Cuban Black Beans

• 1 1/2 green pepper (or red or poblano or mix), divided
• 10 cloves garlic, divided
• 1 lb. black beans, rinsed and soaked
• 1 smoked ham hock
• 2 bay leaves
• 4 slices thick bacon, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
• 1 onion, diced
• 1 jalapeno, diced
• 1 t oregano
• 1 t ground cumin
• 1/2-1 t ground pepper
• ~1 T salt or to taste
• 3 T white vinegar
• 1 T brown sugar
• cilantro (optional)

1. Cut one pepper into 1 inch squares and peel 4 cloves garlic. Boil with beans, ham, bay, and 2 qts water for 1+ hours until beans are tender.
2. Make sofrito.
3. Dice remaining pepper. Mince remaining garlic. Cook bacon over medium heat until it starts to brown. Add pepper and cook ~3 min until soft. Add garlic, jalapeno, and spices. Stir another minute. Deglaze with vinegar
4. When beans are done, remove bay leaves and ham hock. Mash up some of the beans to thicken. Add the sofrito and sugar. Pull the meat from the ham hock. Chop up and stir in. Simmer 20 min.
5. Serve with rice and cilantro.

green pepper, garlic, black beans, hock, bay leaves, bacon, onion, oregano, ground cumin, ground pepper, t, t, brown sugar, cilantro

Taken from www.epicurious.com/recipes/member/views/cuban-black-beans-50075790 (may not work)