Congri Cubano aka moro y cristianos 🔥 Made with bacon but you can also use empellitas like I grew up eating it! This is the perfect ratio to avoid that mushy congri that no one likes ☺️ Ingredients:  7 oz. dried black beans  6 cups water (for boiling beans)  4 bay leaves, divided  6 oz. bacon (about 6–8 slices), chopped into 1-inch pieces 1 tablespoon of olive oil  1 small yellow onion, diced  1 small green bell pepper, diced  4 cloves garlic, finely minced  1 tsp. onion powder  1 tsp. garlic powder  1 tsp. dried oregano  1 tsp. ground cumin 2 tsp. Salt for the sofrito  1½ cups long-grain white rice, rinsed  1¾ cups reserved black bean broth  Instructions: Place the black beans, 6 cups of water, 2 teaspoons of salt, and 2 bay leaves in a Dutch oven or large pot. Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce to medium-low and simmer for 1 hour, or until the beans are tender but still hold their shape. Strain the beans and reserve 2 cups of the cooking liquid. Discard the bay leaves. In a Dutch oven or caldero, add 1 tablespoon of olive oil and cook the chopped bacon over medium heat until crisp. Use a slotted spoon to transfer the bacon to a paper towel-lined plate, leaving the rendered fat in the pot. To the bacon fat, add the diced onion, green bell pepper, and garlic. Sauté over medium-high heat for 5 minutes, or until softened. Stir in the onion powder, garlic powder, dried oregano, ground cumin, and 1 teaspoon of salt. Cook for another 2–3 minutes, until fragrant. Return the bacon to the pot and stir to combine. Add the rice and cook for 1–2 minutes, stirring constantly to coat the grains in the sofrito, spices, and bacon fat. Add the remaining 2 bay leaves, cooked black beans, and 1¾ cups of the reserved black bean broth. Season with 2 teaspoons of salt and stir gently to combine. Taste for seasoning and adjust if needed. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to low. Cover tightly and simmer for 20 minutes. Uncover, stir to break apart the rice, then cover again and continue cooking over low heat for another 7 minutes, or until the rice is fully cooked through. Remove from heat and let sit, covered, for 10 minutes. Uncover and stir gently to finish. - @chefmikaleon