Red Beans and Sausage Over Rice

1 pound of lean sausage
2-3 tablespoons oil
1 tablespoon of paprika
1 teaspoon of garlic powder
1 teaspoon of onion powder
1 teaspoon of cumin
1/4 teaspoon of cayenne (optional)
3 tablespoons of oil

1 bean recipe (replace black beans)
1 white rice recipe

Cut the sausage into 1/4 inch slices. Cut it on the diagonal if you feel fancy. Heat the oil in a dutch oven or large sauce pan and brown the sausage. Keep in mind that the sausage is already salty so avoid salting it further. Add the spices, water, and cook for one minute more.

Combine beans with sausage and heat through. Pour over white or brown rice and enjoy. My toddlers go nuts over beans and sausage.

Easy Black Beans - Latin Style

Ingredients

2 cans of black beans
6 cubes of Sofrito ( See my Sofrito recipe)
2 teaspoons of cumin (optional)
2 teaspoons of Olive oil
1/4 cup of water

Place the oil in a medium sauce pan on medium heat. When the oil begins to shimmer place add the sofrito and cook until the cubes melt. Add the cumin and cook for 1 more minute. Add the beans and water and bring to a boil. Once the beans come to a boil cover and simmer for about 10 minutes and serve.

By the way, to make black bean soup, add a one cup of chicken broth in addition to the water. Cook as directed, blend half the bean mixture, recombine and serve.

Sofrito - The Foundation

If you are of Spanish or Italian decent, then you instantly recognize the fragrance associated with your mother's or grandmother's cooking. Much of that smell is likely the result of the Sofrito that forms the foundation of many recipes. The French boast a Sofrito they call Mirepoix, a mixture of onions, celery, and carrots; Cajuns call it the Holy Trinity. Whatever you call it and whatever the ingredients, the herbs, vegetables, and fat combine to develop a complex and utterly Pavlovian smell that instantly sends your salivary glands into overdrive.

Sofrito, then, means a lot of things to a lot of people and I'll be the first to agree that no two recipes are alike. In it's basic form sofrito is any combination of vegetables, herbs, spices, and fat that you saute to form the base of a recipe. Traditional Spanish ingredients include onions, green peppers, red peppers, garlic, and cilantro.

The good new is that few things culinary are easier to make and preserve for later use. If you can operate a food processor and a spatula, then you have all of the requisite skills to consistently add multidimensional flavor to your cooking that your family will grow to appreciate and ultimately love.

My version of Sofrito goes well with just about any thing, especially beans. Ill show you how. Roughly chop and add the following ingredients to a food processor and puree to a smooth but thick consistency.

• 1 large Spanish onion,
  
• 1 bunch of cilantro
  
• 1 head of garlic (yes, an entire head minus the papery skin)
  
• 1 large green pepper (preferably a Cubanelle)
  
• 1 large red pepper
• 1/4 cup Spanish olives, pitted (with or without pimentos)
• 1 tablespoon of capers
• 2 teaspoons of salt
• 1 tablespoon of black pepper
• 1 tablespoon of dried oregano
• 1/2 cup of olive oil
  

Once blended, pour the puree into ice cube trays and freeze. I usually fill up about two trays and reserve the rest for any cooking I'll do that week. Place the trays in the freezer and, once frozen, store the cubes in a freezer bag. The idea is to end up with individually frozen cubes of Sofrito that you can use on demand. Feel free to experiment with your own combination and quantities of ingredients.

Let's try it! Get you hands on one can of red or black beans. Saute three frozen cubes (roughly 1/4 cup) of Sofrito at medium heat in two teaspoons of oil and two teaspoons of cumin until melted and fragrant. Add the can of beans and simmer until slightly thickened, 10-15 minutes. Pour beans over my white rice recipe and enjoy. If the beans become to dry, then reconstitute with a splash of water. Even the pickiest eater will find the beans and rice irresistible. My wife and toddlers love it.