Popular at Cuban restaurants, this dish of rice and beans has a name that recalls the historical European conflict between Muslims and Christians. Called Moros y Cristianos in Spanish, the “Moors,” or African Muslims, are the beans, and the “Christians” are the rice. The color contrast in the dish represents racial and cultural differences. Prepared with a sofrito sauce of onions, garlic, and bell pepper, Moors and Christians is made with a heavily-seasoned sauce. The dish—also popular throughout the Caribbean and Brazil—was brought to the southern United States by Cuban immigrants in the late 1900s.
Recipe Servings: 8
Prep Time
20 minutes
+ 10 minutes resting
+ 10 minutes resting
Cook Time
Total Time
30 minutes
Vegetarian
Vegan
Gluten Free
Dairy Free
Kosher
Halal
Ingredients
- 8 oz dried black beans
- 1 medium yellow onion, peeled
- 1 medium green bell pepper, cored, seeded, and halved
- 6 Caribbean sweet peppers (ajíes dulces) or 1 cubanelle pepper
- 1 ham hock (optional)
- 2 cups long-grain rice
- 2 Tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
- 4 oz slab bacon, diced
- 1 medium yellow onion, finely chopped (about 1¼ cups)
- 1 medium green bell pepper (about 1 cup), cored, seeded, deveined, and finely chopped
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 Tbsp distilled white vinegar
- 1 Tbsp dry sherry
- 2 tsp salt
Directions
- Prepare the beans by rinsing and picking over well.
- In a medium, heavy-bottomed pot, place the beans and cover them with 2½ quarts water.
- Add the onion, bell pepper, ajíes or cubanelle pepper, and the ham hock, if using.
- Bring to a boil over high heat, then lower heat to medium and simmer, uncovered, for about 2 hours, until the beans are tender.
- Reserving 4 cups of the cooking liquid, drain and discard vegetables and ham hock.
- In a medium bowl, place the rice and cover with cold tap water.
- Swirl, then drain, repeating as necessary until the water runs clear.
- Drain rice well over a sieve or strainer.
- In a heavy-bottomed pot, heat oil over medium heat.
- Add the diced bacon and cook about 3 minutes.
- Add the onion, green pepper, cumin, oregano, and bay leaf, and cook an additional 5 minutes, until the onion has softened and become translucent.
- Stir in the rice and add the beans and the reserved bean cooking liquid.
- Stir in the vinegar, sherry, and salt, and adjust seasonings as needed.
- Cook, uncovered, until most of the liquid has been absorbed and small craters have formed on the surface of the rice.
- Fluff slightly with a fork, then reduce the heat to the lowest possible setting and cook, tightly covered, for 20 minutes.
- Remove from heat and let cool, uncovered, for 10 minutes before serving
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