Costa Rica

 Welcome to Costa Rica!  This is another place we would love to visit, but are a little concerned about the humidity and the heat.  The pictures I have seen from friends who have visited are incredible, so we could probably handle the heat for a bit of time...There are 121 volcanos in Costa Rica, and 7 are active.  It has more than 500,000 species of plants and animals, which makes it one of the most biodiverse places in the world.  According to Google, the population is 5.3 million people and the capital is San Jose.  Their national dish is...

Gallo Pinto

Rice and beans.  When I could eat beans, this was one of my favorite combinations.  I miss it!  So, to go with gallo pinto, we made Casado, which is a more inclusive dish with several additional items.  This dish had several different elements, which was tricky to time so everything was completed together.  So find yourself a Spectacular Sister to help with the cooking - it really helps.  Here's what we did:

GALLO PINTO

2 tbsp avocado oil

1 red bell pepper, chopped

1 onion, chopped

2 cloves garlic, minced

2 C cooked black beans, liquid reserved

1/4 C Salsa Lizano

3 C cooked rice

1/4 C chopped fresh cilantro

1. 1.  Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering. 
2. 2.  Sauté chopped bell pepper and onions until peppers are soft and onions are translucent, about 6-8 minutes. 
3. 3.   Add minced garlic and cook for 1 minute, until fragrant.
4. 4.  Add black beans, all reserved cooking liquid, and Salsa Lizano, stirring to combine. 
5. 5.  Simmer for 5 minutes, until slightly thickened and a little bit of the liquid is evaporated. 
6. 6.  Gently stir in cooked rice and cook until heated through and most of the liquid is absorbed, about 3-5 minutes.
7. 7.  Stir in chopped cilantro. 
8. 8.  Season to taste with additional Salsa Lizano, if desired, and serve.
9. 9.  Enjoy!

(Source: Gallo Pinto)

CASADO

4 chicken thighs

1 tbsp coriander

1/4 tsp garlic powder

1/4 tsp onion powder

1/8 tsp sea salt

Pepper, to taste

1 tbsp avocado oil

2 ripe plantains, peeled and cut into 1/4" pieces

1 C avocado oil

1 head of iceberg lettuce, shredded

1 tomato, sliced

1 carrot, grated

Salad dressing

Gallo pinto

4 Eggs, Fried

1 Cup queso fresco, sliced

1. 1.  In a small bowl blend spices together. 
2. 2.  In a large skillet, heat oil over medium heat. 
3. 3.  Sprinkle both sides of chicken with spice blend. 
4. 4.  Cook on each side for 4 minutes or until cooked through.
5. 5.  In a large skillet pour about 1" of oil. 
6. 6.  Heat oil over high heat. 
7. 7.  Place plantain sections in oil and cook until golden brown. 
8. 8.  Remove from oil and drain on a paper towel-lined plate.
9. 9.  Prepare the salad by combining the lettuce, grated carrot and tomato slices. 
10. 10. Season with salt, pepper and dressing, set aside.
11. 11. Lastly, fry the eggs.
12. 12. When everything is ready to serve each plate will get one chicken thigh, with a serving of fried plantains to the side, followed by salad, rice, beans, one fried egg and some slices of queso fresco.
13. 13.  Enjoy!

(Source: Casado)

COSTA RICAN OATMEAL COOKIES

200 g brown sugar

250 g softened butter

2 egg whites

300 g gluten free flour

200 g oats

90 g chocolate chips

1 1/2 tbsp cinnamon

1/2 tsp chili powder

1 tbsp vanilla

1 tsp baking powder

3/4 tsp baking soda

1. 1.  Beat butter, sugar and egg whites for a couple of minutes until fluffy. 
2. 2.  Add vanilla. 
3. 3.  In a separate bowl, mix all the dry ingredients and add to the butter mixture. 
4. 4.  Mix just until combined. 
5. 5.  Preheat oven to 375 F. 
6. 6.  Scoop cookie dough onto a lined baking tray. 
7. 7.  Bake for 12 minutes, take out of the oven and let cool completely before storing them.
8. 8.  Enjoy!

