Who said we won’t learn? We discovered a few recipes using the sofrito method of imparting deep, rich, flavor to our dishes and we’re using it in our own cooking now. Greg made a sofrito by pureeing and sautéing onion, celery, garlic and jalapeno for a pot of black beans. You know the best part about it? Besides the flavor, of course? There aren’t little bits of vegetables getting in the way of a pure-bean experience. These will be the best beans you’ve ever tasted, promise.
Beans with Sofrito
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 sofrito recipe, below
2 pounds of red kidney or black beans, washed and picked over
Heat an 8 quart pan or Dutch over medium high heat. Add olive oil and heat until shimmery.
Add sofrito mixture and cook, stirring often, until reduced by a little more than half or until a crust forms on the pan and the sofrito has darkened and begun to turn from green to gold, about 25 to 30 minutes. Add dried beans and enough water to cover them and raise the heat until the mixture boils. Reduce heat and simmer, stirring occasionally for 2 to 3 hours, or until the beans are soft but not mushy. Add salt, stir, and continue cooking for 5 minutes, then taste and repeat until the salt reaches a satisfying level.
Serve with rice and hot sauce of choice. Brown rice and Louisiana or Crystal brand sauces are recommended. An egg is key.
Sofrito
1 large green pepper coarsely chopped
1 medium onion coarsely chopped
1 medium head of garlic, broken apart and cloves husked
2 sticks of celery, cut into three pieces each
1 Tbs of kosher salt
1 bunch of cilantro
Place all ingredients in a food processor and blend until smooth, about 2 minutes.
