PINTO BEANS AND RICE

SERVES 6 to 8

I love beans as a main dish and this is one of my favorites. It is very versatile. You may use other types of slow-cooking beans, such as the popular red kidney beans, and you can add or substitute other seasonings. The spinach may be omitted. I added it this time rather than serve a green vegetable on the side. The bacon or ham hock adds lots of flavor, but the beans would still be very good without the meat for a vegetarian dish.

INGREDIENTS

1 pound dry pinto beans

8 cups water, divided

1 large onion, coarsely chopped

1 medium green pepper, coarsely chopped

1 bay leaf

6 ounces lean, thick-sliced bacon pieces, or 1 small ham hock

2 teaspoons dried thyme

2 tablespoons dried parsley

Freshly ground pepper to taste

4 large garlic cloves, peeled (more if desired)

3 cups frozen cut leaf spinach, thawed and squeeze-dried, or use fresh (optional)

Salt to taste

Hot sauce to taste (optional)

8 servings long grain white rice, cooked according to package directions

Place the beans and 4 cups of the water into a Dutch oven or stockpot. Bring to a boil; boil for 2 minutes. Remove from heat; cover and let set for 30 minutes. Return to heat; add the remaining 4 cups water, onion, peppers, bay leaf, bacon, thyme, parsley and pepper to taste. Add the garlic using a garlic crusher, or chop very finely. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low; cover and simmer until beans are tender, about 2 hours. (The amount of moisture the beans absorb depends on their age. You might need to add water at some point.) Taste for seasoning, adding salt as needed. Add the spinach and hot sauce; continue to cook another 20 minutes. Serve over cooked rice, passing hot sauce separately for those who want more.

Notes: Some people would prefer less rice to the amount of beans. If so, just make less. I always add some of the herbs that are in the beans to the rice for extra flavor. This is even better if made a day ahead. I have also made it in a slow cooker. Consult the manufacturer's directions for bean dishes.

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