Total time: 2 hours
Serves 6 to 8
Ingredients
500g dried black beans
6 cups water
2 dried morita chillies or 1 dried chipotle chilli
1 cup coarsely chopped onions
4 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
1 bay leaf
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Crema Mexicana, or sour cream, for garnish
Chopped green onions, for garnish
Chopped cilantro, for garnish
Grated cotija cheese, for garnish
Steps
Heat the oven to 325 degrees. In a heavy pot or Dutch oven over medium heat, bring the black beans, water, chillies, onions, garlic and bay leaf to a simmer. Cover tightly and transfer to the oven.
Cook for 1 hour, then add 1 tsp salt and a generous grinding of black pepper and stir to combine. Re-cover the pot and return it to the oven to cook until the beans are tender and creamy, 30 to 45 more minutes.
Use an immersion blender to coarsely purée the beans just enough to release some of the starch. Alternatively, purée 1 cup of beans in a stand blender and return them to the pot. Heat just until the beans have thickened. (The dish can be prepared to this point several days in advance and refrigerated, tightly sealed.)
When ready to serve, bring the beans back to a simmer. Add a little more water if they are too thick. Taste and correct seasoning with salt and pepper.
Ladle the beans into warmed serving bowls and garnish with a spoonful of crema Mexicana, a sprinkling of green onions and cilantro, and grated cotija cheese, with more passed at the table. Serve immediately.
Each of 8 servings: calories 189; protein 12g; carbohydrates 34g; fibre 12g; fat 1g; saturated fat 0; cholesterol 0; sugar 1g; sodium 293mg
