Saucy Rice and Beans

Serves: 4-6

Cooking Time: 2h if using dried beans, 45 minutes if using canned

Rice and beans have been keeping me warm regularly since the air has become crisper and cooler. It's similar to Spanish rice or the Mexican rice that you get as a side dish in restaurants, however this version is more saucy and flavourful (according to me). It's full of fibre and protein so it's satisfying, plus it makes great leftovers because its taste improves after being in the fridge overnight. Sometimes I eat it as a side dish or wrap it in tortillas for a veggie burrito, but usually I just eat it as my main course.  It's not likely it'll cost you more than a few bucks to make, so really, you can't afford not to make it.

Usually I would simply buy beans in a can and add them in later in the recipe but lately I've been buying dried legumes. For years I thought dried beans and lentils were a lot of work to prepare;  I was indoctrinated with the belief that beans needed to be soaked in water overnight. I'm not sure if this is the canned beans companies' doing, or if most  people out there are just lacking in legume education but it's simply not true. This method takes about an hour for the beans to be softened enough, which is still not as convenient as canned beans but I urge you to give it a whirl sometime since it makes a considerable difference in texture and flavour, especially in a dish like this where the black beans have one of the starring roles.

Feel free to jack up the amount of spice by leaving your jalapenos as they are and not removing the seeds. This all depends on the heat of your peppers and the tenderness of your tongue... for me I used 1.5 unseeded jalapenos which was just right, but for something milder try seeding them first.

Start the beans:
1 cup dry black beans
2 cloves garlic, halved
1 tsp salt

1) Rinse the beans in cold water and pick out any stones.
2) Place beans in a small pot and cover with water until there is about and inch of water over them. Add the garlic.
3) Bring to a boil, uncovered. Reduce the heat to a low simmer and let cook fro 45 minutes, adding water if needed to keep the beans covered.
4) Taste the beans for softness and add the salt (if you add the salt at the beginning the bean skins will break down too quickly). Cook until beans reach the desired softness, 15-30 minutes.
5) Drain and set aside.

2 tablespoons olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
1.5 tsp cumin seeds
1.5 tsp oregano
1 onion, diced
1 large green pepper, diced
1 jalapeno pepper, chopped
2 tsp chili powder (I used chipotle chili powder)
1 tsp paprika
1.5 cups brown  rice
2 cups tomato sauce
1 cup vegetable stock
fresh ground pepper and salt to taste

Garnish with:
sour cream
cilantro, chopped
green onion, chopped

1) Heat the oil on medium to medium-high heat in large pot or dutch oven .
2) Cook the cumin seeds, oregano and fresh ground pepper until aromatic.
3) Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute before adding the onion, green pepper, and jalapeno. Cook until softened, about 5 minutes.
4) Add the rice and roast for about 2 minutes, which will give the rice a nice texture that is not too soft after it's cooked.
5) Pour in the tomato sauce and stock and stir well. Add the paprika and chili powder, stir, then salt to taste.
6)When the rice and sauce come to a boil, reduce the heat to low and cover, cooking until rice is tender, about 35-45 minutes. Add stock or water if it becomes too dry, but try not to uncover it too often...as tempting as it is!
7) Add the beans and stir gently until heated through. If using canned beans, you would add them now.
8) Garnish with sour cream, cilantro, and green onion to serve as a main course.

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