Catholic Recipe: Classic Beans and Rice

This recipe makes a good dish for the fifth Sunday in Lent. This can be prepared on Saturday so all you have to do is heat and the beans will absorb the flavor overnight. You can add a salad to round out the menu.

DIRECTIONS

Rinse beans and pick out any stones.

Soak beans overnight in water, or, if preparing the same day, place beans in a pot of water and bring to a boil. Boil for 2 minutes and then turn off heat. Soak beans in the cooking water for 1 hour.

Add all the remaining ingredients to the soaked beans, cover, and bring to a boil. Turn heat down and cook over medium heat for for 1 hour.

Remove ham hock and place on a cutting board. Cool for a few minutes. Using a sharp knife, cut away the fatty skin and remove the meat from the bone. Chop meat into small pieces and return to pot and continue to cook for 1 hour more. The liquid will have boiled down to a thick, brown sauce, and the beans should be soft, but not mushy.

Prepare rice: Place rice and water in a medium saucepan. Cover and bring to a boil. Without uncovering, reduce heat to simmer and cook for 18 minutes. Turn off heat and allow to rest for 5 minutes.

Serve beans over rice.