Tricky Black Beans

This is a great Crock-Pot and Fat-Free recipe that ends up being very versatile....I usually use about half of the beans in Black Bean Soup, then put the rest in the fridge to use in burritos, chilequiles, seven-layer dip...One of the "tricks" of this recipe is using the cilantro stems in the slow-cooking process. They break down and leave just a citrus-y hint of cilantro goodness!


TRICKY BLACK BEANS
Boil 1 lb. of black beans in 12 cups of water in a large soup pot for three minutes. Cover, remove from heat and let sit for one hour.

Drain beans and rinse them very thoroughly. (This helps reduce the gas factor, I'm told.) Put beans in 4 qt. crockpot with:

10 cups water
1 tablespoon ground Cumin
1 tablespoon ground Coriander
2 cups chopped onion
6 minced garlic cloves
2 chipotle peppers (canned or dried - dried ones vary a LOT in spiciness, so beware! You may just need one - or maybe you'll need three...They do tend to give a smokier flavor than canned though, which is nice.)
1 1/2 cup minced cilantro stems (save leaves for later, for the soup or salsa or whatever)

Then turn on the crockpot and go have fun for 6 (on "high) or more (on "low") hours! After 6 hours or so, add 2 teaspoons of salt. Cook until the beans are your desired tenderness. I usually prefer them beyond mushy! Enjoy!