Rice and Beans

My version of rice and beans. It's so good and cheap and easy. I make it often.

Rice and Beans

Four cans of beans: black, pinto, red kidney, or a combination. Or half a pound of dry beans, cooked.
Olive oil (or whatever oil you have)
Chopped garlic: a whole head, or a few cloves, whatever you like
Cocoa powder, a dash or two

Optional: a quarter cup of red wine or beer, or a spoonful of red wine vinegar or other vinegar; a teeny bit of canned chipotles; Liquid Smoke or smoked paprika; chili powder or hot pepper or hot sauce; broth or a bouillon cube; whatever else you think would taste good

Toppings: chopped avocado with lemon juice and salt and/or crumbled corn chips. And/or salsa, hot sauce, chopped tomatoes, chopped green onions, cilantro, or whatever you like.

Rice: I like brown, but you can use any kind


Saute the garlic in the oil for just a minute. Add beans and cocoa powder, and any optional ingredients, a little bit at a time, smelling and tasting as you go to see if you like it.

Serve over rice. Top with toppings. I like to have a bit of something fatty and salty on top, so I really like to use either salted avocado or crumbled tortilla chips, along with whichever  of the other toppings I have on hand.

A Near Distance, Perle Fine, 1961