Pantry Staples: Black Beans

Pantry essentials depend largely on how big a pantry you possess.

I had a friend years ago, that lived in a one-bedroom apartment and her cupboard consisted of three-tier hanging mesh baskets, the top of her fridge, and the floor space below the sink.

My late aunt used to have a hole in the wall pantry, a literal nook-with-shelves built into the wall under the stairs (like Harry Potter’s room!), that she covered with a little curtain.

We live in a house, so our kitchen – while not luxuriously large – is comfortable and we have a small hutch and cabinets.

Your diet and cooking abilities also dictate what your pantry looks like. It may consist of nothing but Oreo cookies in all their glorious varieties and girth! Your cupboard may have nothing but instant ramen. Or it may house your cat...

I will not tell you what you need in yours. That is a very personal choice. I’ll share some of my favorites from time to time, starting with black beans. I love black beans!

Beans are a great source of protein and fiber, and each variety has minerals that are good for you. I love black beans for their earthy flavor and creamy texture, and their endless flexibility.

Some of the better tasting canned black beans available

You can have black beans for breakfast, lunch, dinner, a snack, and even dessert; and they are substantial enough that if you have them with grains and vegetables, you’ll have a perfectly filling meal without meat. In my experience, black beans go well with seafood, poultry, beef and pork.

You can explore a variety of international dishes, such as Cuban frijoles negros, Brazilian black bean stew (feijoada), or Mexican black bean soup. You can snack on black beans in fajitas, burritos, enchiladas, and salsa. You can go healthy with black bean burgers or for total comfort and indulgence with black bean chili. Finally, you can finish off any meal with black bean ice cream and brownies.

The first time I had black beans, I was visiting a family friend. Doña Sylvia was a Cuban émigré who’d moved to Puerto Rico after the Revolution and befriended our family, becoming a de facto member in a short time.

Doña Sylvia was one of the best cooks whose food I have ever had the fortune to sample. Her black beans were both silky and velvety, and had a hint of tart, spiciness, and that alluring muskiness that lingers on the tongue.

My own frijoles negros vary each time I make it. Sometimes I substitute lemon juice for vinegar. I will use red, green, and sometimes yellow bell peppers – and on occasion something hotter. I may sauté garlic or squeeze roasted garlic into the boiling mixture. I will switch from vidalia to red onions. Sometimes my beans have cuttlefish added to them. If I have a ham hock, it goes in the beans. I may use capers or green olives.

Black beans from a can benefit greatly from fresh ingredients, but you can make the same dish entirely out of pantry ingredients (oregano, pepper, powdered garlic and onions, salt, oil and vinegar). To me, black beans always feel like a treat.

There is a Pinterest board with a variety of recipes that you should check out and try out at your discretion, and tease your palate.