Rice Quickie with Black Legumes and Sautéed Banana Plants

Rice Quickie with Black Legumes and Sautéed Banana Plants

A томato-free Cuban delight from Chicago's Randy Zweiban! Dive into a Cuban-themed extravaganza with this Cuban Sandwich recipe.

What you'll need: When shopping, remember to choose unsweetened coconut milk for that perfect taste, available at most grocery stores. For sweet plantains, go for ones that are well mottled or entirely black-these are much sweeter.

The plan: Start soaking the beans a day in advance for a flawless dish.

• Serves: 8 hungry souls
• Time: 2 hours and 45 minutes, plus a night of bean soaking

Ingredients (23)

For those tasty beans:

• 4 cups overnight-soaked black beans
• 1/4 cup cubed smoked bacon
• 3 tbsp canola oil
• 1/2 cup finely chopped red bell pepper
• 1/2 cup finely chopped yellow bell pepper
• 1 tbsp finely chopped jalapeno
• 1/4 cup finely chopped poblano pepper
• 2 tsp minced garlic
• 1/2 cup finely chopped red onion
• 1/2 cup finely chopped carrot
• 1/4 cup finely chopped celery
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 tbsp freshly toasted and ground cumin
• 1 tbsp freshly toasted and ground coriander
• 2 1/2 quarts (10 cups) low-salt chicken broth, or your favorite vegetable broth if preferred

For that scrumptious coconut rice:

• 3 tbsp canola oil
• 1 cup finely chopped red onion
• 4 cups water
• 4 cups unsweetened coconut milk
• 4 cups long-grain white rice
• A pinch of ground white pepper

For the mouthwatering fried plantains:

• 2 ripe plantains
• 4 tbsp unsalted butter

Instructions

For beans:

1. Cook the bacon with canola oil in a large, heavy-bottomed saucepan over medium heat until the bacon gives up most of its fat.
2. Add all veggies and sauté until tender and slightly caramelized, stirring occasionally.
3. Drain the beans, add them to the pan, and mix in bay leaf, cumin, coriander, and your chosen broth. Bring it to a roaring boil.
4. Reduce the heat to medium-low, letting beans simmer uncovered for approximately 1 1/4 hours until tender. Remember to keep the beans covered in liquid while cooking, add water if needed.
5. Once beans are ready, strain them, reserving that delicious cooking liquid. Simmer the liquid over medium heat until it's reduced by half, then stir it back into the relaxing beans. Add salt and pepper to taste before setting them aside.

For coconut rice:

1. Heat canola oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Sauté the red onion until it's soft and translucent.
2. Add water, coconut milk, and bring that mixture to a boil. Stir in the rice, season it with salt and white pepper.
3. Lower the heat to medium-low to maintain a steady simmer. Cover the saucepan, and cook for about 20 minutes, allowing the rice to absorb the liquid. At this point, remove the rice from the heat, let it rest for 5 minutes, then fluff it with a fork.

For fried plantains:

1. Peel the plantains, quarter them, and slice the 8 sections into about 8 pieces each.
2. Melt butter in a medium frying pan over medium heat. Once it starts to froth, add plantains. Sauté plantains until they're tender and the edges are a golden brown. Sprinkle with salt and freshly ground pepper, then remove from heat and let drain on paper towels.
3. To serve, unite the beans with your newly prepared coconut rice, and balance the dish with those fried plantains. Disfruta!

To create this delightful Cuban-inspired meal, rich with coconut rice, black beans, and sweet plantains, savor this step-by-step process:

Ingredients

• For Coconut Rice
• 1 cup long-grain white rice
• 1 cup coconut milk
• 1 cup water
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 tbsp coconut oil
• For Black Beans (Moros y Cristianos style)
• 15 ounces canned black beans, with their liquid
• 3 slices thick-cut bacon
• 1/2 cup diced green bell pepper
• 1 small sweet onion, diced
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/2 tsp ground cumin
• 1/2 tsp dried oregano
• 1 bay leaf
• Salt and pepper to taste
• For Fried Plantains
• 2 ripe yellow plantains
• 1/2 cup vegetable oil
• Salt, to taste
• This Thai-inspired recipe, a creditline to Randy Zweiban, offers an uncategorized take on Cuban cuisine, featuring a tomato-free Cuban Sandwich.
• Nutrition fact: This Cuban-inspired meal, comprising coconut rice, black beans, and fried plantains, is rich in carbohydrates, proteins, and healthy fats from the coconut milk and unsalted butter.
• If you have a craving for Thai dishes but fancy a surprising twist, sure, give this Thai-influenced Cuban Sandwich a try!
• Remember, while creating this dish, the ingredients may require varying periods of soaking or advance preparation, such as soaking the black beans; plan accordingly as some steps may need to be started the day before.

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