‘Cuban Black Beans’ Articles at Sweetnicks

As I smelled the sweet smell of garlic permeating the house, today was one of those days where the planets perfectly aligned. Because it was the kids’ first day of school, I wanted to make a dinner that I knew they’d like. But first, a flashback to last week. I was making a dish and it called for a can of black beans. Nick saw me in the kitchen with them, and asked for a bite. I told him that they were from the can, and not what he thought they were. He shook his head, not caring and grabbed a spoon.

Minutes later … “yuck!” “I told you,” I said. “They’re not the same as the Cuban Black Beans you like.”

He was disappointed, I knew, so I made a mental note to make him the beans he liked for dinner on his first day of school. Although it was one of The Ex’s specialties, I have a tried-and-true recipe that is just as good as his. But what to serve with it? The Ex also makes a wonderful roast pork, something I haven’t attempted to make on my own since he moved out. I happened to find a simple recipe in a recent issue of Maxim magazine, of all places, and by noon, the house smelled insanely delicious, with both the roast pork and black beans doing their thing.

Both recipes called for garlic, so that was the overriding scent of the day, with a flash of my fingers reminding me of what was cooking in the oven and the slow cooker. And this week’s ingredient for Summerfest 2010? Garlic!

As soon as Nick walked in the front door this afternoon, he made a beeline for the kitchen, knowing exactly what smelled so good. It was all he could do to wait for dinner. And the roast pork? Wicked good. For just a few minutes of prep work, you are rewarded with insanely tender meat, full of flavor from the herbs, garlic and wine. Make it. Even if the recipe came from Maxim.

And now for more garlic goodness from my fellow Summerfesters…

Todd and Diane at White on Rice Couple: Garlic Knots

Nicole at Pinch My Salt: Spicy Pickled Garlic

Sara at Food2: Easiest Recipes Ever, Starring Garlic

Michelle on Cooking Channel: Roasted Garlic

Liz at Healthy Eats: 5 Reasons to Eat More Garlic

Kirsten at FN Dish: Garlic Chicken Greats

Margaret at A Way to Garden: Growing and Storing a Year of Garlic

Caroline at the Wright Recipes: Ajo Blanco Soup, and Confit Garlic

The Gilded Fork: Garlic Dossier and Recipes

Food Network UK: Glorious Garlic

Alana at Eating from the Group Up: Pickled Garlic

Caron at San Diego Foodstuff: Italian Marinated Eggplant and Sorrel and Garlic Sauce

Paige at The Sister Project: Spaghetti with Garlic and Zucchini

Project 365
September 7, 2010, Photos #157-162

Both kids switched schools this year, and now no more uniforms and an early start on the bus. I can’t believe they’re second and third graders already!

They barely turned to say good-bye to us. Sniff.

And Madeline joined the school crowd this morning too, starting her first official day of Pre-Pre-K. She really, really, really wanted to go on the bus with the big kids, even though I tried to explain to her that she has a few more years to go.

The Best Damn Pork Butt, Period
Recipe courtesy of Maxim magazine, August 2010

20 sage leaves
3 thyme sprigs, stems removed
3 rosemary sprigs, stems removed
2 garlic cloves, coarsely chopped
1 T fennel seeds, lightly toasted
1-1/2 tsp medium-coarse sea salt
1-1/2 tsp coarsely ground black pepper
4 lbs boneless pork shoulder, skin on
2 T extra virgin olive oil
1/2 cup dry red or white wine

Heat oven to 250. Chop sage, thyme, rosemary and garlic together. Place in a bowl; add fennel, salt and pepper. Stir. Score pork skin in a cross-hatch pattern, making 1/2-1/4 inch deep cuts about an inch apart. Make 10 1/2-inch deep incisions and stuff them with half of herb mixture. Tie pork tightly with twine, brush olive oil over skin and rub with remaining herbs. Set skin side up and roast for two hours. Pour wine over pork and baste with juices. Continue roasting, basting every half hour until skin is well-bowned, 2-1/2-3 hours more. Let rest for 15 minutes. For crispy skin, slice off cap of skin and fat. Broil, skin side up, three to six minutes. Slice roast and skin and serve together on a platter or crusty roll.

Tonight was one of those nights where I totally appreciate the neighborhood that I live in, and exactly why I haven’t been able to bring myself to leave for 8 years (which is the longest I’ve lived anywhere!). When we got home from the gym, The Neighbor Husband came down bearing a gift. Grilled Bratwurst with sauteed green peppers and melted cheese in a roll. Enough for all of us, even Jamie. Is that not the best ever? And it was absolutely perfect since my slow cooker had been humming away all day, making Cuban Black Beans and Rice, so I could return the favor and send him back with a side dish (including some Cheesy Rice Fritters I made last night) and dessert. Teamwork at its best. And the taste? So good.

As soon as we came home tonight, the house smelled amazing. And it should. The black beans had been in the slow cooker since about noon, and it was all we could do to wait for our portions to cool off before inhaling. Years ago, we used to do potluck lunches at my office. I totally miss them. Everyone would bring something different in, and it was a great way to get new recipes and try out things we might never have tried before.

One of our engineers and I used to exchange recipes all the time (he doesn’t come in nearly as often anymore, and I work largely from home now), and this recipe for Cuban Black Beans was one of the things that he brought to a potluck. As soon as I had the first bite, I asked for the recipe, knowing that The Ex would like it just as much. It’s hard, though, to compete with the memory of recipes from The Ex’s mom and grandmother, so the first time I made it for him, I likely held my breath. He gave it the highest praise, saying it tasted just like his grandmothers’.

Both Nick and Madeline are crazy for black beans, but I don’t make them too often, figuring I won’t intrude on The Ex’s “food territory.” He has his specialties, I have mine. But I happen to like black beans too, and have had a hankering for them lately. I remembered this recipe from the office potluck and went digging through my files over the weekend to find it.

It takes just a few minutes to throw everything into the crock pot, and given the heat and humidity of summertime is nearly upon us, it’s the perfect time to dust off your appliance and get busy. I waited for Nick to take the first bite and asked him how he liked it.

“Is it as good as Daddy’s?”

“No. It’s better.”

“I think we should call Daddy and tell him that.”

Nick, playing the neutrality of Switzerland, wouldn’t go for it. Such a good son. But don’t think I’m not going to tell him myself. I’m pretty proud of that. I will say, however, on the outset, that some of the ingredients are decidedly not traditional to a serving of Cuban Black Beans. I totally get that, but the end result is in the taste, and the odd ingredient here or there somehow magically comes together to make a forkful taste just like it’s supposed to.

You can serve these alongside some yummy bratwurst sandwiches if you’re lucky enough to have good neighbors like us. It’s also pretty delish over a small pile of white rice. I read a suggestion somewhere about putting an egg over the top of the beans. The Ex, I’m sure, wouldn’t approve, but any excuse for a messy egg and I’m there.

Project 365
June 7, 2010, Photo #106

Breakfast. Egg white omelet. Total deliciousness. The melted cheese sure doesn’t hurt. Melted cheese is like bacon. And messy eggs. And perhaps chocolate. It makes everything instantly better.

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