(Source: Costa Rican Oatmeal Cookies)

The verdict?  I will have to let Handsome Husband tell you how the gallo pinto was.  I kept some rice aside for myself to eat with the casado.  Overall, the casado was delicious.  I even enjoyed the plantains!  I made some extra lizano, and it was delicious on the rice and chicken.  We haven't been disappointed by Central and South American cuisines, and this one was added to the list.  The Nifty Niece even said that this was a "must make again!".   Guess we will have to! The cookies were delicious.  The hint of cinnamon and chili powder were such an amazing addition to the flavors.  Handsome Husband declared them some of the best chocolate chip cookies he has ever had!  We will definitely make these again!

The gallo pinto was pretty standard. Not to say it wasn't good, because there is something about beans and rice that is just inherently tasty... which probably accounts for why we have seen that several times as a national dish, and I'm never disappointed to see it on the menu!

Oh, and the cookies were indeed fantastic, and a repeat has been requested for tomorrow.

    

ME

Taste of Gallo Pinto (1 is terrible, 10 is amazing): NA

Spicy (hot) (1 is not at all spicy, 10 is uneatable): NA

Flavor (1 is no flavor, 10 is packed with flavor): NA

 

HANDSOME HUSBAND

Taste of Gallo Pinto (1 is terrible, 10 is amazing): 7

Spicy (hot) (1 is not at all spicy, 10 is uneatable): 0

Flavor (1 is no flavor, 10 is packed with flavor): 7

ME

Taste of Casada (1 is terrible, 10 is amazing): 7

Spicy (hot) (1 is not at all spicy, 10 is uneatable): 0

Flavor (1 is no flavor, 10 is packed with flavor): 7

 

HANDSOME HUSBAND

Taste of Casada (1 is terrible, 10 is amazing): 7

Spicy (hot) (1 is not at all spicy, 10 is uneatable): 0

Flavor (1 is no flavor, 10 is packed with flavor): 8

ME

Taste of Costa Rican Oatmeal Cookies (1 is terrible, 10 is amazing): 9

Spicy (hot) (1 is not at all spicy, 10 is uneatable): 0

Flavor (1 is no flavor, 10 is packed with flavor): 9

 

HANDSOME HUSBAND

Taste of Costa Rican Oatmeal Cookies (1 is terrible, 10 is amazing): 9

Spicy (hot) (1 is not at all spicy, 10 is uneatable): 0

Flavor (1 is no flavor, 10 is packed with flavor): 9

Hope you enjoyed reading about Costa Rica.  Join us next time in Rwanda! 

Cabo Verde

 Welcome to Cabo Verde!  Cabo Verde is a bunch of islands off the coast of West Africa.  9 of the 10 islands are uninhabited!  It is estimated that the islands have one goat for every two people.  And the long-eared bat is the only native animal to the islands!  According to Google, the population of Cabo Verde is 618,000 people and the capital is Praia.  Their national dish is...

Cachupa!

It is a bean and meat dish, similar to pozole.  Since this dish has beans, I was unable to try it.  So we will have to rely on Handsome Husband's review of the dish!  I will warn you, this dish makes A LOT of soup!  To make something I could eat, we also made Chilaquiles Manifesto.  This is similar to a dish I grew up with called migitas.  I wasn't sad about making this...Anyways, here's what we did:

CACHUPA

1 ½ lb corned beef brisket, cut into chunks

1 lb bacon, cut into large chunks

2 tbsp crushed garlic, divided

2 tsp apple cider vinegar

1 bay leaf

1 tsp smoked paprika

1 tsp salt

1/2 tsp pepper

2 tbsp avocado oil

1 onion, chopped

2 tsp tomato paste

9 C beef broth

1 1/2 C dried hominy

1/2 C dried pinto beans, soaked overnight

1/2 C dried red beans, soaked overnight

2/3 C white lima beans, dried

1 large yuca (I used a white sweet potato)

