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docs/food_related/black_beans.md

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+# description - please provide 
+
+## Intro - please provide
+
+### Ingredients:
+- **1 pound dried black beans**, soaked overnight and drained
+- **1 large onion**, finely chopped
+- **1 green bell pepper**, finely chopped
+- **3-4 cloves garlic**, minced
+- **2 tablespoons olive oil** (for sautéing the vegetables)
+- **2 teaspoons Sazón Goya** or to taste
+- **1 bay leaf**
+- **1 teaspoon ground cumin**
+- **1 teaspoon dried oregano**
+- **2 tablespoons white vinegar** or apple cider vinegar
+- **Salt and black pepper** to taste
+- **4 cups water** or as needed (adjust depending on the desired thickness)
+- **Fresh cilantro**, chopped (for garnish)
+- **1 tablespoon sugar** (optional, for balance)
+
+### Instructions:
+
+#### Preparing and Soaking the Beans:
+1. **Soak the Beans**:
+   - Place the black beans in a large bowl and cover with about 2-3 inches of cold water. Let them soak overnight, or at least 8 hours, to soften and reduce cooking time.
+   - If the room temperature is warm, place the soaking beans in the refrigerator to prevent fermentation.
+   - After soaking, drain and rinse the beans thoroughly under cold running water to remove any impurities and to reduce gas-causing compounds.
+
+#### Prepare the Sofrito:
+2. **Sauté Vegetables**:
+   - In a skillet, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the chopped onion and bell pepper and sauté until they are soft and translucent, about 5-7 minutes.
+   - Add the minced garlic and sauté for another 1-2 minutes until fragrant.
+
+#### Assemble in Slow Cooker:
+3. **Combine Ingredients**:
+   - Transfer the sautéed vegetables to the slow cooker. Add the drained black beans, Sazón Goya, bay leaf, cumin, oregano, and water.
+   - Stir to combine all the ingredients evenly.
+
+4. **Cook**:
+   - Cover and set the slow cooker to low. Cook for 8-10 hours, or until the beans are tender and the flavors are well melded. If during cooking the beans seem too dry, add a little more water.
+
+#### Finish and Serve:
+5. **Final Seasoning**:
+   - Stir in the vinegar, add salt and pepper to taste, and sugar if using. Adjust these final seasonings based on your preference.
+   - Remove the bay leaf.
+
+6. **Garnish**:
+   - Garnish with freshly chopped cilantro just before serving.
+
+7. **Serving Suggestions**:
+   - Serve the black beans over white rice for a traditional pairing, or use them as a base for tacos, as a filling for burritos, or as a side dish with a main course.
+
+### Tips:
+- **Timing Flexibility**: The beauty of using a slow cooker is that it’s very forgiving. If you need to extend the cooking time slightly due to schedule constraints, the beans will generally continue to improve in flavor.
+- **Overnight Option**: You could start the slow cooker before going to bed and have the beans ready for a reheat at lunch.
+
+---
+
+### Ingredients:
+- **1 pound dried black beans**, soaked overnight and drained
+- **1 large onion**, finely chopped
+- **1 green bell pepper**, finely chopped
+- **3-4 cloves garlic**, minced
+- **2 tablespoons olive oil** (for sautéing the vegetables)
+- **2 teaspoons Sazón Goya** or to taste
+- **1 bay leaf**
+- **1 teaspoon ground cumin**
+- **1 teaspoon dried oregano**
+- **2 tablespoons white vinegar** or apple cider vinegar
+- **Salt and black pepper** to taste
+- **4 cups water** or as needed (adjust depending on the desired thickness)
+- **Fresh cilantro**, chopped (for garnish)
+- **1 tablespoon sugar** (optional, for balance)
+
+### Instructions:
+
+#### Prepare the Sofrito:
+1. **Sauté Vegetables**:
+   - In a skillet, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the chopped onion and bell pepper and sauté until they are soft and translucent, about 5-7 minutes.
+   - Add the minced garlic and sauté for another 1-2 minutes until fragrant.
+
+#### Assemble in Slow Cooker:
+2. **Combine Ingredients**:
+   - Transfer the sautéed vegetables to the slow cooker. Add the drained black beans, Sazón Goya, bay leaf, cumin, oregano, and water.
+   - Stir to combine all the ingredients evenly.
+
+3. **Cook**:
+   - Cover and set the slow cooker to low. Cook for 8-10 hours, or until the beans are tender and the flavors are well melded. If during cooking the beans seem too dry, add a little more water.
+
+#### Finish and Serve:
+4. **Final Seasoning**:
+   - Stir in the vinegar, add salt and pepper to taste, and sugar if using. Adjust these final seasonings based on your preference.
+   - Remove the bay leaf.
+
+5. **Garnish**:
+   - Garnish with freshly chopped cilantro just before serving.
+
+6. **Serving Suggestions**:
+   - Serve the black beans over white rice for a traditional pairing, or use them as a base for tacos, as a filling for burritos, or as a side dish with a main course.
+
+### Tips:
+- **Timing Flexibility**: The beauty of using a slow cooker is that it’s very forgiving. If you need to extend the cooking time slightly due to schedule constraints, the beans will generally continue to improve in flavor.
+- **Overnight Option**: You could start the slow cooker before going to bed and have the beans ready for a reheat at lunch.
+
+This slow cooker approach should give you flavorful, deeply developed Cuban black beans with minimal active cooking time and great results. Enjoy your cooking!