A Kitchen Primer

• 1 pound dried black beans
• 5 cups unsalted chicken stock
• 1/4 large sweet onion
• 1 green bell pepper
• 1 or 2 hot peppers (optional)
• two bay leaves

Soak beans overnight in enough cold water to cover by at least an inch, check and add more water if needed. Drain and rinse, then return to the pot with 5 cups of chicken broth (and/or water). Add 1/4 onion, bell pepper, hot peppers, and bay leaves. (Leave onion and peppers in large pieces). Cook until beans are tender, probably about 3 hours, more if they’re old. Check occasionally and add more liquid as needed. When beans are soft, remove onion, peppers, and bay leaves.

• 3/4 large sweet onion, chopped
• 1 bell pepper, chopped,
• 1 or 2 hot peppers (optional), chopped
• 3 large cloves garlic, minced
• olive oil
• 2 bay leaves
• 1-2 tsp cumin
• 1-2 tsp black pepper
• 1 tsp kosher salt or to taste
• 1/2 cup dry white wine
• 1 Tbsp tomato paste
• 1-2 tsp dried oregano
• 1 Tbsp balsamic vinegar or to taste

In a separate pan, sweat chopped onion, peppers, and garlic until soft; do not brown. Add ground spices, salt, tomato paste, and wine, cook down until wine is mostly evaporated. Add this mixture to beans, along with 2 additional bay leaves. Cook for 1/2 hour or more, correct seasonings. Add vinegar just before serving.

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