Cuban Black Beans and Rice (Gluten-Free)

Ingredients

• 1 lb Black beans, dried
• 2 cups Long-grain rice
• 1 medium Onion
• 1 medium Bell pepper (green)
• 4 cloves Garlic
• 2 tablespoons Olive oil
• 1 teaspoon Cumin
• 1 teaspoon Oregano
• 2 Bay leaf
• 1 tablespoon Vinegar
• to taste Salt
• to taste Black pepper

Instructions

1. 1Place the 1 lb of dried black beans into a large bowl. Cover the 1 lb of black beans with at least 4 inches of cold water. Let the beans soak for a minimum of 4 hours, or ideally overnight (8 to 12 hours). Before cooking, drain the soaked 1 lb of black beans in a colander and rinse them thoroughly under cold running water.
2. 2While the beans are soaking, finely chop the 1 medium onion into 1/4-inch pieces and the 1 medium green bell pepper into 1/4-inch pieces. Mince the 4 cloves of garlic. In a large, heavy-bottomed pot or Dutch oven, heat the 2 tablespoons of olive oil over medium heat (approximately 350°F / 175°C). Add the chopped 1 medium onion and 1 medium green bell pepper to the pot and cook, stirring occasionally, for 5 to 7 minutes, until they are softened and translucent. Add the minced 4 cloves of garlic and cook for 1 minute more, stirring constantly, until the garlic is fragrant.
3. 3Add the drained 1 lb of black beans to the pot with the cooked vegetables. Stir in the 1 teaspoon of cumin, the 1 teaspoon of oregano, and the 2 bay leaves. Pour in enough cold water to cover the 1 lb of black beans by about 2 inches (this will be approximately 8 cups of water). Increase the heat to high and bring the water to a rolling boil.
4. 4Once the water is boiling rapidly, immediately reduce the heat to low. Cover the pot with a lid and let the beans simmer gently for 1 hour to 1 hour and 30 minutes. Stir the beans occasionally every 15 to 20 minutes to prevent them from sticking to the bottom of the pot. If the beans appear dry, add 1/4 cup of water at a time. The beans are done when they are tender when you bite into one and the liquid has slightly thickened.
5. 5While the beans are simmering, prepare the 2 cups of long-grain rice. In a medium saucepan, combine the 2 cups of long-grain rice with 4 cups of cold water and 1/2 teaspoon of salt (from the 'to taste Salt' ingredient). Bring the mixture to a rolling boil over high heat, then immediately reduce the heat to low, cover the saucepan tightly, and simmer for 18 to 20 minutes until all the water has been absorbed and the rice is tender. Remove the saucepan from the heat and let the rice stand, covered, for 5 minutes before fluffing gently with a fork.
6. 6When the 1 lb of black beans are tender, stir in the 1 tablespoon of vinegar. Season the beans with salt (from the 'to taste Salt' ingredient) and black pepper (from the 'to taste Black pepper' ingredient) to your taste. Carefully remove and discard the 2 bay leaves from the pot.
7. 7Serve the cooked 1 lb of black beans spooned generously over the cooked 2 cups of long-grain rice.

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