Moros y Cristianos (Black Beans and Rice)

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            FOOD FUNNY
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Thanks again to Rosemary Zwick of Cape Town, South Africa, the Land of
Ten Thousand Puns:

Q: What do you call a chicken that haunts a house?

A: A poultrygeist.

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            TODAY'S RECIPE
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I have referred to beans as a source of "incomplete" protein because
they lack some of the amino acids that are essential for humans.
Ancient cultures learned long ago that a diet composed primarily of
legumes would lead to health problems, but that a diet of beans
combined with other sources of protein resulted in a healthier
population. Thus rice was combined with soy beans in Asia, and corn
was combined with beans in the Americas. These early nutritionists
had combined (quite unwittingly, I am sure) two sources of incomplete
proteins to form a source of complete proteins, and this tradition
lives on in today's recipe.

This dish is often called simply black beans and rice, but I prefer
the Spanish name "moros y cristianos," which means "Moors and
Christians" with the Christians (i.e. the Spanish) represented by the
white rice and the Moors (North Africans) represented by the black
beans.

Moros y Cristianos (Black Beans and Rice)

2 Tbs (30 ml) olive oil
1 onion, finely chopped
1 green bell pepper (capsicum), cored, seeded, and
finely chopped
2-4 cloves garlic, finely chopped
3 cups (750 ml) cooked or canned black beans, drained
1 cup (250 ml) chopped canned tomatoes
1 cup (250 ml) chicken stock, beef stock, or water
Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
Cayenne pepper to taste (optional)
Cooked white rice
Chopped fresh parsley or cilantro (coriander leaves) for garnish

Heat the oil in a large pot over moderate heat and saute the onion,
bell pepper, and garlic until tender but not brown, about 5 minutes.
Add the beans, tomatoes, stock, salt, pepper, and optional cayenne and
simmer for 15 to 20 minutes. Serve over rice and garnish with fresh
herbs. Serves 4 to 6.
Received on Thu Jul 8 06:21:55 2004