Cooking with Heidi - Brazilian Black Beans Recipe
BRAZILIAN BLACK BEANS
Inspired by https://braziliankitchenabroad.com/
The original recipe featured dried chipotle peppers, but you can use any dried peppers, such as
California chili peppers, which are included in this week’s recipe prep kit.
● 16 oz dry Black Beans (2 1⁄4 cups)
● 2 whole dried chili peppers
● 2 bay leaves
● 5 cups of water
● 1/2 tsp cumin
● 1/2 tsp white wine vinegar
● 2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil (or any cooking oil you have)
● 1/2 onion diced
● 5 garlic cloves minced
● 2 1/2 tsp salt
● Pepper to taste
● 1⁄2 teaspoon of white vinegar
Rinse the dried beans well in a colander. If you have time, soak the beans in water for about 8
hours or overnight. If you don’t have time, you can use the quick soak method (Boil beans in
cold water for 2 minutes, then soak for 1-2 hours. )
Drain the soaked beans and place them in a pot with 5 cups of water. Add the dried chilis
whole, the bay leaves, salt, and pepper. Bring to a boil and then simmer on the stove top for
about an hour for soaked beans. If you skipped the soaking step, your beans will just need
longer to cook.
While the beans are cooking, chop half an onion and start to saute in the oil. (Your recipe prep
kit contains one onion, so you could use the whole thing or save half for another dish. Keep the
half onion refrigerated). While the onion is cooking, finely chop 5 or so cloves of garlic. When
the onions are nearly done, after about 5-10 minutes, add the garlic and gently cook for another
2-3 minutes. Garlic always smells so good when you’re frying it with onions, but watch closely
as it can easily burn and become bitter.
QUEST CENTER FOR INTEGRATIVE HEALTH
Check your beans after about 45 minutes to check for doneness. On the stovetop they should
take about an hour, but it could be more or less. When the beans are done, stir in the onion and
garlic mixture, the cumin and vinegar. Taste and add more salt or vinegar if you like.
Remove and discard the bay leaves before serving. You can remove the chilies and even chop
then up and add them back in, if you like.
These beans go great with rice.
This makes 4 servings. The cooked beans keep in the refrigerator for 3-5 days. You can also
freeze them. I like to do this in individual portions, along with the cooked rice.
NOTES: If you can make this in a pressure cooker, it take about 30 minutes under pressure. If
you use a slow cooker, it takes about 5 hours on high.
The original recipe called for chipotle peppers which have a lovely smoky flavor. If you’d like to
have some of that smoky flavor, you can use a little smoked sea salt or a few drops of liquid
smoke.
Some popular types of dried peppers are available at Winco in the produce section.
A POT OF RICE
● 2 cup uncooked white rice (long or medium grain)
● 3 cups water
● A pinch of salt (optional)
● 1 tsp butter or olive oil (optional)
●
1. Rinse the rice: For fluffier, less starchy rice, rinse the uncooked rice under cold
water in a fine mesh sieve until the water runs clear. Drain well. (Some methods
skip this step, but rinsing helps prevent mushy rice).
2. Combine ingredients: Add the rinsed rice, water, and optional salt or oil to a
medium sized saucepan with a tight fitting lid.
3. Bring to a boil: Place the pot over high heat and bring the water to a rolling boil,
uncovered.
4. Reduce heat and cover: Once boiling, stir the rice once, reduce the heat to the
lowest possible setting, cover the pot tightly with the lid, and let it simmer. Do not
uncover or stir during this time.
5. Simmer: Simmer for approximately 15-20 minutes (the time can vary slightly
depending on the type of rice). The water should be completely absorbed when
finished.
6. Rest (steam): Remove the saucepan from the heat but keep the lid on. Let the
rice stand, covered, for 5-10 minutes to allow the moisture to redistribute and the
grains to firm up.
7. Fluff and serve: Remove the lid and gently fluff the rice with a fork or rice paddle
before serving.
NOTES: Store leftover rice in the refrigerator for about 3 days. Leftover rice is great for
fried rice. I also like to freeze leftover rice in individual portions.