some days you just feel so cold inside, no matter how warm it is. (80F for the record). even though most of my friends at other schools have finished their finals, we still have two weeks to go, and that means it is CRUNCH TIME which is not so good for general happiness.
despite being warm, the weather doesn’t help
It was a rough day. But instead of coming home and collapsing for the evening, I only collapsed for about 20 minutes. Then I pulled myself out of bed, grabbed a can of black beans and went to the kitchen.
45 minutes later, I present to you:
The Best Beans I Have Made Yet (though that’s not saying much.)
They’re subtle but still flavorful and not too spicy. (I am really proud of the spices though – I’ve been shy with them recently, but this turned out really well!)
Cooking them for about 20-30 minutes leaves the beans softer but still holding their shape and texture, avoiding some of the overcooked sad that has left my pan. I apologize for the lack of measurements – this was kind of spur of the moment.
non-photogenic kitchen!
Ingredients:
- 1 and 1/2 cans black beans
- 1/4 large yellow onion
- olive oil
- garlic powder (or actual garlic)
- Smoked paprika (less spicy than what I normally use)
- cumin, my fav!
- oregano
Rinse yer beans – I don’t like the goopy stuff that comes with them straight from the can. I have a colander (actually we have three. thanks roommates!) but you can rinse them in a bowl and drain most of the water. Put the beans in a pot with some water. I used ~1/2 cup, but you could stand to use a little less. In any case, the beans shouldn’t be covered in water. You can always pour some out at the end though.
Add a “drizzle” of olive oil (this probably translates to about 1/2-1 teaspoon). Then libreally add garlic powder, paprika, cumin and oregano. I put in the most cumin and paprika and the least garlic powder since it’s pretty potent. They probably all came in around the 1/4-1/2 teaspoon range. The nice thing about these beans is that you can always add another can if it ends up too cumin-y or something. Also! add a dash of salt. Don’t be like me and forget.
Then let those lil fellas cook on medium heat for ABOUT 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.
now then, chop your onion up. Add a little olive oil to the pan (enough to coat the bottom – for this reason, I recommend using a small pan). Put the onions in and let the whole thing sit over low-medium heat for about 30 minutes, stirring occasionally to keep them from burning. They should get soft and a little sweeter.
Taste it periodically, and eat it when the texture is good. We had it with mac n’ cheese because I didn’t have a burner for rice.
Verdict from Dmitry: “I did not expect to have such a delicious dinner tonight!”
wine pairing: just kidding, but it is nice to eat with guava juice
I gotta say, I feel much more cheerful now.
and it’s not even altered!
(some of the credit should go to David Bowie though)
collegekitschin 