Black Beans with Garlicky Polenta

...a pot of beans with many possibilities

A Pot Of Black Beans

I cooked a pot of black beans the other day, soaking them the night before and then putting them on the stove to cook with a bay leaf and a halved onion (core intact to make it easy to remove). I did this at the same time as I had my weekly broth going, which consisted mostly of my vegetable scraps and very little in the way of chicken this week- you can omit the chicken completely for a vegetable stock, just add a few extra whole vegetables. From this, I made a versatile black bean stew that I served over garlicky polenta for one meal, blended with a little broth to a smooth soup for another meal and saved the rest in the freezer for a last- minute taco/quesadilla filling. The beans are not overly seasoned, adding to their versatility, but if you prefer something with a little more gusto, just increase the spices a little (you could also add up to a tablespoon ground coriander seeds).

1 lb dried black beans, soaked, cooked and salted. Keep the cooking juice, remove the bay and onion. Or about 3 tins of black beans.

2 T olive oil

1 onion, finely diced

2 stalks celery, finely diced

1 carrot, finely diced

4 cloves garlic, crushed and roughly chopped

2 ancho chilies (or other dried pepper of choice), soaked in boiling water for 10 mins, seeds and stem removed and roughly chopped

1 tsp cumin seeds

1 good pinch cinnamon

1 bay leaf

Splash of red wine vinegar

1/2 tin (about 1.5 C) tomatoes- I use whole peeled and squeeze them with my hand to break them up.

Water or broth to cover

• Heat a pot large enough to easily hold everything over medium heat. Add the the oil followed by the onion, carrot, celery and a big pinch of salt and cook gently until softened, about 10 minutes. Add the garlic, chilies and spices and cook, stirring constantly, for 2 minutes until fragrant. Add a small splash of red wine vinegar, then add the tomatoes, the beans and their cooking liquid and water or broth to just cover. Bring to a gentle simmer, and cook for at least 30 minutes and up to an hour, until all the flavours come together. Taste for salt and adjust as needed. As with any soup or braise, the flavour will be better after a day or two in the fridge, but I can never wait that long, hence why this is such a large batch size- some for now, some for later!

• At this point you can either serve over garlicky polenta (recipe below) topped with sour cream/Mexican crema or avocado, cilantro and onion (see note below about how to make it vegan) or, purée to make a soup- adding more stock or water to thin to your desired consistency.

• You can also use the un-blended beans in tacos, nachos or on a rice bowl topped with shaved cabbage, radish, avocado, cilantro and lime.

  

  broth and beans on the stove; black bean soup; garlicky polenta and black beans

Garlicky Polenta:

This is a gently garlic scented polenta rather than an assertive one. I love it as a base for all kinds of stews and braises and it is great for breakfast with a boiled egg, some roasted tomatoes and a bit of bacon! To reheat, just add a little more liquid and stir until hot.