4 C chopped collard greens

1 lb chouriço, sliced into rounds

1. Season the corned beed and salt pork the night before with the vinegar, bay leaf, smoked paprika, salt, pepper and 1 tablespoon of the crushed garlic. 
2. Let the meat marinate in the refrigerator overnight.
3. Soak the pinto beans and red beans overnight.
4. Heat the oil over medium heat in a large stockpot and add the chopped onions, and other tablespoon of garlic. 
5. Transfer the bay leaf from the seasoned meat to the pot. 
6. Saute the onions until they are fragrant.
7. Add the marinated meats to the pan (in a single layer if possible) and let the meat brown for about 10 minutes (5 minutes on each side). 
8. Remove the meat from the pan and set aside.
9. Add tomato paste to the pot and whisk until the bay leaf has dissolved and the tomato paste is smooth. 
10. Add the meat back to the pot and add the beef broth. 
11. Cover the pot with a lid.
12. Bring the pot to a boil and thoroughly rinse the hominy and add to the pot. 
13. Let it reach a boil again, and then turn the flame down to low. 
14. Cover the pot with the lid and simmer for 1 hour. 
15. Check on the hominy every 30 minutes to give it a stir and make sure that there is plenty of water. 
16. After the first hour is up, add the pinto and red beans to the pot, stir and cover it again with the lid. 
17. Stir and check the water level every 30 minutes. The liquid will thicken as it cooks.
18. Once the second hour is up, remove the meat from the pan (if desired), and shred it by lightly pressing a fork against the meat. 
19. Feel free to discard any fat that gets detached from the salt pork.
20. Add the meat back to the pot, stir it again and add the lima beans, yuca, and greens.  
21. Let everything cook for about 45 minutes.
22. Add the chouriço, let it cook for about 20 minutes. 
23. At this point you want to stir and taste the cachupa. 
24. Let everything simmer for another 10-15 minutes.
25. Turn of the flame and let the cachupa rest (covered) for 20-30 minutes. 
26. Ladle into bowls and serve.
27. Enjoy!

(Source: Cachupa)

CHILAQUILES MANIFESTO

1 lb. Tomatillos peeled and washed

1 small onion

4 Serrano chilies, stems removed

1 bunch cilantro

1 tsp sea salt

15 corn tortillas, cut into 8 triangles each

Oil, for frying

3 eggs

Pickled onions, for garnish

Cojita cheese, for garnish

1. In a small-medium sauce pan place tomatillos, chiles, onion, cilantro, and barely cover with water. 
2. Place lid and simmer until they are cooked, about 12-15 minutes. 
3. Once they are cooked, remove 3/4 of the liquid, add salt, and blend.
4. Cut the tortillas into triangles, separate them. 
5. Heat up a frying pan, add oil, and wait until the oil is starting to ripple.
6. Add the tortillas in two batches and pan fry them until evenly golden light brown as possible.
7.  Remove from pan and drain them into a pan lined with a paper towel.
8. Start cooking the sunny side up or over easy eggs. 
9. Set them aside, on a tray to keep them warm. Do this just before the final step so they don’t get cold.
10. Remove the excess oil from the pan, and leave about 2 tbsp of oil into the pan. 
11. Once the oil is hot, add the tomatillo mixture and cook for 1-2 minutes, stir constantly until bubbly. 
12. Add the tortilla triangles you just panfried and toss into the salsa for 1-2 minutes. 
13. Plate them immediately. 
14. Top with a sunny side up egg or over easy egg. 
15. Garnish with cojita and onions.
16. Enjoy!

(Source: Chilaquiles Manifesto)

The verdict?  Well, I can tell you the Chilaquiles Manifesto were delicious.  The crunchy mixed with the sauce and eggs was a great combination.  I would definitely make this again!  Handsome Husband will have to tell you about the Cachupa.

The cachupa was very tasty. It wasn't as bold of a flavor as I expected considering the ingredients; instead it was more like a normal, good bean soup (which also means it needed lots of salt!) with lots of tasty chunks like bacon and chouriço. The beans were cooked perfectly, but that also made it a lot of really similar textures. I guessed that it would be better as leftovers after the flavors had blended a little more, and I was right. Overall I'm certainly happy to eat the leftovers, but it won't be going in our regular rotation.

     

ME

Taste of Cachupa (1 is terrible, 10 is amazing): NA

Spicy (hot) (1 is not at all spicy, 10 is uneatable): NA

Flavor (1 is no flavor, 10 is packed with flavor): NA

 

HANDSOME HUSBAND

Taste of Cachupa (1 is terrible, 10 is amazing): 7

Spicy (hot) (1 is not at all spicy, 10 is uneatable): 0

Flavor (1 is no flavor, 10 is packed with flavor): 6

ME

Taste of Chilaquiles Manifesto (1 is terrible, 10 is amazing): 7

Spicy (hot) (1 is not at all spicy, 10 is uneatable): 0

Flavor (1 is no flavor, 10 is packed with flavor): 6

 

HANDSOME HUSBAND

Taste of Chilaquiles Manifesto (1 is terrible, 10 is amazing): 8

Spicy (hot) (1 is not at all spicy, 10 is uneatable): 0

Flavor (1 is no flavor, 10 is packed with flavor): 6

Join us next time in Norway!

