I love beans! They taste good and are satisfying. As a bonus they are naturally low in fat, high in protein and high in fiber. This recipe is one of my favorite ways to fix black beans, and what better way to eat them than with good American cornbread!
Ingredients
500 g. (~1 lb) dried black beans
Water for soaking
1 large onion, chopped
1 red pepper, chopped
1 green pepper, chopped
1 Tbsp. olive oil
1 l. (4 c.) water
1 tsp. vegetable seasoning
2 bay leaves
½ tsp. thyme
½ tsp. oregano
½ tsp. salt
a pinch of cayenne pepper (optional)
Instructions
Sort the beans (looking for any small stones or pieces of dirt). Soak them for at least 8 hours in plenty of water. Drain the beans (don’t save the soaking water). Sauté the onion and peppers in the olive oil. Add the remaining ingredients (including the soaked beans) and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and cook for 1-1 ½ hours, until the beans are tender. Take out about 2 ½ dl. cooked beans and mash them with a fork. Add them back to the rest of the beans and stir to thicken. Cook a little longer (about 10 – 15 minutes) being careful so that they don’t stick to the bottom and burn. Serve these with whole grain rice or with American cornbread.
Tip
Instead of cooking these the traditional way, place all the ingredients in a pressure cooker (after the beans are soaked) and cook for about 20-25 minutes. Continue with mashing some of the beans and cooking a bit longer to thicken.
Cornbread
Cornbread is an American treat that is slightly sweet, while light and fluffy. Depending on where in the United States you get cornbread it may be more or less sweet. Some people like to eat it with margarine, topped with beans or some people like to put honey on their cornbread more like a dessert.
Ingredients
2 ½ dl. (1 c.) flour
1 ¾ dl. (¾ c.) polenta or cornmeal
2-4 Tbsp. raw sugar
¾ tsp. salt
1 Tbsp. baking powder
1 Tbsp. cornstarch
2,5 dl. (1 c.) soy milk, unsweetened
2 Tbsp. canola oil
Instructions
Mix all the ingredients together, but don’t over mix, and pour into an oiled baking dish. Bake at 175°C (350°F) for 25 to 30 minutes. Serve hot!
Tip
Try baking your cornbread in an overproof cast-iron skillet that has been pre-heated to 175°C (350°F) and oiled before pouring the batter in. This will give your cornbread a wonderful crispy crust. This is my favorite way to eat it.