Jeremy’s Tasting Notes &c.

By request, one of my favorite dishes.

Beans and Rice With Avocado Salad

10oz dried yellow (Mayacoba/Canary) beans, soaked in water 6 hours to overnight
2 rice cups (360ml) Jasmine (white or brown) or Thai Red Cargo rice
2-4 avocados (depending on size)
2 large shallots
2 medium-sized ripe tomatoes
1oz fresh squeezed lime juice
1tbs chili flakes, fine
top-quality aromatic Extra Virgin Olive Oil
salt and pepper

Bring soaked beans to a boil in a pot of water, then reduce heat and simmer slowly, covered, until tender (several hours). 10 minutes before finished, add salt to taste (it takes a few minutes for the beans to absorb the salt). Drain the beans, reserving the cooking liquid, and set aside. In an electric rice cooker, cook rice with some salt and the bean cooking liquid. A few minutes before the rice cycle completes, add the cooked beans to the rice and stir well. While the rice cooks, prepare the salad.

Slice avocadoes in half, removing the pit. Score with crosshatches and scoop into a bowl. Dice tomatoes and mince shallots very fine and add to the bowl along with lime juice, salt, pepper, and chili flake. Add a good splash of the aromatic olive oil and stir well, trying not to completely mash the avocado cubes. Serve the cold salad atop a bowl of the hot rice and beans so that the heat from the rice brings out the aroma of the oil. Top with additional olive oil if desired.