Cuban Style Black Beans and Rice
By: Kirsten M Kulek
Published: Thursday, April 22, 2010 - 2:01pm

Ingredients




1 cup of white long grain rice
14 ounces can of black beans (with juices)
2 cups of water
1/4 cup of apple cider vinegar
1 medium white or yellow onion (diced)
4 cloves of garlic (minced)
1 cup of red pepper (diced) (I don't always add this)
14 ounces can of diced tomatoes (with juices)
2 tblspn cumin
2 teaspoons of ground black pepper
2 teaspoons creole seasoning ( Zataran's is my favorite)
dash of cayenne (only if you want it a bit spicy)

1/4 cup of olive oil

Preparation

1 In medium size sauce pot, over medium to high heat, add your olive oil.  Bring up to temp and add your onion, garlic, red pepper, cumin. Saute for a good 5-8 minutes. 2 Now add your beans, water, vinegar, tomatoes, creole seasoning, and pepper (give it a stir). Finally add your rice, and stir thoroughly. 3 Bring up to a boil, stir off the bottom, cover and reduce heat to low/simmer.  Cook for about 40 minutes or until rice is tender.

About


I like to top my rice and beans with thinly sliced iceberg lettuce, diced red onion and some diced roma tomatoes, or even cilantro.  I then top it all off with a little bit of olive oil and either fresh lime juice or balsamic vinegar.  Then to add more protein, cook yourself up some steak, chicken, or a mild fish (like tilapia-see Fish taco recipe) seasoned with all the same stuff you put in your rice, include some lime juice to your marinade!  In terms of lunches, I actually take this to work cold.  I put about a servings worth in Tupperware, add a bit of balsamic vinegar, and mix, then put my veggies right on top along with a little olive oil, and take some lime slices on the side.  It doesn't get any easier than that!