Black beans are an essential part of a Cuban meal. They are served as a thick sauce to be eaten with Cuban rice.

Ingredients

• 14 oz bag of dry black beans
• 3 green peppers
• 1 medium sweet onion
• 4 garlic cloves, chopped
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 teaspoon ham base bouillon
• 1 oz white vinegar
• 1 oz dry sherry
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon pepper
• 1 cup olive oil

Method

1. Soak the beans overnight with two green peppers that have been cored and quartered. The water should amply cover the beans.

2. Chop the onion, green pepper and add to a frying pan along with the olive oil, bay leaves and finely chopped garlic. This is the sofrito. Sauté for about ten minutes over medium heat.

3. Pour the beans into a large pan and add the sofrito, along with 1 teaspoon ham base bouillon and the vinegar, sherry, salt and pepper. cook gently for two hours.

4. Finally, put the green peppers in a blender with 1 cup of beans and 1/2 cup of bean sauce. Blend, add this back to the pot, stir and put back on hob on low for 20 minutes.