Black Beans

1 8 oz. bag of Dried Black Beans. 

1 onion, quartered

2 cloves garlic (whole, paper removed)

Take the beans out of the bag and place into a colander. Pick out any that don’t look right. Rinse and place in a bowl. Pour about 6 cups of water over them. Cover the bowl with some Saran Wrap and set aside for 4 hours. If you can let them sit over night it’s even better. Drain the liquid and place the beans in a pot. Pour in 5-6 cups of water over the beans. Bring to a boil and scoop out the white foam that will form. Then add the onion and garlic. Reduce heat and simmer 45 minutes to an hour. Test to see if they are done. . You might have to cook them a little longer. Do not salt(1 tsp) until after the beans have cooked. Salting too early in the cooking will make the beans hard. When the beans are done, strain the liquid and  reserve a little for the beans but do not throw it away. You can use it for another dish. See below. Or freeze for future use. 

  You can use the black bean stock  for a rice dish, using Japonica or Wild rice, lots of fresh parsley, garlic and onions for a satisfying side dish. Black bean are very low in acid. Saute the onions and garlic add the rice and the black bean liquid and 1 tsp. salt.(1 cup rice, 2 cups stock). Cook until rice is done. Stir in lots of fresh parsley to the warm rice. Enjoy