Rice and Beans
Rice and Beans is one of my goto side dishes every time I’m serve Mexican or Latin dishes. It’s really super easy to make, has a lot of flavor, and goes with so many dishes. In addition to being a great side dish, rice and beans are a great for a burrito. It’s also a dish that is very flexible, so if you want to add any other spices, herbs, or veggies to your rice and beans, do it…I’m sure they will still come out great. Give them a try, and hope you enjoy it!
Recipe overview and keys to success:
To make the best rice and beans, just make sure to do the following:
- For simplicity, I used canned black beans, which work great. But you should rinse them off before use.
- Seasoning is very important in rice and beans, as both can take a good amount salt to really bring out the flavors
- When cooking the rice, once you have the cover on, don’t keep checking the rice. Every time you take the lid off, steam escapes, which slows down the cooking process
- Don't stir the rice and beans once they've started cooking, you turn the rice into mush!
Ingredients (4 bites)
- 1 cup long grain rice
- ½ cup canned black beans (rinsed)
- ¼ cup diced red bell pepper
- 1 small diced jalepeno
- 3 minced garlic cloves
- 3 diced shallot
- 3 tablespoon tomato paste
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- 2 cups chicken stock
- Olive oil
- Salt and pepper
Rice and Beans
- Heat a sauce pan over medium heat and coat the bottom in with olive oil
- Add the peppers, garlic, shallot, and sauté until the shallots are just translucent, but not browned
- Add the rice, cumin and the tomato paste, and stir together, cooking over the heat for 2 – 4 minutes
- Season with salt and pepper, add the black beans, and the chicken stock, then cover the pot
- Cook for 20 minutes over low heat, with the stock just simmering
- Remove the lid, and taste just a few of the rice grains that are on top; if they are tender, but firm, the rice is done. If they are too hard, cover again, and allow to cook for another 5 – 6 minutes
- Once cooked, use a fork to gently fluff up the rice, and serve!
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