- 1 pound dried black beans, rinsed well
- 1 large green bell pepper, stemmed, seeded, and diced
- ½ large white onion, diced
- 4 large garlic cloves, peeled and lightly crushed with the back of knife
- 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 dried bay leaf
- ¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 large green bell pepper, stemmed, seeded, and diced
- ½ large white onion, diced
- 3 large garlic cloves, peeled and finely minced
- 2 teaspoons kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- ½ teaspoon dried oregano
- ½ teaspoon ground cumin
- ½ cup dry white wine
- ¼ cup green olives stuffed with pimientos, thinly sliced
- 1 dried bay leaf
- 1 to 2 tablespoons sherry vinegar
- Kosher salt
- Freshly ground black pepper
- 1 teaspoon sugar (optional)
- Soak the beans overnight in a 6-quart heavy pot with 10 cups of water.
- Add the next five ingredients to the beans and bring to a boil in the same soaking water. Lower the heat to medium and simmer the beans until just tender, checking regularly and skimming the foam that forms on the top, 45 to 60 minutes.
- In the meantime, prepare the sofrito. Warm the olive oil in a 10-inch skillet over medium heat. Add the green pepper, onion, and garlic and sauté until the onion is soft and translucent, 6 to 8 minutes. Add the salt, black pepper, oregano, and cumin and cook an additional 2 minutes.
- Add the sofrito to the pot with the beans. Stir in the wine, olives, and bay leaf. Bring the beans to a fast simmer over medium heat. Reduce the heat to medium-low and cook, covered, for 45 minutes to 1 hour. Stir frequently, until the broth has thickened and the beans are completely cooked through. Add the vinegar, salt, and black pepper to taste. Remove the beans from the heat and add the sugar if using.