Beans with Sofrito
Beans or frejoles are a great side dish and I often enjoy them with rice and a steak. In some cases, however, beans are the star of the show as in the Tacu Tacu. The key to making flavorful beans is to season them with a sofrito. This recipe is my own, and for simplicity I use canned pinto beans.
INGREDIENTS
- 2 cans of pinto beans (each can is 15 oz.)
- 2 tablespoons canola oil
- 2 cloves garlic
- 1 small yellow onion
- 1 small tomato
- small bunch parsley
- small bunch cilantro
- salt and pepper to taste
- 1/2 teaspoon cumin
- 1/2 teaspoon oregano
PREPARATION
- Mince the garlic, parsley, and cilantro. Dice the onion and tomato. Open the cans of pinto beans, drain excess liquid and set aside.
- Make the sofrito by sauteing the garlic, onion and tomato in a pot with the canola oil over medium heat. Season with salt, pepper, cumin, and oregano. Add the parsley and cilantro. Cook until onions are translucent or about 10 minutes.
- Add beans to the pot and stir to mix in the sofrito. Add about 1/2 cup water and lower to a simmer for about 30 minutes or until water is reduced.
SERVINGS
This recipe makes 4 servings.
NOTES
You can use other beans instead of pinto. When I make lentils, for example, I use the same sofrito for the seasoning.