BLACK BEANS WITH SMOKED HAM HOCKS
EATING BEANS AND rice is a cross-cultural phenomenon for a reason. This smoky black-bean braise, for instance, is the sort of ur-comfort food a person from most anywhere would happily lay claim to.
The recipe, from chef Mashama Bailey, dates back to a time before she garnered acclaim at the Grey in Savannah, Ga. She was working in Manhattan restaurants and living with her grandmother. Some black beans and a ham hock she found in the kitchen inspired her to whip up something hearty and warming. “It was cold the day I first made this,” Ms. Bailey recalled. “My grandmother really enjoyed it. She said, ‘You’d think a little old Cuban lady was in here cooking these beans.’ ” Simple as the dish is, it’s important to start with a solid flavor base. “Bloom the aromatics gently in butter,” Ms. Bailey said. “Once the garlic stops smelling raw, add the liquids. If the garlic is still raw, or cooked too hard, I taste it.”
If you have time, let this stew an hour or more and skip the puréeing; the beans will break down and thicken the broth on their own. And it’s wise to double the batch. “This is really good left over,” Ms. Bailey said. It’s enough to make you hope for more cold weather. —Kitty Greenwald
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