Venezuela

 Welcome to Venezuela!  With everything going on in the news, I thought this may be an appropriate time to make their national dish.  So, we took a detour from Slovenia and went here instead!  Venezuela is home to the world's tallest uninterrupted waterfall, which is Angel Falls (and it looks stunning!).  It is home to the world's largest rodent, the capybara, and has more land dedicated to conservatorship than any other country.  According to Google, the population is 28.5 million people and the capital is Caracas.  Their national dish is...

Pabellón Criollo!

It's a rice and beans meal with some meat.  To go with Pabellón Criollo, we made Chicha, which is similar to Horchata.  Let me tell you, this meal took some time to prep and had a lot of different components!  I had to read and re-read the recipes to get things figured out and then time everything out to make it.  I also made fried plantains to go with it, as I read that this is a common addition to the meal.  Here's what I did:

PABELLON CRILLO

Black Beans

1 small package of black beans

6 C water

2 bay leaves

Sofrito

1 red bell pepper, chopped

1 onion, chopped

3 garlic cloves, chopped

4 tbsp olive oil

1 tbsp cumin

1/2 tbsp  paprika

Salt and pepper to taste

Shredded Beef 

4 lb flank steak

6 C water

1 onion, cut in quarters

1 carrot, chopped

1 bell pepper

1 celery stalk, chopped

1 bunch of cilantro

1 bunch of parsley

Salt, to taste

Sauce of The Beef 

2 tablespoons avocado oil

1 medium onion, thinly sliced

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 red bell pepper, thinly sliced

1 yellow bell pepper, thinly sliced

14 oz can of diced tomatoes and 1/2 tsp cumin

1/2 tbsp curry

1 tsp paprika

Meat broth (left from boiling the beef)

Chili flakes, to taste

Salt and pepper, to taste

1. In a large container, wash the beans very well under running water and discard any beans that float.
2. Put the black beans in a large pot, add the water and the bay leaves, and cook over medium heat for 1 hour and a half or until you see that the beans are soft. 
3. Meanwhile, prepare the sofrito. 
4. Put the sofrito ingredients in a blender and blend until well mixed and the consistency of salsa.
5. Place this sauce in a pot with a lid and cook for about fifteen minutes over low heat.
6. Remove from heat and set aside.
7. When the beans have softened, add the sofrito to the beans and cook over low heat for about 30 more minutes so that the broth thickens a bit, add salt and pepper to taste.
8. Place the meat in a large pot.
9. Add the pieces of onion, carrot, celery, the chopped peppers and the bunches of cilantro and parsley to the pot with the meat.
10. Cover with water, cover the pot and cook for 2 hours over medium heat, or until the meat is fall-apart tender. 
11. Remove the meat from the pot and let it rest for about 5 minutes before shredding it. 
12. With the help of two forks, shred the still hot meat into thin and long strands.
13. In a frying pan, brown the onion and garlic in avocado oil until they are translucent.
14. Add cumin, curry, paprika and stir.
15. Add a little of the meat broth.
16. Add the shredded meat, the bell peppers, and the chopped tomato, and mix all the ingredients. 
17. If you see that the meat is a bit dry, add more broth.
18. Let cook covered and over low heat for about 15 minutes so that all the flavors mingle. 
19. Season with salt, pepper, and chili flakes to taste.
20. Serve with white rice and fried plantains, and enjoy!

(Source: Pabellón Criollo)

CHICHA

1/2 C rice

3 C water

1 C milk

1/2 can condensed milk

1 cinnamon stick

1/2 tbsp ground cinnamon

1/4 tsp salt

1/4 tsp nutmeg

1. Soak the rice in 1 cup of water from 2 to 12 hours.
2. Rinse the rice and cook it in a pot with 3 cups of water. 
3. Cook it for 40 minutes with the cinnamon stick until the rice is extremely soggy and can’t absorb more water. 
4. Let it chill and remove the cinnamon stick.
5. Blend the rice, milk, condensed milk, salt, ground cinnamon and nutmeg. 
6. Blend on high speed for 5 minutes. You can add more milk if you feel that the chicha is too thick.
7. Top with extra sweetened condensed milk and a sprinkle of ground cinnamon.
8. Enjoy!

