Cuba | Haiti | Breads & Grains | Vegetables & Beans | Beans | Rice

Moros y Cristianos

(Cuban black beans & rice)

Yield: 4-6 servings


INGREDIENTS PREP AMOUNT
Olive oil 1/4 cup
Onion minced 1 each
Bell pepper minced 1 each
Garlic minced 3-4 cloves
 
Tomato sauce 1/2 cup
Black beans cooked 2 cups
Thyme, dried or fresh chopped 1 tsp or 2 tsp
Oregano, dried 2 tsp
Bay leaf 1 each
 
Rice 1 cup
Water or stock   1 3/4 cups
Vinegar, red wine   1 Tbsp
Salt & pepper   to taste

METHOD

Basic Steps:  Sauté → Simmer
  1. Heat the oil over medium flame in a large saucepan. Add the onions and peppers and sauté until onion is translucent. Add the garlic and sauté 1-2 minutes more.
  2. Add tomato sauce, beans and herbs. Simmer 5-10 minutes to meld flavors.
  3. Add rice, stock or water and vinegar. Season well with salt and pepper. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low, cover tightly and simmer for 15-18 minutes. Remove from heat and let set covered 5-10 minutes more. Stir lightly and serve.

VARIATIONS

  • Substitute pimentos for the chopped bell pepper if you like. Add at the same time as the tomato sauce.
  • Add 1 tsp ground cumin to the onions as you sauté if you like.
  • Congri: Use red kidney beans in place of the black beans.
  • Haitian Diri ak Pwa: Use butter instead of olive oil and red kidney beans in place of black beans. A little hot chile pepper is also usually added. Eliminate the vinegar.

NOTES

  • The name of this favorite Cuban dish is Spanish for "Moors and Christians" and symbolizes the black beans against the white rice.
  • Congri, or congri oriental, is a version of this dish that uses red beans. It is popular in the eastern part of Cuban and shows the influence of nearby Haiti, where it is know as riz et pois.