Moros y Cristianos

Filed in archive Recipes on February 17, 2007

This was made for hubby to take on a trip. Versions of the dish can be found all over Latin America; here's my version based on Mexican ones we had tried years ago when we lived in Texas.

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 cup jasmine or other long-grain rice
2 cups chicken stock
1 small onion, chopped
1 tablespoon minced garlic
1 small jalapeno chili, de-seeded and chopped finely
1 teaspoon roasted and ground cumin (toast cumin seeds in a small dry skillet, then grind in coffee bean grinder or pound in a mortar and pestle until ground to a powder)
1/2 teaspoon dried Mexican oregano
2 cups pre-cooked black beans with their liquid, preferably homemade, but canned will do (after soaking dried beans overnight, I simmer them with some Mexican oregano, a bay leaf and some salt)
1/2 teaspoon salt, or to taste

Heat 1 tablespoon of the olive oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add rice and stir to coat with the oil. Continue to stir until rice becomes lightly golden, then add the chicken stock. Bring to a boil over high heat, then lower heat to a simmer and cook until rice is tender, about 15-20 minutes.

While rice is cooking, heat the remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil in a skillet over moderate heat. Add onion and cook until limp and golden. Add garlic, jalapeno, cumin and oregano. Saute a few more minutes to meld flavors, then add beans and about 1/2 cup of the cooking liquid (or if using canned, the liquid they came in). Stir in the cooked rice and season to taste with salt. Serve hot! Perfect with grilled meats, and/or a green salad. Or substitute vegetable broth for the chicken stock, and eat by itself for a yummy vegan/vegetarian meal.