Super-quick post, just to report two things:
1. That no-soak beans method really does work. Made black beans yesterday and they came out perfect.
2. The recipe for Spicy, Citrusy Black Beans on Simply Recipes ROCKS. For Harry’s sake I toned down the spice a bit by using just the sauce from the chipotles rather than the whole peppers. After tasting I realized it was still going to knock his wee socks off, so I added a diced sweet potato. That calmed things down considerably. But of course, even though Harry was super-excited to try the beans (adding the orange juice really sent him over the top), he took one bite and said, “this doesn’t really taste very good, Mommy.” But I’m here to tell you: My son is WRONG. These beans are wonderful. Go, make some. Now.
Thanks to Rebecca for asking a very important question in the comments: Is it ok to use already-cooked beans, and not use the seasoning called for in the recipe? That’s exactly what I did. My beans were cooked in plain water & salt. I added a bay leaf to the pot with the onions, etc, and it was full of flavor. I imagine this means it’ll work well with a couple of cans of beans, too, with their liquid, as long as you buy a low-sodium variety (that liquid can be mighty salty otherwise).