BLACK BEANS 'N' RICE

Black Beans 'n' Rice image

"A co-worker who was born in Cuba helped me perfect the recipe for this hearty dish," reports Helen Simms of Lyons, Michigan. "Now it's one of our family's favorites. It's also a great way to use up leftover holiday ham."

Provided by Taste of Home

Time 1h50m

Yield 12 servings.

Number Of Ingredients 16

Ingredients

1 pound dried black beans, rinsed
7 cups water
1 cup diced fully cooked lean ham
5 garlic cloves, minced
1-1/4 teaspoons pepper
1-1/4 teaspoons ground cumin
1 teaspoon salt
1 bay leaf
1/2 teaspoon liquid smoke, optional
4 cups chicken broth
2 cups uncooked long grain rice
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
2 teaspoons olive oil
3/4 cup shredded reduced-fat cheddar cheese
3/4 cup chopped sweet red pepper
2 tablespoons chopped jalapeno peppers

Steps:

Place beans in a Dutch oven or soup kettle; add water to cover by 2 in. Bring to a boil; for 2 minutes. Remove from the heat; cover and let stand for 1 hour. Drain and rinse beans, discarding liquid., Return to the pan. Add 7 cups water, ham, garlic, pepper, cumin, salt, bay leaf and liquid smoke if desired. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 1-1/2 hours or until beans are tender., Meanwhile, in a saucepan, bring broth and rice to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 20 minutes or until rice is tender., Just before serving, discard bay leaf from bean mixture; add vinegar and oil. Serve over rice. Sprinkle each serving with 1 tablespoon cheese, 1 tablespoon red pepper and 1 teaspoon jalapenos.

Nutrition Facts : Calories 324 calories, Fat 5g fat (2g saturated fat), Cholesterol 12mg cholesterol, Sodium 843mg sodium, Carbohydrate 53g carbohydrate (0 sugars, Fiber 7g fiber), Protein 17g protein. Diabetic Exchanges