cuban black beans
de la familia
sofrito - cut up and sauté some onion, half as much bell pepper, tomatoes of some kind (diced fresh tomatoes will make for a thin mix, tomato paste, about one small can, will be thicker), and garlic.
in a pot mix 3 cans of drained black beans (goyo are good), 2-3 tablespoons of brown sugar, and crumbles of a few pieces of bacon. add sofrito and stir slowly (don't break the beans) over a low-medium heat till everyone is ready for the feast.
my father's mother has made this for the family whenever we're down in miami, and it has forever been one of my favorite meals, together with white rice and ropa vieja, in cuban tradition. great stuff. i first made it in college for my friends, who have since named it fanjul chili and come up with their own variations (here's chuck's.) good food gets personalized quickly.