(Source: Chicha)

The verdict?  It was OK.  This is one of very few South American dishes that we didn't just love.  The meat was quite chewy, which made it hard and unpleasant to eat.  The flavors were good, but the texture not so much.   I think it would have been better if the meat was barbequed or cooked another way.  Boiling it didn't make it great.  I used the extra meat broth to make the rice - this was a good move!  It was delicious!  I couldn't eat the beans, so Handsome Husband will have to speak to the beans.  I wasn't a fan of the chicha - I don't think that I blended it long enough.  It was quite grainy.  All in all, the meal was OK, but not one we plan to repeat.

The beans -- they were beans. Nothing special and pretty bland, which was disappointing after sampling the sofrita and really liking the vibrant flavors. But even plain beans always manage to be at least a little bit good, so they still get a decent rating.

ME

Taste of Pabellón Criollo (1 is terrible, 10 is amazing): 6

Spicy (hot) (1 is not at all spicy, 10 is uneatable): 0

Flavor (1 is no flavor, 10 is packed with flavor): 5

HANDSOME HUSBAND

Taste of Pabellón Criollo (1 is terrible, 10 is amazing): 6

Spicy (hot) (1 is not at all spicy, 10 is uneatable): 0

Flavor (1 is no flavor, 10 is packed with flavor): 6

ME

Taste of Chicha (1 is terrible, 10 is amazing): 3

Spicy (hot) (1 is not at all spicy, 10 is uneatable): 0

Flavor (1 is no flavor, 10 is packed with flavor): 3

HANDSOME HUSBAND

Taste of Chicha (1 is terrible, 10 is amazing): 6

Spicy (hot) (1 is not at all spicy, 10 is uneatable): 0

Flavor (1 is no flavor, 10 is packed with flavor): 4

Another South American country down!  Join us next time (for real) in Slovenia!

Bahrain

 Welcome to Bahrain!  It took a while for me to get straight that Bahrain was not in Africa, but instead is in the Middle East!  Not only is it in the Middle East, but it is considered West Asia!  Good grief, I'm turned around.  Bahrain is the third smallest country in Asia.  According to Google, the population is 1.58 million people and the capital is Capital Governorate.  Their national dish is...

 

Chicken Machboos!

We had something very similar in Qatar, so it was familiar!  Luckily I already had one of the strange seasonings mixed (thank you Qatar!), so it made the whole preparation a little easier.  The chicken machboos was a one-pot-wonder, which was nice and easy!  To go with the chicken machboos, we made an onion-lentil dish and dakous, which is like a Middle-Eastern salsa.  It was a time-consuming meal to make, but honestly pretty easy.  Here's what I did:

CHICKEN MACHBOOS

2 large onions, diced
3 tbsp butter
1 tbsp baharat
1 tsp turmeric
2 tbsp avocado oil
1 whole chicken, pieced apart
1 jalepeño, seeded and diced
1 tbsp fresh ginger, minced
5 large cloves or garlic, minced
2 large roma tomatoes, diced

1/2 red bell pepper, diced
2-3 dried limes (loomi), several holes punched throughout each one
5 green cardamom pods

1/8 tsp ground cloves
1 stick cinnamon (about 2 inches long)
2 1/2 teaspoons salt

2 1/2 C chicken broth
2 C  rice (soaked for at least 15 minutes, then rinsed and drained)
3 tbsp fresh cilantro, chopped
2 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped

Mint leaves, to taste
Rosewater for sprinkling

1. Heat the oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat and fry the chicken pieces on both sides until the skin is brown and crispy. 
2. Transfer the chicken to a plate and leave the remaining oil in the Dutch oven
3. Add the butter, reduce the heat to medium, and fry the onions until starting to brown, about 10-12 minutes.
4. Add the ginger, garlic, and jalepeño and saute for another 2 minutes.
5. Add the baharat and turmeric and cook for another minute.
6. Return the chicken pieces to the Dutch oven along with the tomatoes, dried limes, cardamom pods, cinnamon, ground cloves and salt. 
7. Add the chicken broth and stir to combine. 
8. Bring it to a boil, reduce the heat to low, cover and simmer for one hour. 
9. Add the cilantro, parsley and drained rice and stir to combine. 
10. Return it to a boil, reduce the heat to low, cover, and simmer for another 15-20 minutes until the rice is done and has absorbed the liquid.
11. Transfer the chicken and rice to a serving dish, and sprinkling with 1-2 tablespoons of rosewater.
12. Add some cilantro, parsley, and mint leaves as a topping. 
13. Enjoy! 

