeze these beans for later use.)

For a quicker method, rinse your dried black beans, look for debris, rinse again. Place the rinsed beans in a pot and place it on the stove to boil. Once boiling for 2 minutes, cover with a lid and take it off the heat and let sit for 2 hours. Afterwards, drain that water and fill the pot again up to 2-3 inches past the black bean line and cook as you normally would cook your black beans.