Spiced Rice And Beans

=========== FOR THE BEANS ============
1 Cup Black beans
1/2 Onion; peeled
1 Clove garlic; peeled
1 Bay leaf
1 Large Piece orange zest; about 1 x 3 inches
1 Teaspoon Salt
1/4 Teaspoon Freshly ground black pepper

=========== FOR THE RICE =============
1/4 Cup Olive oil
1/2 Onion; finely minced
1 Cup Uncooked long-grain white rice
1 Cup Chicken broth
1/4 Cup Diced red bell pepper
1/4 Cup Diced green bell pepper
1 Cup Water
1/2 Teaspoon Salt
2 Teaspoon Fresh tarragon; or
1/2 Teaspoon Dried; crushed
2 Teaspoon Minced fresh flat-leaf parsley

TO PREPARE THE BEANS: Pick over the beans to remove any stones or foreign
material. Rinse the beans and soak them for 6 hours or overnight. Or you can
use the quick-soak method: Place the beans in a pot of water to cover and
bring to a boil; boil for 3 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat and let
the beans rest for 1 hour in the cooking water. Proceed with the recipe.

Discard the water in which the beans were soaked or cooked. Place the beans
in a pot with fresh water to cover. Add the onion, garlic, bay leaf, and
orange zest. Boil the beans for 5 minutes, then reduce the heat and simmer
gently for 11/2 to 2 hours or until the beans are tender. If the water gets
low during the cooking, add more to cover the beans. Season the beans with
the salt and pepper, and keep them warm while the rice cooks. The beans can
be cooked a day ahead, refrigerated, and reheated before serving.

TO COOK THE RICE: In a medium skillet, heat the oil. Add the onion and saut
it over medium heat for 10 to 15 minutes, or until it becomes chestnut
brown. As the onion cools, it will get crispy. Spoon the onion out of the
pan and drain it on a paper towel.

Saut the rice in the onion oil, stirring it with a wooden spoon to coat the
grains evenly with the flavored oil. Add the chicken broth, diced peppers,
water, and salt. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat to a simmer, and cook,
covered, for 15 to 18 minutes, or until the rice is tender and all the broth
has been absorbed. Don't stir the rice while it is simmering or it will cook
unevenly.

When the rice is cooked, fluff in the herbs with a fork. To serve, make a
ring of rice on a serving platter. Drain the beans, discard the bay leaf,
and pour the beans into the center of the rice. Sprinkle with the reserved
crispy onions and serve.