Black Beans with Cumin

I have never served this dish without someone asking for the recipe.  Don't be intimidated by the number of ingredients. The results are so wonderfully worth the effort.  In our family it is the highest calling of a ham bone's life to be thrown into the pot for this dish. 

The recipe yields more beans than you need for one meal, but they freeze beautifully and make a quick dinner when reheated and rolled in a flour tortilla with an assortment of garnishes.

Recipe originally from Bon Appetit, although it no longer appears in their archives.

BLACK BEANS WITH

CUMIN

MAKES 8 CUPS

2 cups dried black beans, sorted 

1/3 cup cumin seeds

2 Tbl olive oil

3 ounces smoked bacon, finely diced

3 celery stalks, finely diced

1 green bell pepper, finely diced

1 yellow bell pepper, finely diced

2 jalapeño chilies, finely diced

1 poblano chili, finely diced.

1 red onion, finely diced

4 garlic cloves, minced

1 smoked ham hock

2 bay leaves

1 cup Madeira or white cooking wine

1 Tbl fresh thyme leaves or 1 tsp dried

4 to 6 cups chicken stock or canned low-salt broth

1 Tbl cracked black pepper

Salt

Place beans in large bowl. Add enough

cold water to cover. Let stand overnight.Drain beans thoroughly.

Toast cumin seeds in heavy small

skillet over medium heat until fragrant,

about 4 minutes. Transfer to spice

grinder and grind finely.

Heat oil in heavy large pot over

medium heat. Add bacon and fry until

cooked but not crisp. Add celery, both

bell peppers, chilies, onion and garlic and stir 1 minute. Mix in 3 tablespoons of ground toasted cumin, ham hock and bay leaves. Add beans and cook 3 minutes. Add Madeira and thyme and cook 1 minute. Pour in enough stock to coverbeans by 1 to 2 inches. Simmer until tender, about 2 hours (time will vary depending on dryness of beans).

Remove ham hock from beans. Remove meat from bone, dice or

shred and return to pot. Add cracked

pepper. Season with salt and serve. 

Can be prepared 3 days ahead. Refrigerate. Reheat just before serving. Leftovers can also be frozen in meal sized portions.