Who says vegetarians can’t eat at the Belly? Here’s a recipe with all the Belly Buddy requirements—heat, cheese, and gas-producing legumes—that doesn’t require any animal slaughter before enjoying!
- Ingredients:
- One 15-ounce can black beans, drained and rinsed. The dried kind are better, but require soaking overnight. That’s already too much work.
- One cup white rice
- 2 cups water
- One large yellow onion, diced. Look for vidalia—sweeeeet!
- One red bell pepper, and one yellow, diced. Or any festive colors you like.
- One large jalapeno pepper, minced. The pickled, jarrred kind work just fine, and they last forever.
- One large garlic clove, minced (or more to taste)
- One vegetable bullion cube [Editor’s note: They have those?].
- A splash of olive oil. Always use OLIVE oil. Don’t compromise.
- Red pepper flakes (to taste)
- Chili powder (to taste)
- 2 teaspoons oregano
- One tablespoon red wine vinegar
- Plenty of shredded cheddar and/or Monterey Jack cheese
In a medium size pot, add the rice, water, bullion, and a dash of olive oil. Bring to a boil. Cover tightly, reduce flame as low as possible, and let cook for 15-20 minutes, or until the rice is cooked (rice is done when all the water is absorbed).
Meanwhile, heat some olive oil in a large skillet and add the minced garlic and a few dashes of red pepper flakes. Sauté for a minute or so, and add the onion. When the onion begins to soften, add the bell pepper and the jalapeno, and continue to sauté.
When the peppers begin to soften, add the oregano, chili powder, vinegar and beans. Mix in the cooked rice and sauté just a bit longer so the rice picks up the flavor. Serve hot, and sprinkle plenty of cheese on top (it should melt nicely).
Wash this down with a nice cold beer. Try something with a little bite that will work with the recipe’s spiciness (Pilsner Urquell is a good choice. Tecate and other Mexican brews work well too).
Remember, this dish will definitely “tune your kazoo,” so you may want to have a little Beano on hand when you eat.