Spicy Black Beans and Rice with Garlic Swiss Chard
It has just occurred to me, with a vegetarian daughter, I really should be preparing more bean dishes.
Not just for the nutritional value, they have that in spades.
But because she loves them. Will eat them any old day of the week.
Of course, she prefers dried beans over the canned version.
Preparing them does take a bit more time, who am I kidding? it takes way more time.
So naturally, I gravitate to recipes that don’t require soaking the beans overnight.
I have been making these Spicy Black Beans for years, it is by far one of our favorites.
Normally I would feel that this is a fall/winter kind of dish.
However, today turned out to be 52 degrees with a light rain, hello spring? Where the heck are you?
With that kind of miserable, cold, damp weather, we need some spicy warm comfort food – you know?
The recipe below is vegetarian, which means I usually add some pork on the side to keep the carnivores happy.
I just happened to have a package of Chorizo sausage in the fridge, one of those impulse buys at the fancy grocery store last week.
We chopped it up cooked it until it was all crispy and charred on the edges.
Now you might be thinking most people serve cornbread with their beans, right?
Well here’s the thing, beans are a carbohydrate, and served with rice, well thats a carbohydrate too.
Whereas swiss chard, yes techincally a carbohydrate, but not in the same starchy category as the other two.
It lends a lightness and freshness to the overall dish – I think.
Call me crazy, but it works.
Ingredients
- 2 cups black beans
- 8 cups water
- 1 large onion, diced small and divided
- 1 large green pepper, diced and divided
- 1 large poblano pepper, diced and divided
- 1 large red pepper, diced and divided
- 4-5 large garlic cloves, chopped fine, divided in two
- 1 bay leaf
- 2 Tbs olive oil
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
- 2 tsp ground cumin
- 1 Tbs dried oregano
- 1 1/2 Tbs kosher salt
- 1 1/2 Tbs brown sugar
- 3 Tbs red wine vinegar
- few dashes of Tabasco sauce, or more if you prefer
- 1/4 cup dry sherry (optional)
- For Swiss Chard
- 1 large bunch chard
- 3-4 garlic cloves finely minced
- 3 Tbs olive oil
- zest of 1 lemon
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
Wash and sort through beans. Toss into a large saucepan.
Add 8 cups water, bay leaf, olive oil, black pepper, 1/2 the onion, peppers and garlic.
Bring to a boil, then simmer on low partially covered for 1 1/2 to 2 hours (older beans may take longer).
Later, in a small saucepan add the remaining oil, peppers and onion to a small saucepan, cooking over medium heat until just translucent. Add remaining garlic and cook another minute.
When beans are done remove bay leaf and add remaining cooked peppers and onion mixture.
Now stir in the cumin, oregano, kosher salt, brown sugar, red wine vinegar Tabasco and sherry.
To prepare swiss chard wash well and cut into large bite size pieces.
Add olive oil to large bottom pot over high heat, add chard, salt and pepper.
Using two big spoons or spatulas toss around until bright green and somewhat wilted, aprox. 3-4 mins.
Add garlic and stir, cook another minute.
Turn off heat add lemon zest and a drizzle of olive oil.
Serve beans and swiss chard with your favorite rice.
https://pamelasglutenfreerecipes.com/vegetarian/spicy-black-beans-and-rice-with-garlic-swiss-chard/