Beans are super trendy right now. For the past year or so my Instagram feed has been lousy with them, and it doesn't seem to be slowing down any time soon.
I don't make beans from scratch often. The only time we would really eat beans is if we have them as an accompaniment to rice for a Cuban dish. We'd reach for a low-sodium can and bring to a medium simmer on the stove before doctoring up with some spices and lime juice and calling it a day. It's much simpler and easier, considering how time-consuming beans can be.
Then there's the controversial question: to soak or not to soak? Whenever I make a big batch of black bean soup, I soak them with lots of salt. Supposedly, soaking helps reduce the cooking time. But then I read from Rick Martinez, culinary genius of all things cookie and Latin American, that he never soaks his beans (that sounds like a euphemism). I figured it was worth a shot. I had nothing to lose, and was craving a hearty bowl of beans.
Let's just say I was not disappointed. I make a mean bean. We had lots of leftovers for lunch over several days.
The cook time seems to be more dependent on the age of your dried beans. Mine must have been moderately fresh, as they took exactly 2 hours to reach a lovely tenderness with just enough bite. Similarly, my black bean soup usually goes for about 1 1/2 to 2 hours, even with soaked beans, so the difference soaking makes is far from astronomical. I will say that I have seen my mother take up to 3 hours to make Spanish chickpea soup with un-soaked dry beans, much to her frustration, but there could be a number of factors coming into play there. I'm not sure if certain beans cook quicker than others -- I would assume to some extent they do -- but at the very least it stands to reason that soaking your beans before cooking means they will absorb flavorless water when they could be simmering in a sauna of brewing bean broth.
My take is a riff on Rick's, but with a few additions.
The first addition is my favorite type of sausage, chorizo, which contributes lots of saltiness. Plus, the chewy nuggets bring textural contrast to the velvety broth and tender beans.
My other big switch is building the beans from a sofrito to intensify the alliums and flavoring agents. A sofrito is essentially the Latin American version of a mirepoix, serving as the foundation for many stews, stocks, and sauces. Tough usually a bulk puree kept in the fridge until needed, you can just as easily make it in the pot the way you would a mirepoix. Sofrito is made of onions, garlic, and peppers, typically a variety of fruitier peppers, though there are no real rules about which peppers to use. Many sofritos also include elements of tomato and cilantro, including many of the jarred varieties in the Latin aisle of the supermarket. I have been known to melt cheese with jarred sofrito in a fondue pot and pass it off as queso fundido. I decided to reach for tomato paste and cook the metallic taste out until brick-red, which gives a subtle smokiness and sweetness to the broth, and contributes to the velvety texture of the broth.
Though the soaking of beans can be controversial, there's no argument that beans are infamous for their, erm, digestive properties. Let's just say these beans are no exception, so this dish is best enjoyed in comfortable company. At this point, your quarantine buddy has heard it from you anyway.
With beans for days,
~c.j.
SOFRITO BEANS
PREP TIME: 5 minutes
ACTIVE COOK TIME: 25 minutes
INACTIVE COOK TIME: 1 1/2 - 3 1/2 hrs (to simmer)
YIELD: 8-12 servings
INGREDIENTS
1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 lb fully cooked chorizo links, diced
1 medium white or yellow onion, diced
1 large bell pepper, any color, diced (you could also add some hot peppers to the mix!)
6 cloves garlic, thinly sliced or minced
1 4.6 oz (130 g) tube of double-concentrate tomato paste
a generous handful of cilantro with stems, bundled by kitchen twine + more rough chopped cilantro for topping
1 lb. dried red kidney beans, rinsed and picked through (but not soaked!)
2 tbsp kosher salt
DIRECTIONS
In a very large dutch oven or heavy bottomed pot, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add chorizo and cook stirring occasionally 5-7 minutes, allowing the chorizo to brown slightly and the olive oil to take on some of the red color. Add the onion and pepper and cook stirring occasionally until vegetables soften and onion begins to go transluscent, 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook stirring constantly to avoid burning for 1 minute or until garlic becomes very fragrant. Add tomato paste and cook stirring occasionally until tomato paste goes brick red, 5 minutes. Add cilantro, beans, kosher salt, and 4 quarts (16 c.) water to the pot. Turn the heat up to high and bring to a boil, uncovered.
Once a boil is reached, reduce the heat to medium-low to maintain a simmer. You will notice a foam will begin to form at the surface; simply skim it off with a spoon and discard. Allow to simmer uncovered until beans are tender, anywhere from 1 1/2 to 3 1/2 hours, depending on the age of your beans. Stir and check them occasionally for doneness. Continue to skim foam from the surface.
Once beans are done, remove the cilantro bundle and discard. Serve beans with chopped cilantro overtop and enjoy.
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