FINALLY: Tasty Black Beans and Rice

I've been searching high and low for a good tasting black beans and rice recipe.  I was about ready to rent a small burro and travel through South America until I found one.  Thankfully, the Internet is much faster and easier! 

Black beans and rice are always a tasty side at Latino restaurants, and I feel like 90% of the world eats it as a staple.  Yet, it's so unappealing plain.  And nothing I tried seemed to give them a palatable flair.

Let me count the ways black beans and rice is great:

1. CHEAP!

2. Filling

3. Goes with TONS of main dishes.  Might I suggest: Chili Lime Chicken, Applebee's Fiesta Lime Chicken, or Salsa Crock Pot Fajitas

4. Fits my elimination diet!

5. Features my favorite seasoning of all time, AND tells you to use it liberally: Tony's!

6. Has bacon in it.  'Nuf said.

I adapted this recipe because I was afraid it would make too much.  However, I'm trying to hurry and eat the scant leftovers before the hubs comes home.  Wish I would have made the full recipe, but at the same time, I loved the flavors from halving it. Picture and original recipe comes from Bev Cooks. 

Try it!

Also, if you have a fav beans and rice recipe, I'd love to hear it!

Ingredients:

2 slices bacon, cut into small chunks

1/4 red onion, diced

2 large cloves garlic, minced

1/2 Tbs. smoked paprika

1/2 tsp cumin

2 Tbs. (or more!) Tony Chachere’s cajun seasoning, divided (Found in the spice isle at Wal-Mart, Macey's and  most grocery stores.  Also great on pizza, soups and any piece of meat.)

1 red bell pepper, diced

1 large tomato, diced

1 (14.5 oz) can black beans, drained and rinsed

1/2 Tbs. honey

1/4 cup chicken broth

1/4 cup fresh cilantro, plus more for garnish (I only had dried and it worked well, but I bet fresh would be better)

few glugs of Tabasco sauce (I normally fear this ingredient, but I dutifully used it like it called for and was pleasantly surprised)

Salt to taste

1 and 1/2 cups cooked rice

Directions:

Cook the bacon until crisp. Remove bacon and set aside to drain on paper towels. Leave bacon fat in the skillet.  Chop bacon and set aside.

Add the diced onion to the skillet and cook until they start to soften and caramelize, 5 minutes. Add the garlic for another 30 seconds. Add the red bell pepper, the bacon, the paprika, cumin and a good pinch of the Tony’s spice. Saute another minute.

Add in the diced tomatoes and saute until they start to break down a little, 3 minutes. Then pour in the beans. Toss to combine and cook 2 minutes. Mush the beans a little with the back of your spoon.  Taste. Add the salt, honey, broth and another generous pinch of Tony’s. Cook another two minutes.

Toss in the cilantro to wilt, along with a few glugs of Tabasco. One final taste. More Tony’s? Of course.

Serve black bean mixture of a heaping mound of cooked rice and garnish with more cilantro leaves.