Frijoles negros

Jon loves black bean soup.  He's also super picky about it - has to compare to his mom's otherwise he won't touch it.  He had a beast of a time getting the recipe out of her, so he took to experimenting, researching and consulting the expert (his grandmother) in order to develop his own take on this Guatemalan staple.  He makes a mean pot of beans. :)

Now beans are not a pretty food.  Probably not the dish to serve at a fancy meal.  But they sure taste good!  In order to develop the best flavour, it is best to use a devoted non-metal pot that is not washed in order to build up depth.  Someday.  For now, we use my metal stockpot.  It works fine.

Ingredients

1 lb raw black beans
1  tsp cumin seeds
1 tsp coriander seeds
1 1/2 tsp Mexican oregano
1/2 yellow onion
4 garlic cloves
1 jalapeno pepper
2 bay leaves, crushed
1/2 tsp dried thyme leaves
1 small bunch cilantro leaves
1 1/2 tsp whole peppercorns
1/2 cup tomato paste
7 cups water

Cover beans in water and soak overnight. Drain beans.

Roast cumin, coriander seeds and oregano over low-medium heat until fragrant.  Chop onion and jalapeno pepper.  Peel garlic.  Using cheesecloth prepare a bouquet garni of onion, garlic, jalapeno and spices.

Boil water.  Add bouquet garni and cook until it looks like medium strength tea (approximately 10-15 minutes).  Add beans and tomato paste.  Bring to a boil and simmer for at least 2 hours, stirring every half hour or so.

Serve with a squeeze of lime juice.  Add a dollop of sour cream and some grated Parmesan to taste (this replaces Guatemalan cheese with something that is widely available).  Serve over rice or with fresh tortillas (or both).  Enjoy!

The leftovers reheat easily, or you can make them into refried beans.