Stewed beans, or habichuelas guisadas, are an essential element of the beloved Dominican dish, bandera dominicana, typically consisting of rice, beans, and meat. With 13 years of living in the country and working from home, I've fine-tuned my skills in creating wonderfully creamy stewed beans with only natural seasonings. My love for cooking and the luxury of time allows me to consistently use fresh beans or dried grains in my bean dishes, resulting in a superior taste.
As a rule, I avoid using canned beans in stews, reserving them for quick recipes such as chili con carne or rice mixes. In my experience, canned beans have a distinct flavor and lack the same level of taste and creaminess as the fresh beans traditionally prepared by our Latin mothers and grandmothers. However, due to time constraints and my husband's craving for rice with chicken (locrio de pollo) alongside stewed beans, I made an exception and used a can of beans. Despite these two dishes presented together are not a common combination among Dominicans, it turned out to be a scrumptious delight! The beans came out delicious and creamy, almost perfect! If you follow my recipe and easy instructions, you'll make the best stewed canned beans ever!
I posted on Facebook that I was going to make this recipe using a can of beans and asked for suggestions… I received many tricks to make canned beans taste good. Just like my cyberfriend, Adalgisa, I also like to add Dominican pumpkin (auyama) also known as Calabasa or West Indian pumpkin, and coriander to add flavor and texture to the stew. To read what our good friends shared on Facebook:
Here.
My recipe and notes on how I prepare Stewed Beans using fresh or dried beans can be found in my Dominican recipe eBook,
How to Cook Dominican Style.
Stewed beans
(Recipe using 1 can of beans) Easy recipe to prepare in 30 minutes!
Ingredients:
½ onion
½ red pepper
½ cube chicken or chicken (optional)
¼ teaspoon ground oregano
2 tablespoons oil
½ teaspoon crushed garlic
1 tablespoon tomato paste or ¼ cup tomato sauce
1 can beans (15oz./439 g )
⅓ cup chopped pumpkin
1 allspice berry (pimento / all-spice) optional
Cilantro sprigs
Black pepper to taste
1½ can of water (12 oz./ 340 g) see step #3
Instructions:
1. Natural seasoning: In a food processor chop the onion and pepper. Add 1 tablespoon of water, oregano, and chicken cube portion, and process until it is almost liquid.
2. Peel and dice the pumpkin into ½-inch pieces and set aside.
3. Heat 2 tablespoons of oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Once hot, add the natural seasoning, tomato sauce, and garlic, then sauté until a rich, thick sauce develops. Next, incorporate the can of beans along with its water, followed by the squash, allspice, and cilantro. To ensure the perfect consistency, use the same can of beans to measure 1½ cans of water, then add it to the mixture. Allow the flavors to meld together over medium heat until the beans are tender and the sauce is infused with deliciousness.
4. Cook covered over low heat for 20 minutes, verify salt, add black pepper to taste, and add ½ teaspoon of lemon juice or vinegar. Cook for 10 minutes or until the pumpkin is tender and the sauce has thickened yet it is abundant. Serve with white rice, meat, and fried plantains. Today I served mine with rice and chicken (locrio de pollo).
Yield: 5 servings.
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