Slow Cooker Black Bean Ragout
Bean ragout:
- 1 large onion, finely chopped
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 tablespoon ground cumin
- ½ teaspoon dried oregano
- 2 teaspoons smoked paprika
- 1 pound (455 grams or 2¼ cups) dried black beans, rinsed if not already soaked
- 1 dried chile
- 2 tablespoons (35 grams) tomato paste
- 2 teaspoons table salt
- 9 to 10 cups (2 to 2½ liters) water or unsalted vegetable or chicken stock
- 1 tablespoon lime juice or sherry vinegar
- 1-inch-thick slices of bread, such as country or ciabatta loaf
- Olive oil
- Table salt
- 1 large garlic clove, halved
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 cup (240 grams) sour cream, crème fraîche, or crema mexicana
- 2 tablespoons (30 ml) freshly squeezed lime juice
- ¼ medium red onion, finely diced
- Table salt
- Chopped fresh cilantro leaves (or flat-leaf parsley, if you’re cilantro-averse)
- Avocado wedges
Instructions:
I realize that, for most people, black beans are a side dish. But for me, they’re my very favorite stuck-inside-on-a-bleary-weekday lunch.
- Put all the bean ragout ingredients except lime juice or vinegar in a 6-quart slow-cooker (the slow-cooker doesn’t care how you layer your ingredients). Cover and cook at high setting until beans are very tender, about 3 hours (in my super-speedy slow-cooker) to 6 hours.
- Put all the bean ragout ingredients except lime juice or vinegar in a large pot, and bring to a boil. Reduce to a very low simmer and cook for approximately 3 hours, until the beans are tender.
- Brush bread with olive oil, and sprinkle lightly with salt. Toast bread under the broiler, and as soon as you take it out of the oven, rub it with the raw garlic clove.
- Stir together 1 teaspoon ground cumin with sour cream and set aside.
- Mix the lime juice, onion, and a pinch or two of salt in a small dish, and let stand for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Use to garnish black-bean ragout.
- Once the beans are cooked, stir in the lime juice or vinegar. Adjust seasonings to taste. Ladle over garlicky toasts and sprinkle with chopped cilantro, cumin crema, and lime-pickled red onions. Serve with avocado wedges.