Just a few ingredients combine to help the flavor of this dish come alive

Sometimes uncomplicated recipes are the best as they let the ingredients speak for themselves. Such is the case when it comes to beans; blacks beans are on the top of my list. I learned how to make them from a very old and dear friend. I was shocked to learn that you really need to add a few ingredients to them to bring the flavors out. “Keep it simple,” she always said. These can be served with white rice or as I prefer, drizzled with olive oil and chopped Spanish (red) onion and a bit of cilantro for garnish.

Ingredients

1 pound of dried black beans
3 bay leaves
4 cloves of garlic
1 large green bell pepper, cut in quarters
¼ cup of sofrito
1 large onion, peeled and whole
3 tablespoons of ground cumin
Salt and pepper to taste
2 cups of water