Pinto Beans and Rice

Noah left for Oregon on September 2nd. The house is quiet now in a way that is different from any previous quiet — this is the complete version, the one I've been approaching for years as each child left. Gary and I at the table for dinner for the first time in thirty years of living in this house as just the two of us. The plates are in different places than they've been. I had to decide where to put my elbows.

We ate pasta on the first night. Something I'd made a hundred times, simple and warm, the sauce from the freezer. Gary set the table and I cooked and we sat across from each other in the kitchen that has held, at various points, six people and now holds two, and it was quiet and complete and sad and right all at once. He said, "How do you feel?" I said, "Like something really good is over and something else is starting." He said, "Same." We finished dinner and did the dishes together and went for a walk even though it was past nine and the September evening was cold.

Noah called from his dorm that night. He'd bought ingredients for the black-eyed peas but he said he was going to wait until January. I said that seemed right. He said his roommate thought he was "kind of intense" about food. I said his roommate was correct and would come to appreciate it. He laughed. He said, "I miss the kitchen already." I said, "The kitchen will be here when you come back." He said, "I know. That's why I'm okay."

Noah mentioned the black-eyed peas he’d bought for his dorm, and it made me think about how many pots of beans I’ve simmered in this kitchen over the years—how a pot of something warm and simple has always been my answer when I don’t know what else to do. The night after he called, I made pinto beans and rice for Gary and me. It’s the kind of meal that fills a quiet house without trying too hard, and that felt exactly right.

Prep Time: 10 minutes | Cook Time: 1 hour 30 minutes | Total Time: 1 hour 40 minutes | Servings: 6

Ingredients

1 pound dried pinto beans, rinsed and picked over
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 medium yellow onion, diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 jalapeño, seeded and minced (optional)
1 teaspoon cumin
1 teaspoon smoked paprika
1/2 teaspoon chili powder
1 bay leaf
6 cups chicken or vegetable broth
1 can (14.5 oz) diced tomatoes, undrained
1 teaspoon salt, plus more to taste
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
3 cups cooked long-grain white rice
Fresh cilantro, for serving
Lime wedges, for serving

Instructions

Soak the beans. Place the pinto beans in a large bowl, cover with several inches of water, and soak for at least 8 hours or overnight. Drain and rinse before cooking.
Build the base. Heat the olive oil in a large Dutch oven or heavy pot over medium heat. Add the onion and cook until softened, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and jalapeño and cook for 1 minute more.
Toast the spices. Stir in the cumin, smoked paprika, and chili powder. Cook for 30 seconds until fragrant.
Simmer the beans. Add the soaked beans, broth, diced tomatoes, bay leaf, salt, and pepper. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low. Cover and simmer for 1 hour 15 minutes to 1 hour 30 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the beans are tender and the liquid has thickened.
Adjust and serve. Remove the bay leaf. Taste and adjust salt and pepper as needed. Serve the beans over cooked rice, topped with fresh cilantro and a squeeze of lime.

Nutrition (per serving)

Pinto Beans and Rice — A Simple Dinner for a Quieter Table