Rice and Black Beans

Ingredients

0 of 11 out on the counter

• 1 cup long-grain brown rice
• 3 cups water, divided
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1 medium onion (about 5 oz), chopped
• 1 red bell pepper (about 5 oz), seeded and diced
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1½ tsp ground cumin
• 2 cans (15 oz each) no-salt-added black beans, drained and rinsed
• ½ tsp salt, divided
• ¼ cup chopped fresh cilantro
• 2 tbsp lime juice

All set! Everything is out. Time to bake.

Method

1. 1Rinse the rice. Bring 2½ cups of the water to a boil in a medium pot with a tight lid. Stir in the rice, cover, turn the heat to low and simmer 50 to 55 minutes, until the water is gone and the grains are tender. Up here water boils at about 203 °F, so brown rice takes longer than the bag says. Take it off the heat and leave it covered 10 minutes.
2. 2While it cooks, warm the oil in a large skillet on medium. Add the onion and pepper and cook, stirring, about 8 minutes, until soft.
3. 3Stir in the garlic and cumin for 30 seconds, until you can smell them.
4. 4Add the beans, the last ½ cup of water and half the salt. Simmer 5 minutes, pressing a few beans against the pan with a spoon so the liquid thickens.
5. 5Fold in the rice and the rest of the salt and cook 2 to 3 minutes, stirring, until it is hot and the rice has taken up the bean liquid. Off the heat, stir in the lime juice and cilantro and taste.
6. 6Cool leftovers within 2 hours: rice left out at room temperature can make a toxin that reheating does not destroy. Spread them in a shallow container, refrigerate up to 3 days, and reheat to 165 °F.