The New York Times Cookbook | nina in the kitchen

Cuban Black Bean Soup

Posted on February 19, 2023 by nina in the kitchen

This is a traditional soup served in Cuba and Puerto Rico along with many other countries. My recipe is made with ham hocks and it’s served with a short grain rice. Red wine vinegar is sprinkled on at the table! It’s delish! I’ve made it for years!

The recipe is based on Craig Claiborne’s The New York Times Cookbook recipe. It was published in 1975 and is a collection of The New York Times best recipes from their food pages

I was introduced to this soup in 1978 when I visited my cousin Donna Rountree and her family in San Juan Puerto Rico. She shared this cookbook with me. Donna entertained a lot and loved to use this cookbook! Her husband Dekle and daughter Jodie enjoyed her cooking too.

To serve the soup pour it hot into bowls. Then top with hot rice that’s been patted into a 1/3 cup measuring cup or something similar. Invert it onto the soup. Sprinkle with cilantro. Sprinkle with red wine vinegar at the table!

Enjoy! And let me know what you think!

The sofrito: onion, green pepper & garlic with tomato & seasoning

Ingredients

1 pound dried black beans
12 cups water
3 ham hocks
4 tablespoons olive oil
2 cups finely chopped onion
1 tablespoon finely chopped garlic
1 cup chopped green pepper
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1-28 ounce can crushed tomatoes
2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
1-2 cups beef broth
1 teaspoon cumin
Red wine vinegar
Cooked short grain rice
Fresh chopped cilantro

Directions

Place the beans in a bowl and cover with cold water to a depth of 1 inch above the top of the beans. Soak overnight. Drain.
Add the olive oil to a heated large cooking pot. Add onion, garlic and green pepper. Sauté over low heat till onion is wilted.
Add oregano, tomatoes and cilantro. Cook 2 minutes. This is the sofrito.
Add the ham hocks, beans, and water to the cooking pot. Bring to a boil. Lower to simmer and cover. Cook for 1 1/2-2 hours or until beans are thoroughly tender.
Remove the ham hocks to a cutting board. Cut off the rind and discard. Cut off the meat and return to the pot. Discard the bones.
Simmer another few minutes
Dilute the soup with broth to your desired consistency if needed. The soup thickens with time and refrigeration.
Serve piping hot in bowls
Take the hot rice and press into a 1/3 or 1/2 cup measuring cup. Invert over bowl of soup and tap out. Make sure it’s hot rice. Cold rice won’t pop out of the cup
Sprinkle with fresh cilantro. Add red wine vinegar at the table
Voila!

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Posted in main dishes, Soups and Stews and tagged black beans, Craig Claiborne, Cuban, ham hocks, The New York Times Cookbook. Bookmark the permalink.

Chili with Ground Beef

Posted on February 19, 2023 by nina in the kitchen

Chili Served Over Pasta & Topped with Cheese

Craig Claiborne wrote The New York Times Cookbook in 1975. It is a collection of the best recipes from The New York Times food pages from the previous decade. This recipe comes from that book. He called it Chili con Carne with Ground Meat.

My cousin Donna Rountree introduced me to this book in 1978 when I visited she and her family at their apartment in San Juan Puerto Rico where she lived with her husband Dekle and daughter Jodie. Donna did a lot of entertaining and she loved this cookbook!

I substitute olive or vegetable oil for the bacon fat and use 2-28 ounce cans tomatoes. My preferred canned tomato is the whole tomatoes packed in tomato juice. I break these up with my fingers because I like the big chunks of tomato in my chili. San Marzano tomatoes are the best!

I find the best results with a very lean ground beef that’s at least 90% lean such as Laura’s brand. I also serve it over pasta and top with grated cheese. I’m also flexible with quantities of onion, green pepper, garlic and seasonings. Use your own judgement

Let me know what you think. It’s a very meaty chili and has no beans!! Be careful with the heat of the chili powder you choose. Some are extremely hot. I use a mild heat chili powder. Everyone can add more heat to their own bowls!

When you serve each bowl of chili over pasta, everyone can each add their own chopped raw tomato, chopped lettuce, avocado, sour cream, grated cheddar cheese, chopped fresh cilantro and/or hot pepper flakes.

Another option is to use 2 pounds ground turkey and 2 cans drained and rinsed cannellinni beans instead of the 3 pounds ground beef

Ingredients

4 tablespoons olive oil
3 cups chopped onion
1 1/2 cups finely chopped green pepper, optional
3 pounds 90-93% lean ground beef
3 tablespoons minced garlic
3/4 teaspoon black pepper
6 tablespoons chili powder
1 tablespoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon dried cumin
1 teaspoon celery salt
2-3 tablespoons red wine vinegar
2-28 ounce cans whole San Marzano tomatoes, break apart in chunks with your hands
1 cup water
Salt and pepper to taste
1 tablespoon chili paste with garlic, optional
Serve with chopped raw tomatoes, chopped lettuce, sour cream, grated cheddar, chopped cilantro, hot pepper flakes, avocado if desired
Serve over small pieces cooked pasta

Directions

Pour oil into a hot large deep cooking pot. Add onion and green pepper and cook over medium to low heat until onion is wilted
Add meat. Using a heavy metal spoon cook and chop up beef to break up lumps
Add garlic and black pepper and stir to blend
Add chili powder, oregano, cumin and celery salt. Stir and add vinegar
Add tomatoes and stir. Season with salt and pepper. Add water. Add chili paste if desired. I usually don’t
Heat to a boil while stirring. Cover and lower heat to a simmer for 30 minutes
Voila! Serve over pasta. Add some fresh toppings too!