(Source: Chicken Machboos and Chicken Machboos)

 

ONION-LENTIL MIX

2 tbsp avocado oil

1/2 onion, sliced

1/2 red bell pepper, diced 

1/2 C lentils

Handful of raisins

Salt and pepper, to taste

1. Boil the lentils until they are cooked.
2.  In a pan, add oil and fry the onion and bell pepper until dark and caramelized.
3.  Drain the lentils and add to the onion and bell pepper mix.
4. Serve and enjoy!

(Source: Onion-Lentil Mix)

 

 DAKOUS

1 tbsp avocado oil

1/2 onion, chopped

1/2 red bell pepper, diced

3 cloves garlic, minced

2 jalapeños, deseeded  and chopped

2 large tomatoes

1/2 tbsp chicken bullion

1/2 tsp chili powder

1/4 tsp pepper

Salt, to taste

1. Heat the oil in a pan and saute onions, garlic, jalapeños, and red bell pepper until soft.
2. Blend the tomatoes and pour into the onion mixture and mix well.
3. Add the bullion, chili powder, pepper, and salt.
4. Let this boil for about 45 minutes.
5. Serve with lentils and rice.

(Source: Dakous) 

 The verdict?  This was a good meal! We liked it better than Qatar, but not sure why.  The dakous was spicy - very spicy.  It matched very well with the lentils, which didn't have much spice at all!  The chicken machboos was very good, and had the right amount of flavor.  The mint leaves on it was a very nice touch - it made it more fresh and less heavy.  All in all, a good meal!

 

ME

Taste of Chicken Machboos (1 is terrible, 10 is amazing): 7

Spicy (hot) (1 is not at all spicy, 10 is uneatable): 0

Flavor (1 is no flavor, 10 is packed with flavor): 7

 

HANDSOME HUSBAND

Taste of Chicken Machboos (1 is terrible, 10 is amazing): 6

Spicy (hot) (1 is not at all spicy, 10 is uneatable): 0

Flavor (1 is no flavor, 10 is packed with flavor): 5

 

ME

Taste of Onion-Lentil Dish (1 is terrible, 10 is amazing): 4

Spicy (hot) (1 is not at all spicy, 10 is uneatable): 0

Flavor (1 is no flavor, 10 is packed with flavor): 3

 

HANDSOME HUSBAND

Taste of Onion-Lentil Dish (1 is terrible, 10 is amazing): 6

Spicy (hot) (1 is not at all spicy, 10 is uneatable): 0

Flavor (1 is no flavor, 10 is packed with flavor): 4

 

ME

Taste of Dakous (1 is terrible, 10 is amazing): 6

Spicy (hot) (1 is not at all spicy, 10 is uneatable): 6

Flavor (1 is no flavor, 10 is packed with flavor): 6

 

HANDSOME HUSBAND

Taste of Dakous (1 is terrible, 10 is amazing): 6

Spicy (hot) (1 is not at all spicy, 10 is uneatable): 3

Flavor (1 is no flavor, 10 is packed with flavor): 6

 

Join us next time in Cypres!

 

 

Nicaragua

 Welcome to Nicaragua!  This is another country that is special for me.  While living in Alaska, I was one of the youth leaders at my church.  We took the youth group to Nicaragua for 10 days to Casa Bernabe with Renew the Hope - it was incredible.  That trip was one I won't forget, and I am so thankful for the time spent there.  It was such a beautiful country with some kind, genuine, amazing people.  According to Google, the population of Nicaragua is 7 million people and the capital is Managua.  Their national dish is...

 

Gallo Pinto!

Beans and rice.  How am I going to do this when my stomach revolts with beans?!  I remember eating gallo pinto every day on our trip to Nicaragua, and it was amazing.  I was sad to not be able to try it here.  I decided to make something to go with gallo pinto, so I also made Arroz a la Valenciana, which is like the Nicaraguan version of paella, and Nicaraguan Perrerreque, which is a corn cake.  We had some Nice Neighbors over for dinner too, and it was great to have this meal with them.  Here's what I did:

GALLO PINTO

1 package (14-16 oz) small dried red beans, (not kidney beans). 

