I got this recipe from my brother Joe Sauer in the 70's
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 large onion chopped
- 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
- 1 can chicken broth
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- 1 teaspoon allspice
- 1 large green pepper chopped
- 1 cup brown rice cooked
- 1 teaspoon tabasco sauce
- 1/2 package bacon or to taste
- 3 gloves fresh garlic, peeled chopped
- ----- ----- ---------- ----------
- 2 cans black beans (kuner's southwestern black beans w/cumin & chili spices)
- 1 cup cooked ham
- ----- ----- ---------- ----------
- Carbohydrate 36.093998394451 g
- Cholesterol 14.258837854 mg
- Fat 8.02774265993333 g
- Fiber 6.57675653612597 g
- Protein 12.83948345812 g
- Saturated Fat 2.61255765257617 g
- Serving Size 1 1 Serving (193g)
- Sodium 594.579566991527 mg
- Sugar 29.5172418583251 g
- Trans Fat 0.756053943732331 g
- Calories 266 calories
Step-by-step
- Cook the bacon, reserve drippings, put bacon on paper towel
- In 2 tablespoons of bacon drippings, saute the onion, garlic & green pepper.
- Add flour to make a roux
- Add the rest of the ingredients and simmer for 1 hour to broth is thick and delicious
Operating on a strict budget requires maximizing pantry staples, and this dish transforms simple black beans and rice into a cohesive, savory meal through careful rendering of fats and aromatics.
- Render the bacon over medium-low heat until crisp, ensuring the fat is fully extracted without burning the solids; reserve exactly two tablespoons of this rendered fat to saute the chopped onion and green pepper.
- Build a proper roux by sprinkling flour directly into the warm fat and vegetables, stirring constantly for two minutes to eliminate the raw starch taste before introducing the liquids.
- Control the simmering stage carefully over a low flame, allowing the mixture to reduce for a full 60 minutes until the chicken broth thickens naturally.
- Monitor the consistency by watching for the sauce to coat the back of a wooden spoon cleanly without pooling watery separation.
- Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to four days, noting that the starches will continue to thicken the liquid as it cools.
Simmering the pot uncovered during the final fifteen minutes helps achieve the desired reduction if the broth remains too thin. Proper doneness is judged entirely by a thick, velvety texture clinging to the beans rather than a watery broth pool.
