Moros y Cristianos (Rice and Beans)

Ingredients (use vegan versions):

• 1 cup chopped onion
• 1 cup chopped green pepper
• 2 teaspoon chopped garlic
• 1.5 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon dried thyme leaves
• 0.5 teaspoon crushed hot red pepper (cayenne)
• 1 bay beaf
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 cup rice
• 1 15oz can black beans, rinsed and drained
• 2 cups water
• 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
• salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

In a 3 qt sauce pan, sauté onion, bell pepper, garlic, cumin, thyme, crushed red pepper and bay leaf in olive oil until onion is tender, about 5 minutes. Stir in remaining ingredients. Heat until boiling. Reduce heat and simmer, covered, until rice is tender, about 20 minutes. Let stand 5 minutes before serving. Makes about 4 main-dish servings about 1.5 cups each, or 8 side dish servings about 3/4 cups each.

OPTIONS:

The dish is very spicy and if you don’t like spicy food, reduce by one half, the amounts of cumin, thyme, crushed red pepper.

This dish is a reference to early Spanish history when the invading Moors represented by black beans, were driven out of Spain by the resident Christians represented by white rice.

Serves: 4 or more

Preparation time: 20 Minutes