Yucatan Black Bean Dinner

Total Time: 4 hrs Preparation Time: 2 hrs Cook Time: 2 hrs

Ingredients

• Servings: 10
• 1 lb dried black beans, picked over to remove any stones
• 1 1/2-2 lbs boneless lamb shoulder, trimmed of extraneous fat and cut into 2-inch cubes
• salt
• 3 tablespoons fresh lamb fat or 3 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 2 medium onions, thinly sliced (divided use)
• 2 (15 ounce) cans diced tomatoes with juice, undrained (preferably fire-roasted)
• 1 habanero pepper, stemmed
• 1 1/2 cups rice, preferably medium-grain
• 6 garlic cloves, peeled and finely chopped
• 1 large ripe avocado, peeled, pitted and sliced for garnish
• cilantro, for garnish
• 3 limes, quartered for garnish
• 1 cup xnipec salsa (recipe below) (optional)

Recipe

• 1 the beans: rinse the beans, then scoop them into a large (6-quart) pot (preferably a dutch oven or mexican earthenware olla) and add 2 quarts water.
• 2 bring to a boil, then reduce heat to medium-low and simmer, partially covered for 1 hour.
• 3 the lamb: while the beans are cooking, sprinkle the lamb liberally with salt.
• 4 in a very large (12-inch) skillet, heat 1 tablespoon of the lard or oil over medium-high, and brown the lamb on all sides in an uncrowded layer—it’ll take about 10 minutes. (with a smaller skillet you’ll have to brown the lamb in 2 batches.)
• 5 remove the lamb to a plate and set the pan aside.
• 6 when the beans have cooked an hour, add the lamb to the pot, along with more water, if necessary, so that everything is submerged.
• 7 partially cover the pot and continue simmering, until meat and beans are tender, about an hour more.
• 8 the tomato-habanero sauce: return the lamb-frying skillet to medium heat and drizzle in a little more lard or oil, if necessary, to coat the bottom.
• 9 add half of the sliced onion and fry until golden, about 7 minutes.
• 10 in a blender, coarsely puree the tomatoes and the juices.
• 11 now, either cut a slit in the side of the habanero(s)—this will give you some habanero fruity flavor without much heat—or cut the habanero(s) in half.
• 12 add to the onions along with the tomato puree, then simmer, partially covered, stirring often for 10 minutes or so, until reduced to the consistency of a thick sauce (it shouldn’t be dry).
• 13 taste and season with salt, usually 1 teaspoon.
• 14 finishing the beans: when the beans are tender, scrape half the tomato sauce into them, add a little more water to the pot, if necessary, to ensure that the lamb and beans are nicely covered with liquid.
• 15 taste and season the beans with salt, usually about 1 ½ teaspoons.
• 16 with a large spoon, carefully remove the lamb from the beans and transfer it to an ovenproof dish, cover with foil and keep warm in a low oven.
• 17 pour the beans into a colander set over a large bowl, return the beans to the pot and measure 2 ½ cups of the broth into a saucepan to use for the rice.
• 18 return the remaining bean broth to the beans.
• 19 there should still be enough broth to yield somewhat soupy beans; if not add more water.
• 20 the rice: add ½ teaspoon salt to the pan of bean broth and set over medium heat.
• 21 in a medium-size (3-quart) saucepan, heat the remaining 2 tablespoons of the lard or oil over medium.
• 22 add the rice and remaining onion and cook, stirring regularly, until the rice turns from translucent to milky-, about 5 minutes.
• 23 stir in the garlic and cook a minute longer, then pour in the hot bean broth.
• 24 stir once, scrape down any rice kernels clinging to the side of the pan, cover and cook over medium-low for about 15 minutes; uncover and check a grain of rice—it should be nearly cooked through.
• 25 if the rice is just about ready, turn off the heat, re-cover and let stand for 5 to 10 minutes longer to complete the cooking.
• 26 if the rice seems far from done, continue cooking for 5 minutes or so, retest, then turn off the heat and let stand for a few minutes more.
• 27 serving: when you’re ready to serve, reheat the tomato sauce and remove the habanero chilies.
• 28 ladle the beans into six small bowls.
• 29 spoon the rice onto each of 6 large warm dinner plate and nestle the lamb in the center.
• 30 spoon a little of the warm sauce onto one side of each plate.
• 31 onto the other side, arrange a few slices of avocado.
• 32 garnish with sprigs of cilantro.
• 33 serve right away, passing the lime wedges and chopped xnipec salsa, if you wish.
• 34 •to make about a cup of xnipec salsa:.
• 35 ½ small red onion, finely chopped.
• 36 1 tablespoons fresh lime or sour orange juice.
• 37 6 radishes, chopped into small dice or matchsticks.
• 38 ½ fresh habanero chili, stemmed, seeded and finely chopped.
• 39 a dozen or so large sprigs of cilantro, chopped.
• 40 salt, about ½ teaspoon.
• 41 scoop the onion into a strainer and rinse under cold water. shake off as much water as possible, then transfer to a small bowl and stir in the juice. add the remaining ingredients, season with salt, usually about ½ teaspoon, and it’s ready.