Recipe for "cuban-beans"

NAME

     CUBAN-BEANS - Beans like they cook in many  Caribbean  coun-
     tries
     This recipe is from my mother, who undoubtedly got  it  from
     one  of  my  father's  relatives.  I've seen it described as
     being from various countries, but it will always  be  Puerto
     Rican beans to me.
     Any dried beans can be used, but kidney beans and navy beans
     are  the best.  Chick peas aren't bad either.  You can use a
     ham bone for flavoring instead of the olive oil if you don't
     mind using ham.

INGREDIENTS (Serves 4)

     500 g     dried beans
     1         onion, diced
     1/4          green pepper, diced
     3 cloves  garlic, diced
     250 ml    tomato sauce
     30 ml     olive oil
     10 ml     salt (You can vary the amount of salt according to
               preference.  My mother uses 15 ml)

PROCEDURE

          (1)  Soak the beans for at least two  hours  (overnight
               is  okay  too).   Change  the water and bring to a
               boil.
          (2)  Add the onion, pepper, and garlic; cover and  sim-
               mer for 1 hour.
          (3)  Add the tomato sauce, olive oil, and  salt:  cover
               and  simmer  1  more  hour.   (Be sure to keep the
               beans covered with liquid, adding  more  water  if
               necessary.)

INGREDIENTS (Rice to go with it)

     500 ml    water
     200 g     long-grain rice
     5 ml      salt (You can vary the amount of salt according to
               preference.)

PROCEDURE

          (1)  Bring the water to a boil
          (2)  Add the rice and salt.
          (3)  Cover and let simmer for 20 minutes.

NOTES

     This makes a very good main course or side dish.

RATING

     Difficulty: easy.  Time: 2 hours soaking, 5 minutes  dicing,
     2  hours  cooking.  Precision: the rice is the only part you
     need to measure.

CONTRIBUTOR

     Evelyn C. Leeper
     AT&T Information Systems, Holmdel NJ