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1
Simmer the Beans
70 Mins
Gentle simmer, about 95°C (200°F)
Put the drained beans in a large pot with 1500ml of fresh water, half the diced onion, half the minced garlic and the bay leaf. Bring to a boil, skim off any foam, then lower the heat to a gentle simmer, cover, and cook for about 70 minutes, until the beans are nearly soft and a few have started to break down and thicken the liquid. While the beans simmer, cook the rice and make the sofrito (steps 2 and 3).
Do not add the salt yet — salt added early makes dried beans stay tough. It goes in at the end, with the chorizo.
Done when: Beans nearly soft; a few broken down; liquid thickened.
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2
Cook the Rice
20 Mins
Simmer, about 95°C (200°F)
While the beans simmer, cook the 300g of rinsed rice in a separate pot with 600ml of water and a pinch of salt: bring to a boil, cover, lower the heat to the lowest setting, and cook for 15 minutes without lifting the lid. Take off the heat and rest, covered, for 5 minutes, then fluff with a fork.
Do not lift the lid while the rice cooks — the steam is what finishes it, and lifting it lets the steam out.
Done when: Rice fluffy and dry; no water left in the pot.
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3
Brown the Chorizo and Make the Sofrito
10 Mins
Medium heat, about 175°C (350°F)
While the beans simmer, heat the 15g of oil in a large frying pan over medium heat. Add the 200g of sliced chorizo and fry for about 4 minutes, turning once, until browned at the edges. Add the remaining onion, the 200g of tomatoes, the 80g of green pepper and the remaining garlic, and cook for 5 minutes more, stirring, until the vegetables are soft. Stir in the 3g of cumin and cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
Let the chorizo brown properly before the vegetables go in — the browned edges are where the flavour is, and the fat it renders fries the sofrito.
Done when: Chorizo browned; vegetables soft; sofrito smelling warm and savoury.
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4
Combine and Simmer Together
25 Mins
Gentle simmer, about 95°C (200°F)
Tip the chorizo and sofrito into the pot of beans, scraping in all the pan fat. Remove the bay leaf. Stir in the 6g of salt and simmer gently, uncovered, for 25 minutes, until the beans are fully tender and the broth is thick enough to coat a spoon.
If the beans look dry, add a splash of hot water; if they look thin, simmer a few minutes longer with the lid off.
Done when: Beans fully tender; broth thick and glossy; chorizo in every spoonful.
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5
Serve over Rice with Cheese
5 Mins
Serve hot, about 65°C (150°F)
Spoon the rice into wide bowls and ladle the beans and chorizo over the top, making sure each bowl gets several slices of chorizo. Scatter the 40g of grated cheese over the beans and serve at once with warm corn tortillas.
The cheese melts a little on the hot beans — that is the point. Serve the tortillas warm so they are ready to scoop with.
Done when: Rice mounded, beans ladled over, cheese melting on top.
auto_awesome Finishing Touches & Plating
Spoon the rice into wide bowls, ladle the beans and chorizo over the top, and scatter the grated cheese last, while the beans are still steaming.
El Salvador
1h 15m
