Sherried Black Beans Recipes

SHERRIED BLACK BEAN SOUP

Steps:

• In a large, heavy saucepan, bring the beans and 4 cups of water to a boil. Boil briskly for 2 minutes, then remove from the heat and let stand, covered, for 1 hour.
• In a 5-quart Dutch oven, melt the butter. Add the onions, celery, carrot, and garlic, and cook until soft but not browned. Add the ham hock, the remaining 4 cups water, parsley, salt, cayenne pepper, cloves, mustard seed, bay leaf, and beans (with their liquid). Bring to a boil, cover, reduce heat, and simmer for about 3 hours.
• Remove the ham hocks and let cool slightly. Remove and discard bay leaf. Place about half of the beans with about 1 cup of the liquid from the soup in a blender or food processor. Process until smooth. Return the puree to the soup in the Dutch oven.
• Remove the ham from its bone and add the meat to the soup. (Discard fat, bones and skin.) Reheat the soup over medium heat. Stir in the sherry. Serve hot soup with choice of garnishes to sprinkle on top.

SHERRIED BLACK BEANS WITH SAFFRON RICE

Steps:

• Clean the beans, removing all stones or chaff. Rinse them well. In a pot large enough to hold the beans plus water to cover, let them soak, overnight.
• In a medium size saucepan, over medium heat, saute the salt pork just until it begins to brown. Add the onions and chiles and continue to cook until soft, about 5 to 7 minutes. Add the garlic and continue to cook, about 1 to 2 minutes.
• Drain the beans and add fresh water to cover them. Add the contents of the saucepan to the pot of beans. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat. Simmer, covered, for 1 1/2 hours. Add the salt and simmer, uncovered, for about 30 minutes, or until tender. Watch the beans carefully, and stir once or twice to be sure they do not stick to the bottom of the pan.
• Remove 1 cup of the beans, place them in a blender, and blend until smooth. Stir them back into the pot along with the sherry. Add freshly ground black pepper, and serve with Saffron Rice.
• Heat the oil in a medium size saucepan, over a medium heat. Add the rice and onion and stir until the grains are coated with oil and the onion is turning translucent. Do not allow the rice to brown. Stir in the salt and saffron, and slowly pour in the water. Cover tightly, and cook over low heat until all the liquid has been absorbed and the rice is tender, about 20 minutes.
• Set aside, covered, for 5 minutes. Before serving, stir well to make sure the saffron is well mixed throughout the rice.

SHERRIED BLACK BEANS

Steps:

• Rinse beans and place in a bowl. Cover with boiling water and set aside.
• In a saucepan of at least two-quart capacity, saute the salt pork until it just begins to brown. Add one-half cup of the onion and green pepper and continue to cook over medium heat until sauced. Add garlic and continue to cook, stirring, for another minute or so.
• Drain beans and add them to the saucepan along with three cups of water.
• Bring to a boil, lower heat and simmer, covered, for one-and-ahalf hours, until the beans are just tender. Add salt and pepper to taste, simmer uncovered for another 30 minutes, but watch carefully and stir from time to time so the beans do not stick.
• Remove one-half cup of the beans, mash or puree them and return them to the saucepan along with the sherry. Adjust seasonings if necessary and serve, topped with remaining chopped onion and sour cream.