Brazilian recipe
Black Beans with Bacon and Cumin (Feijão preto com bacon e cominho)
These black beans, enriched with smoky bacon and a hint of cumin, are a soulful staple of Brazilian comfort cooking, offering both deep flavor and ease of preparation.
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Ingredients
1 cup dry black beans
6 cups water (divided for soaking and cooking)
1 bay leaf
1/4 cup bacon, diced
1/2 onion, finely chopped
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
1/4 tsp ground cumin
salt to taste
freshly cracked black pepper to taste
6 cups water (divided for soaking and cooking)
1 bay leaf
1/4 cup bacon, diced
1/2 onion, finely chopped
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
1/4 tsp ground cumin
salt to taste
freshly cracked black pepper to taste
Where to find ingredients
You can find dry black beans and fresh aromatics at any local Canadian grocery chain. Look for quality cured bacon in the meat aisle. If you prefer a meatless alternative, you can omit the bacon and use a high-quality smoked paprika to maintain that depth of flavor.
Preparation method
- Rinse the beans under cold running water in a fine-mesh strainer.
- Sort through the beans to remove any debris or damaged pieces.
- Place the beans in a bowl and pour in 3 cups of water.
- Discard any beans that float to the surface.
- Cover the bowl with a plate and let the beans soak for 12 hours.
- Drain and replace the soaking water at least once during this period.
- Drain the beans thoroughly and discard the soaking water.
- Add the beans to a pressure cooker with 3 fresh cups of water and the bay leaf.
- Seal the lid and place over high heat.
- Wait until the pressure cooker reaches full pressure.
- Reduce the heat and cook for 15 minutes.
- Turn off the heat and allow the pressure to release naturally before opening.
- Heat a medium saucepan over medium heat.
- Add the olive oil and the diced bacon.
- Sauté for 2 minutes until the bacon is lightly browned.
- Add the onion and a pinch of salt.
- Sauté for about 3 minutes until the onion becomes translucent.
- Stir in the garlic and the ground cumin.
- Sauté for 1 minute until fragrant.
- Add one ladle of the cooked beans along with some of the liquid to the saucepan.
- Mash the beans with a spatula to create a paste that will thicken the sauce.
- Pour in the remaining cooked beans and their cooking liquid.
- Season with salt and pepper to taste.
- Simmer for 10 minutes or until the desired consistency is reached.
- Serve hot.
Observations
The secret to achieving the perfect texture lies in soaking the beans, which aids digestion and shortens the cooking time. The aromatics, specifically the sautéed bacon and earthy cumin, impart a special depth of flavor that produces a thick, savory broth.
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