Ingredients
"1 (16-ounce) bag of dried black beans",
"1 green or red bell pepper , chopped",
"3 tablespoons vegetable oil",
"1 large onion, chopped",
"4 cloves garlic, minced",
"2 tablespoons molasses , or 3 tablespoons dark brown sugar",
"1 tablespoon cumin",
"1/2 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce , optional",
"2 to 4 slices bacon , optional",
"2 cups chicken stock , or beef stock, optional",
"1 teaspoon salt, or to taste",
"1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, or to taste"
Instructions
Rinse the beans and soak them overnight in water.
Drain the beans, and cover them with fresh water (or chicken stock or beef stock if desired). Add chopped bell pepper. Bring the beans to a simmer on the stove, and cook them over low heat until they are just tender.
If using bacon , cook it in a heavy skillet until crispy. Remove the bacon from the skillet and reserve for another use. Add the chopped onion and minced garlic to the bacon fat remaining in the skillet and cook them over low heat until they are soft, translucent and fragrant. (If not using bacon, cook the onion and garlic in a couple of tablespoons of olive oil).
Add the cumin and the brown sugar to the onions and continue to cook until browned, soft and fragrant.
Once the beans are tender, remove two cups of the cooked beans and process them in a blender with onion mixture. Add the blended beans and onion back to the rest of the beans. According to taste, season with salt, pepper, and Worcestershire sauce (optional).
Continue to cook beans until they are very tender, adding water if necessary or letting the excess water boil away until the desired texture is reached.
Prep: PT720M
Cook: PT180M
Total: PT900M
Serves: 8