Cuban Black Beans

Ingredients

Black beans

• 2 cups dried black beans, soaked overnight
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1 onion, chopped
• 4 cloves garlic, chopped
• 1 poblano or cubanelle chili (or green bell pepper), chopped
• 1/4 tsp liquid smoke
• 1 tbsp cumin
• 1/2 tbsp coriander
• 1 tbsp sambal ulek (or hot sauce)
• 1 tbsp mushroom powder
• 1 tbsp vegetable stock base
• 6 cups water
• 1 tsp oregano

Optional Toppings

• nutritional yeast
• scallions
• avocado
• cilantro

Preparation

1: Heat oil in dutch oven. Add in onion, garlic, and chilies. Saute on medium-high heat for three minutes. Add in liquid smoke, cumin, coriander, and sambal ulek. Saute another three minutes or until onions are translucent and the peppers soft.

2: Add in the powdered mushrooms and stock base. Mix well then add in the water and cover. Bring to a boil then simmer one hour on medium-low heat. Stir periodically to ensure bottom of the pan does not burn. Add in oregano during the last fifteen minutes of cooking.

3: Serve with the optional toppings or your own.

Notes

This meal is traditionally served with brown rice and fried plantains.

Mushroom Gravy

Ingredients

• 3 tbsp. olive oil or vegan butter
• 1 small onion, chopped
• 1 chopped shallot
• 1 clove garlic
• 1 tsp. thyme
• ¼ tsp. sage (optional)
• ¼ tsp. cayenne pepper (optional)
• 6 oz. oyster mushrooms, sliced thin or diced
• 6 oz. shiitake mushrooms, sliced thin or diced
• ¼ cup dry sherry
• 1 tbsp. Worcestershire sauce
• 1 tbsp. brown sauce
• 1 tbsp. powdered mushrooms
• 2 tbsp. nutritional yeast
• 4 cups broth
• 1 ½ tbsp. flour
• 3 tbsp cold water
• ¼ tsp black pepper, ground

Preparation

1: Heat oil in sauce pan on medium-high heat. Add in onion, shallot, and garlic. Saute about 2 minutes.

2: Add in thyme, sage, cayenne pepper. Stir before adding mushrooms and continue to saute for 10 minutes or until mushrooms are browned.

3: Combine sherry, Worcestershire sauce, and brown sauce. Add to pot and cook until liquid evaporates down to a quarter reduction.

4: Combine broth with powdered mushrooms and nutritional yeast. Add to pot, bring to boil, and cook down to a half reduction, about 15 minutes.

5: Combine water and flour until smooth. Add to pot slowly stirring it into the gravy. Add pepper. Reduce heat to low and simmer until desired thickness or about 2 - 3 minutes.

6: (optional) Pour gravy into a blender for a smoother gravy if desired.

7: Serve.

Notes

While this particular recipe is very extravagant, incorporating a lot of flavors and ingredients it is very flexible and can be trimmed down into simple base components for creating other gravies and sauces. The resulting gravy will be a thick, hearty, with a chunky texture. A smooth, but thick gravy can be accomplished by blending the gravy.

Powdered mushrooms are easy to make and add a great umami flavor. Basically these are nothing more than dried shiitake, flower, or other mushroom of choice milled into a fine powder. You can find these dried mushrooms most Asian food stores and blend them yourself to make the powder.