Cuban Black Beans

Soak the black beans in water, covering the beans at least 3 inches, leave this overnight or at least 6 hours. Drain off any excess water.

Sauté onion with olive oil for 15 minutes on low medium heat, stirring every so often. The onions will be soft and melty. (Yes this is a generous amount of olive oil, it really adds to the flavor of the beans.) Add oregano, cumin, black pepper, salt and tomato paste along with green bell pepper and garlic stirring to mix. Add the drained beans, water and bay leaves.

bring to a boil then simmer with lid vented for an hour. Give a stir once or twice. Continue cooking for about another 30 minutes, stirring more often to prevent sticking as the beans cook and the liquid is absorbed. Keep the lid vented and simmer until beans are soft but mostly whole. Pressure cooker: Set to 30 minutes high pressure. Manually release. Use sauté function to further reduce liquid if desired.

Stir in vinegar and serve! (The vinegar will brighten and elevate, taste first and add to your preference.)

Beans get even more flavorful over time, and will keep up to 4 days in the fridge, or freeze for later!