black beans, version xxx.

For a long time I thought I made really good black beans from scratch. I mean, I did! But at a certain point I lost the plot via over-experimentation and could somehow never really get back to a super-solid base recipe. 

UNTIL NOW. Welllllll, I just went back to the very beginning, the first recipe that ever told me how to make black beans, from Mark Miller's Coyote Cafe cookbook, the black bean soup recipe. And I combined the ingredients/ratios from that recipe with the zero-effort technical approach that Tortilla's perfect bean recipe uses. So, no rinsing, no soaking, no baking soda, no wrapping aromatics in a cheesecloth to perfume the beans, etc. Just herbal beany goodness +/- 3 hours from start to finish. 

+++

the coyote cafe black bean recipe. 

INGREDIENTS
500g dried black beans
3 liters boiling water

1 tsp cumin seed
1 tsp ground coriander seed
1 tsp dried oregano

1 medium onion, peeled and halved
4 large cloves garlic, lightly smashed
1 jalapeno chile, halved
2 bay leaves
1/2 tsp dried thyme
1 tsp freshly cracked black pepper
1 and 1/2 tsp fine salt 

1 tbsp olive oil

METHOD
In a big bean pot toast the cumin seeds, coriander seed and oregano until aromatic, about 1 minute. Add the 3 liters of boiling water, then add beans, onion, garlic, jalapeno, bay leaves, thyme, pepper and salt. Set heat to a simmer, cover the pot and cook for 3 hours, checking every 30 minutes to make sure nothing is sticking. When beans are tender, you can add the tbsp of olive oil and simmer with the lid off for 15-30 minutes to thicken the pot liquids. 

+++