In the Caribbean, red beans and rice are cooked together, but at Moosewood we like to ladle saucy red beans over a bed of fragrant coconut rice and garnish with a little greenery.

　　

Ingredients

serves 4 to 6

　　Coconut Rice (page 182)

　　1 1/2 cups diced onions

　　1 tablespoon vegetable oil

　　1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes or 1 fresh chile, minced

　　Salt

　　1/2 teaspoon dried thyme

　　1/4 teaspoon allspice

　　1 28-ounce can of diced tomatoes

　　1 28-ounce can of red kidney beans, drained

　　Chopped scallions and/or cilantro

　　

Step 1

Cook the Coconut Rice.

　　

Step 2

While the rice is cooking, in a saucepan on medium heat, sauté the onions in the oil for 3 or 4 minutes. Add the red pepper flakes, sprinkle lightly with salt, cover, and cook, stirring occasionally, until the onions are soft, 5 to 8 minutes. Add the thyme, allspice, tomatoes, and beans, cover, and simmer for 10 to 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.

　　

Step 3

Serve the red beans on a bed of the rice and top with scallions and/or cilantro.

　　

Serving & menu ideas

Step 4

Delicious with a side of collards (page 162) or avocado and mango slices. Save room for Caribbean Sautéed Bananas (page 263).

　　From Moosewood Restaurant Simple Suppers: Fresh Ideas for the Weeknight Table. Copyright © 2017 by Moosewood Collective. Published by Clarkson Potter, an imprint of Penguin Random House, LLC. Buy the full book from ThriftBooks or Amazon.