Moros y Cristianos (Rice and Beans)

Ingredients (use vegan versions):

1 cup chopped onion
1 cup chopped green pepper
2 teaspoon chopped garlic
1.5 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon dried thyme leaves
0.5 teaspoon crushed hot red pepper (cayenne)
1 bay beaf
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 cup rice
1 15oz can black beans, rinsed and drained
2 cups water
1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

In a 3 qt sauce pan, sauté onion, bell pepper,
garlic, cumin, thyme, crushed red pepper and bay
leaf in olive oil until onion is tender, about 5
minutes. Stir in remaining ingredients. Heat
until boiling. Reduce heat and simmer, covered,
until rice is tender, about 20 minutes. Let
stand 5 minutes before serving. Makes about 4
main-dish servings about 1.5 cups each, or 8 side
dish servings about 3/4 cups each.

OPTIONS:

The dish is very spicy and if you don’t like
spicy food, reduce by one half, the amounts of
cumin, thyme, crushed red pepper.

This dish is a reference to early Spanish history
when the invading Moors represented by black
beans, were driven out of Spain by the resident
Christians represented by white rice.

Serves: 4 or more

Preparation time: 20 Minutes