Black Beans & Yellow Rice

by Kathryn Washburn Breighner

Many years ago, we had this dish at Barnacle Phil's on North Captiva Island, just across the water from David T, and I was hooked. This restaurant used to sell a take-home black bean package mix with a recipe and packaged spices and I could recreate back in Michigan this wonderful dish.

Black beans served on yellow rice is traditionally a Cuban-style dish and we are Cuban food fans. I love black beans any style--in a simple salad with chopped onion, green peppers, fresh corn, cilantro, olive oil, and vinegar. For a side dish, I love a cumin style black bean side dish with sauteed onions and garlic, toss in a can of rinsed black beans, add a little chicken stock, salt, pepper, cumin.

But black beans and yellow rice----my favorite. This dish is a meal by itself served with a salad or bread. This is a meatless dish but I also have made it with ham. And now, medical reports show that turmeric is good for many health concerns so this turmeric yellow rice is not only tasty but good for you!

This is my version, a take off on the Barnacle Phil's dish. These beans are just as good a day or two later!

1 lb. Black beans
1 med. onion
1 med. green pepper
2 garlic cloves
2 bay leaves
2 T cumin
1 T chili powder (I use the new Penzey's Chili 9000--awesome!)
1 t paprika (home dried, of course, from Serbian paprikas)
½ t white vinegar
1/4 c. oil
salt
pepper

Bring 3 qts. water to a boil and add rinsed beans and chopped onion and green pepper. Simmer for 1 hour and keep beans covered with water at all times. Add remaining ingredients and simmer for 1 hour adding water if necessary.

Yellow Rice

2 T oil
2 cups rice
3 3/4 c water
1 small onion
½ green pepper
1 T turmeric
1 T chicken base (Penzey's)
2 cloves garlic

Saute onion and green pepper in oil. Add remaining ingredients and bring to a boil, simmer for 15 min. or until rice is tender.

Serve beans on rice topped with chopped onions, olive oil, and hot sauce.