Black Beans

Estimated time: 4 hours.

What you need:

• Black beans (dry, 1 small package, 12 - 14 oz)
• Salt (to taste)
• Olive oil (2 tbs)
• Italian Seasoning Mix (1 teaspoon)
• Basil (1 teaspoon)
• Oregano (1 teaspoon)
• Cayenne pepper (to taste)
• Red Onion (half)
• Garlic (1 tbs, minced)
• Your favorite strong sausage (Portuguese Paio or Linguiça, Spanish Chorizo, Cajun Andouille, your pick)

Before:

• At least 3 hours before cooking, soak the beans in cold water in a large bowl. Leave at least 2 in of water on top of the beans. (You can leave the beans overnight in water, outside of the fridge.)
• Drain the beans and replace with new water just before cooking.

Get to it:

• In a large pot with a good lid (that should close completely), add olive oil, garlic, and the half onion, chopped.
• Turn on medium-high heat, cook for less than 5 minutes, just before the onions start loosing color.
• Add the beans and the water.
• Let it come to a boil, then reduce heat to medium. Cook with lid closed for 60 minutes.
• After the first hour, add all the dry seasoning, but NOT the salt. Close and cook for another 60 minutes.
• Check on the water during the second hour of cooking, so it does not eventually dry too much. You might need to add water. You are aiming for a creamy consistency at the end, as in a thick soup.
• After the second hour, add the salt and the sausage, cut in slices. (Do not remove any casing.) Close, reduce heat to low.
• Cook until you get a creamy consistency. (Black beans can cook for many hours, don't worry. If you taste and you like it, and you are OK with the consistency, you're done.)

Optional: add Pork Chunks

• After the first hour of cooking, add chunks of your favorite pork meat (with the dry seasoning). Pork neck works great. Whatever cut you use, try bits with at least 30% of fat.