Cuban Black Beans

The night before, rinse the black beans and leave them to soak in plenty of cold water for at least 8 hours.

Drain the soaked beans and cover with fresh water by 5 cm. Add one of the green peppers, whole, and the bay leaves, and simmer for 60 to 75 minutes until soft. Do not salt yet.

Fish out and discard the whole pepper and the bay leaves.

Make the sofrito: chop the onion and the second green pepper and crush the garlic. Cook the onion and pepper in the olive oil for 10 minutes until soft, then add the garlic, the cumin and the oregano for 2 minutes.

Stir the sofrito into the beans.

Mash a ladleful of beans against the side of the pot and stir back in, to thicken the liquid into a glossy sauce.

Simmer uncovered for 20 minutes, then add the vinegar, sugar and salt to taste.

Meanwhile, rinse the rice, bring it to the boil in the water with a pinch of the salt, cover and simmer gently for 15 minutes, then leave it covered off the heat for 5 minutes.

Serve the beans over the rice. The beans are even better made a day ahead and reheated.