Well I've already posted my real favorites in other threads, but here's tonight's menu, in honor of Comrade Fidel:

1-1/2 oz Russian vodka
Few drops vermouth
Twist of lemon
2 cups black turtle beans, picked over, soaked at least 8 hours (longer if they've been stored a long time), drained and thoroughly rinsed
Canola oil (1 tbsp minimum to prevent beans from foaming)
1 yellow onion, diced
2 large cloves garlic, minced
2-3 tsp cumin seed, bruised or coarsely ground
2 stalks celery, chopped
(optional: 1 carrot, peeled and chopped)
Fresh hot pepper to taste, minced
2 bay leaves
Unsalted vegetable broth or water
1 green bell pepper
1 bunch kale (any type)
1 orange (Valencia or Hamlin for us right-coast-ers)
10 sprigs (approx.) fresh thyme, or 1-1/2 tsp dried
(optional: 1/3 pint chopped canned tomatoes, or 1 medium fresh tomato)
Salt and fresh ground pepper to taste

Fix yourself a martini. If you're just perusing this recipe now, double the quantities of vodka, vermouth and lemon; drink one now and one while you're cooking

Heat oil in pressure cooker. Saute onions and garlic until translucent. Add celery, hot pepper (and carrots, if using), and bay leaves and saute another 1-2 minutes. Add beans, cumin, and broth or water (important: use only UNsalted broth with uncooked beans!) to barely cover. Lock lid on pressure cooker, bring to high pressure and cook 4 minutes, then remove from heat and allow pressure to come down naturally.

While beans are cooking, seed green pepper and cut in large dice; trim and coarsely chop kale; peel, seed and chop orange. If using a fresh tomato, trim and chop it. If the orange is organic, use the zest from the entire peel as well. Please do not use zest from non-organic oranges, as they are treated with extremely toxic fungicides! That goes for that twist of lemon, too.

When the pressure drops in the cooker, taste beans for doneness; if they are not tender, replace but do not lock the lid and continue to cook until they are done. When beans are done, drain some liquid so the mixture will not be soupy (reserve the liquid in the freezer, along with the kale ribs, for your next batch of soup!). Tie thyme sprigs in a bouquet. Add kale, green pepper, optional tomato, orange, orange zest and thyme, and cook until vegies are tender, stirring occasionally, 5-10 minutes.

Season to taste with salt and pepper (and additional crushed red pepper, if desired). Serve with rice (long grain preferred).