Black Beans for One

Alone in the Kitchen with an Eggplant is a collection of essays from cooks, chefs, writers, and others, all on the theme of eating alone. This is one of the recipes by Jeremy Jackson that I'd like to try.


1 tablespoon olive oil
1 small onion, chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
1 15-oz can black beans
Salt and freshly ground pepper

In a medium saucepan, heat the olive oil over medium heat, then add the onion and garlic. Cook them, stirring frequently, until they've started to brown. Add the beans and their liquid, stir, and lower the heat.

Simmer the beans, partially covered, stirring occasionally, until the liquid thickens a bit and is smooth - about 20 minutes. Add salt and pepper to taste. At this point, the beans can be served immediately or removed form the heat, covered, and kept warm for up to 15 minutes.