[net.cooks] Cuban Black Bean Soup, Maggi's Seasoning

nemo@rochester.UUCP (Wolfe) (03/13/86)

In article <333@hropus.UUCP> jin@hropus.UUCP (Jear Bear) writes:
(in re: Maggi Seasoning)
>I have seen it in my East coast supermarkets. ...
>...  I vaguelly remember a recipe that called for roasting carrots,
>onions, celery, and probably something obnoxious like turnips (:-) until
>brown then adding liquid and probably spices and herbs and cooking until
>reduced.  Then you would strain the result and use as a commercial stock
>intensifier (which is what Maggi Seasoning is). 
>			Jerry Natowitz

A superior stock/sauce intensifier I like to make is similar to this.  I
used to call it mirapoix, but this is not right - mirapoix is not cooked
to caramel like this.  I don't know the right name, but it really adds a
"deep", subtle flavor to sauces and soups.

Grate about 4 cups carrots, finely chop 1 cup celery and 3 cups onion.
(These are all relative ratios - the stuff keeps well in the refridgerator,
so I make about this much in a batch, but you can scale it to your needs.
The relative quanities may vary widely too, but keep carrots prominent and
don't put in too much celery).  Add about 2 Tbsp olive (or other) oil to
a large cast iron frying pan (the cast iron pan is best for the even, slow
heat that this requires) and heat to medium temperature (a piece of carrot
should sizzle, but not too much).  Add shredded veggies and stir.  Cook on
medium for about 5 min. until they have wilted, stirring occaisionally to
prevent sticking.  Turn down heat to medium low or low and cook for another
hour or two (yes, I mean hours), stirring periodically (say every 10-20 min)
to prevent sticking or scorching.  When the veggies begin to homogenize and
brown, you know you're halfway there.  Continue to cook until they turn a
rich brown color - you want to caramelize the sugars in them but not burn
them.  It may not be completely uniform, but when it is a brown sort of
paste, it is done.  Remove to a clean jar or cool and put teaspoon-sized
pieces in a plastic bag.  These may be put in the freezer for long storage.
A jar in the fridge will keep for several weeks, provided it is sufficiently
dehydrated.  Use a tablespoon or so per quart of soup/stock/sauce, stirring
in well before serving time.  Use more if you like.  It will make a quick
tomatoe sauce taste like it has been simmering all day, and add body to
vegetarian soups.  I have  not tried it with turnips, but I would bet that
they would do quite well.

On to black bean soup.  Makes me homesick to think of it - ah, a few
fried ripe plantains, some crusty Cuban bread, some Mooros y Christianos
(Moors & Christians = black beans and rice).  Sigh.  The key ingredients
are onions, garlic, beans, cumin, salt, and smoked pork (ham or bacon
is ok, chorizo or another spicy smoked sausage is better).  I like a bay
leaf or two in mine, and some folks like to cook a whole (intact) orange
in theirs (remove before serving).  It is best the next day.  To thicken,
mash a few of the beans and stir.  It is *critical* that you sort and wash
the beans.  Almost invariably there is a pebble or two mixed in with them,
and you don't want to break a tooth on it.  Use some chicken stock for a
fuller flavor, after the initial boil/soak/drain.  When serving, include
a small bowl of finely chopped onions (white or green or yellow are all
fine) in some vinegar to spoon on top.  For the fried plantains,
take a plantain or two that has turned black (they aren't ripe until then)
and peel it.  Cut the fruit into 2" segments, then slice these lengthwise
into two to four pieces (should be 1/4 to 1/2 inch thick).  Fry in butter
over medium heat until browned on both sides (cast iron pan is best).
Serve hot.

Enjoy,
Nemo

PS - As long as we're getting personal, I'm 6' and 180 lb.  My wife and I
both enjoy cooking - she is best at baking, while I am better on the stove
top.  Our tastes are extremely ecclectic, in part because of my old man,
who was serving me stir fry, gumbo, boliche, coq au vin, sauer bratten,
lobster cantonese, flan,indonesian rice, and a host of vegetables (some
of which I *still* don't know the name of, but one was yucca) when I was a
tad.  You see, he did most of the cooking in our house, which caused me a
certain amount of gender-role confusion.  I used to love to watch/help him
cook, but my sisters were less interested.  When I was eight, I was chased
out of the kitchen and my sisters herded in because Dad wanted them to
learn to cook.  I started to cry, and asked why, I responded, "How can I
get a girl to marry me if I can't cook?"  Later I realized that if I wanted
the variety and quality of chow I got at home, I had better learn to do it
myself.  I still feel that way, and don't consider male cooks rare at all.