Black Beans

Okay peedal, I am expecting the topic to get your attention!
I picked up a bag of black beans...beans...the little hard things...the REAL stuff...from a US grocery store when we were there a couple of days ago.

I'm not sure why I am telling you this because I was going to offer to send them to you but now I think I want them myself. Except I don't know how to make them properly. My luck I'd ruin them. Waaaaaa.

Okay, so if you feel like having some and are in the Wiltshire area, stop by. I'll let you make them. I'll even let you eat them. But I want a bite. Or two.

LisaE, you're too much!!  I wish you tonnes of luck with those dry beans, because I can't fix them to save my life!!!!

My mother has (yet again) bailed out my massive cravings and sent two tins of Cuban-style black beans, along with a huge bag of "Spanish-dinner" yellow rice!!  Yum yum yum.

I told Phil we're going to have to bring an empty suitcase with us next time we go over just to fill it up with black beans and yellow rice!!  

Anyway - we're trying to figure when to do a visit to friends of ours in Torquay (sp?).  It would be nice if we could coordinate a stop-over your way at the same time...maybe in a few months or so.  I'm just gasping to meet you, darling!!

Oh man! I bought them with you in mind! I thought you knew how to do that stuff. What kind of Florida girl are...oh, wait, backtrack, nevermind.  

We definitely have to meet. If anything, to commisersate over Southwest Florida. BTW, your kids will love Torquay in the summertime.

Ok Lisa...  not from Florida, so may be different down there...but I can make some great blackeyed peas...  from scratch.  So black beans will work the same I bet.

take one onion.... your choice...  chop it up and also take some saltpork...  or bacon there if you wish and chop it up finely also...

sautee the onion and the bacon or saltpork together  in a large simmering/stock pot, or which I use is a pressure cooker until cooked and your nose is drooling from the delicious smell.

add the beans (which btw you must soak in water over night to prepare them with a little salt in the water)

add about 6 cups of water and cover with lid...  cook on a low heat... stirring every now and then...  may take up to 8 hours in regurlar stock pot... about 4 hours in a pressure cooker...  it all depends on how thick you want them to come out...  I like mine nice and thick like a stew...  tastes great with corn bread.

I have done this with a bag of 15 beans before also and comes out excellent...  I would advise against 15 bean though...LOL, my ex brother in law loved it so much he ate about 4 bowls in a row... after about 2 hours we had to kick him out of the house and the next day he was out of commision... LOLOL!

enjoy!

The recipe sounds gorgeous! But, I make make one alteration. Salt pork or bacon doesn't sound like it's going to be a right base for black beans...it would need something to make it Caribbean or Cuban-tasting (maybe goat meat, LOL -- no joke, try curried goat meat!). But definitely the onions will be included!

However, you HAVE managed to give me a great recipe for the northern beans I also picked up. Somewhere in my travels I collected a recipe for the famous House of Rep great northern bean dish and since I never made it, I haven't a clue what it said, except I do recall boiling potatoes to the point of pulverising them and turning the water white.

Ok Lisa...  not from Florida, so may be different down there...but I can make some great blackeyed peas...  from scratch.

Great recipe chel!  But I do a vegetarian option.  I soak the beans, but then cook them using a vegetarian bullion, chopped onions, salt, pepper, basil and marjoram.  They turn out quite yummy this way!

Oohh, that *does* sound good Elle! (I'm not really veggie, just picky, but I do tend to the veggie options more often than not)  I'll have to give it a try sometime...*licks lips*

~Christa