Sweet Chilean Lime Laced Black Beans & Rice - Crock Pot

While in search of a vegetarian black bean and rice recipe I happen upon several appealing recipes that included ingredients I found inticing and many that did that not. That being said, I took a little here and there from fellow recipezaar chefs, added a dash of a my own from time to time and created...FLAVA!! This dish is quite versatile. It's sweet, spicy and tart all in one. It's lovely by itself, topped w/pepperjack cheese, tucked into a burrito or thrown in to a crockpot I suppose. Enjoy my friends!

• Ready In: 3 hrs 20 mins
• Serves: 10
• Yields: 2 cups

Ingredients

• 4 (15 ounce) cans  s&w black beans
• 2  green bell peppers, 1 halved and seeded-1 diced
• 8  cups water
• 8  chicken bouillon cubes
• 2  medium yellow onions, quartered
• 2  teaspoons garlic, bottled crushed
• 2  teaspoons dried oregano
• 2  teaspoons ground cumin
• 2  bay leaves
• 1  teaspoon black pepper
• 1⁄2 cup  extra dry  sparkling wine, champagne or 1⁄2 cup  spumante
• 2  tablespoons red wine vinegar
• 1 1⁄2 tablespoons lime juice
• 2  tablespoons sugar
• 3  cups  instant rice
•  salt

Directions

1. In a large soup pot bring 6 cups of water to a boil. Add 6 bouillion cubes and allow them to dissolve. Reserve 2 cups of water and 2 bouillion cubes for later use.
2. Add the black beans and diced green bell pepper. Bring to a boil. Allow beans and pepper to simmer, covered for 1 hour. Cook and stir throughout.
3. Prepare sofrito; by placing halved green bell pepper, quartered onions, garlic, oregano, cumin, bay leaf, black pepper and reserved 2 cups water/bouillion cubes in a blender. Blend on low until the mixture is smooth. Add the sofrito to the the large pot of beans and rice simmering. Bring to a roaring boil. Reduce heat to simmer. Cook and stir blending flavors for 1 hour.
4. Add salt, as needed, sparkling wine (slowly), red wine vinegar, lime juice and sugar. Continue to simmer, covered for 1 hour, allowing spices to blend. Stir on occasion. Mixture will thicken somewhat.
5. Bring mixture to boil. Stir in 3 cups instant white rice. Simmer for 10 minutes. Stir. SERVE!