Since the weather heated up, I found myself thinking back to vacations in San Juan, Puerto Rico. I became very fond of churrasco (grilled flank steak) and a side dish of black beans. Chef Jerry Pellegrino believes it’s wise to keep a few cans or a bag of dried black beans in your pantry.
The big question is canned vs. dried beans. The consensus is that dried beans, after soaking, offer better flavor and texture, but canned beans, after rinsing, offer most of the flavor with a lot of convenience.
For the best results with soaking, do it overnight. And you may want to consider soaking a whole bunch of beans, freezing the ones you aren’t going to use. Add plenty of water to your bowl of beans, which will triple in size. One bonus is they will be a lot more digestible.
You can do a short soak by cooking the dried beans in water for about an hour or two.
This may be the best compromise for convenience and flavor.
Here’s a simple black bean recipe. Start by sautéing minced onions and garlic in a saucepan. Drain and rinse two cans of black beans, then add a cup of chicken broth for simmering.
Season with cumin, coriander, oregano, salt and pepper. Simmer for a half hour, then serve with a generous dash of lime juice.
The Brazilians have a dish called “feijoada” which adds a bit of complexity to a black bean stew. This involves a spicy sausage like andouille, chopped tomatoes, lots of onion and garlic, tomato paste, chicken broth and spices. You can whip this together in a fast cooker, but you probably will get better results going long and slow.
Mexican cuisine has recognized the affinity of black beans with shredded roast chicken.
The chicken and black bean enchilada are a perfect example. You make enchiladas by rolling up your chicken and black bean filling in a flour or corn meal tortilla. Store-bought red enchilada sauce features prominently and do chopped onions, tomatoes, green chilies and lots of shredded cheese. The idea is to lay four or five enchiladas side by side in a skillet, hit them with your toppings, and bake in a hot oven for a few minutes. It’s messy and gooey and incredibly delicious. Check out the recipe below.
CHICKEN AND BLACK BEAN ENCHILADAS
INGREDIENTS:
16 oz jar of red enchilada sauce (available in stores)
6 flour or corn tortillas
2 cups shredded roast chicken
1 can black beans, drained and rinsed
2 cups shredded blend of cheeses (Monterey jack, cheddar, mozzarella)
4 oz. can of diced green chilies (store bought)
1 large Roma tomato, finely diced
4 spring onions, finely diced
Salsa
DIRECTIONS:
1. Pour enough red enchilada sauce into a skillet to coat the bottom. Set aside. Pre-heat oven to 350°
2. Working on a large plate, pour red enchilada sauce onto the plate, then place a tortilla on top of it. Fill with chicken and black beans, then roll up. Repeat with all the tortillas, then place them into a skillet or baking dish.
3. Pour the remaining red enchilada sauce over the tortillas and sprinkle the cheese on top. Bake in oven for about 20 minutes, or until the cheese is hot and bubbly.
Garnish with the green chilies, tomato and onions, and top off with salsa.
