Brazilian recipe
Black Beans with Bacon and Cumin
These black beans, enriched with smoky bacon and a hint of cumin, are a comforting staple of Brazilian home cooking, offering deep, robust flavours and a perfect velvety texture.
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Ingredients
1 cup black beans
6 cups water (divided for soaking and cooking)
1 bay leaf
1/4 cup diced bacon
1/2 onion, finely chopped
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1/4 tsp ground cumin
Salt to taste
Freshly ground black pepper to taste
6 cups water (divided for soaking and cooking)
1 bay leaf
1/4 cup diced bacon
1/2 onion, finely chopped
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1/4 tsp ground cumin
Salt to taste
Freshly ground black pepper to taste
Where to find ingredients
Black beans can be found in the international or world foods aisle of most supermarkets. Diced bacon is widely available in the chilled meat section; thick-cut streaky bacon is an excellent substitute for more texture. Fresh garlic and onions are found in the fresh produce section.
Preparation method
- Rinse the beans thoroughly under cold running water in a sieve.
- Pick through the beans to remove any debris or damaged grains.
- Place the beans in a bowl and cover with 3 cups of water.
- Discard any beans that float to the surface.
- Cover the bowl with a plate and leave to soak for 12 hours.
- Change the soaking water at least once during this period.
- Drain the beans and discard the soaking liquid.
- Place the beans in a pressure cooker with 3 cups of fresh water and the bay leaf.
- Secure the lid and place over high heat.
- Bring the pressure cooker up to full pressure.
- Reduce the heat and cook for 15 minutes.
- Turn off the heat and allow the pressure to release naturally before opening the lid.
- Heat a medium saucepan over medium heat.
- Add the olive oil and the bacon.
- Sauté for 2 minutes until the bacon is lightly browned.
- Stir in the onion and a pinch of salt.
- Sauté for about 3 minutes until softened.
- Add the minced garlic and the ground cumin.
- Sauté for 1 minute until fragrant.
- Add one ladle of the cooked beans along with some of the cooking liquid to the saucepan.
- Mash the beans with a spatula to create a thick purée that will body the sauce.
- Pour in the remaining cooked beans and their liquid.
- Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste.
- Simmer for 10 minutes or until the desired thickness is reached.
- Serve hot.
Observations
The secret to achieving the perfect consistency lies in soaking the beans beforehand, which helps with digestion and shortens the cooking time. By building a base with crispy bacon and fragrant cumin, you develop an aromatic complexity that turns the cooking liquid into a rich, thick sauce.
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