Moros y Cristianos — Black beans and rice cooked together with sofrito

The bedrock of Cuban cuisine — rice cooked directly in the flavorful black bean cooking liquid with a sofrito of onions, peppers, garlic, and cumin. Unlike rice served alongside beans, every grain absorbs the deep, earthy essence of the beans and aromatics.

Instructions

1. Cook the beans: Soak 1 cup black beans overnight. Drain, add 6 cups fresh water, and simmer 1-1.5 hours until tender but not mushy. Reserve beans and their cooking liquid separately.
2. Make the sofrito: Heat 2 tbsp oil in a large pot. Cook optional salt pork until crispy, remove. Sauté onion and bell pepper 5-7 minutes. Add garlic, cumin, and oregano for 1 minute.
3. Combine and cook: Stir in 2 cups rinsed rice to coat. Measure 3-3.5 cups of bean cooking liquid (add water if needed). Pour in along with cooked beans, bay leaf, and 1 tbsp vinegar. Season with salt and pepper. Bring to a boil.
4. Steam the rice: Stir once, reduce to lowest heat, cover tightly, and cook 20-25 minutes until liquid is absorbed.
5. Rest and fluff: Remove from heat, let stand covered 10 minutes. Remove bay leaf. Fluff with a fork and stir in crispy pork bits if using.

Tips

• Using the bean cooking liquid instead of plain water is what makes this dish special
• The vinegar adds a subtle brightness — don't skip it
• Canned beans work in a pinch; use their liquid plus extra broth