    3 C cooked beans needed for recipe

2 1/2 C red bean cooking liquid

2 C uncooked long grain white rice
1/3 C avocado oil
1/2 onion, finely chopped
3 tsp salt, divided

1. Pick through beans to remove any debris and rinse well with water
2. Place beans in a large pot and add enough water to cover by 3-4 inches, and bring to a boil
3. Reduce heat to low or medium-low to keep at a slow boil
4. Boil gently, partially covered, for about 1 1/2 hours or until beans are tender, but firm “al dente”
5. Check after 1 hour to ensure too much water hasn’t evaporated. Add more if needed
6. Add 2 teaspoons salt during last 30 minutes of cooking time
7. Once cooked, set pot aside at room temperature and keep beans in their cooking liquid until ready to use
8. In a wide saucepan with about 2″ sides, heat oil over medium heat
9. Add chopped onion and saute for 2-3 minutes, until slightly softened
10. Measure out 3 cups of cooked beans, removing from bean liquid with slotted spoon, and add to oil and onion
11. Immediately add 2 1/2 cups of bean cooking liquid, 2 cups uncooked rice, and 1 teaspoon salt
12. Bring to a quick boil and then reduce heat to low
13. Cover and cook on low for about 20 minutes or until rice is cooked
14. Adjust salt as needed
15. Enjoy!

(Source: Gallo Pinto)

 

ARROZ A LA VALENCIANA

1 Chicken breast, cooked and shredded

1 C peas and carrots (I used the frozen mixture)

1 stick Butter

1 tsp Sugar
2 pieces Pork sausages cut in slices (I used a small package of plain "breakfast" sausage links, cut up.  Make sure NOT to get the maple-flavored ones!)

3 C ham, diced
1 onion, cut in julienne strips
6 cloves garlic, minced
1 red bell pepper, cut in julienne strips
2 Tomatoes, diced
1/2 C white wine
2 tsp Worcestershire sauce
2 tbsp tomato paste
Salt and pepper, to taste
2 C rice, uncooked
3 C Chicken broth
Cilantro, for garnish

1. Place a frying pan with two tbsp of butter and the sugar over medium heat for about 2 minutes
2. Once the sugar has caramelized, add the shredded chicken, the pork sausage, and the ham; stir and cook for about 8 minutes, or until golden brown, and set aside
3. Add a little bit of butter to a pot and melt over medium heat until it is hot
4. Add onion and garlic, lower the heat a little bit and wait for them to caramelize
5. Add the bell pepper, tomatoes, white wine, Worcestershire sauce, tomato paste, salt, pepper, and rice
6. Stir everything for about 2 minutes, then add the chicken broth
7. Let it cook over low heat, covered, for about 15 minutes or until the rice is soft
8. When the rice is cooked, stir in the cooked chicken, pork sausage and ham, carrots, and peas
9. Garnish with chopped cilantro and serve

(Source: Arroz a la Valenciana) 

NICARAGUAN PERRERREQUE

1 pound fine white corn meal
1 pound Monterey Jack cheese, shredded
1 C sugar
2 tbsp butter
1/2 tsp baking soda
2 1/2 C milk

1. Heat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Mix the corn meal with the cheese and sugar. 
3. Cut/crumble in the butter.   
4. Mix the baking soda into a little of the milk and pour into the dry ingredients.   
5. Add the remaining milk until the mixture is well blended.
6. Place the cake mixture into a greased baking pan.
7. Bake for 30 to 40 minutes until the cake is golden brown. 
8. After this time, remove it from the oven, allow to cool and then cut into small pieces or squares before serving. 

(Source: Nicaraguan Perrerreque)

 

The verdict?  I couldn't have the gallo pinto, so I will let Handsome Husband tell you about that:

 Handsome Husband here. The gallo pinto was pretty much what you would expect from rice and beans -- surprisingly tasty for something so simple. Somehow it always tastes better in other countries though, I'm not sure why that is!

  The Arroz a la Valenciana was actually much better than I anticipated.  The sausage was very good in it, and I actually didn't mind the peas (I don't like peas...).  In the future, I would add more meat to the recipe, but it was very good and had good flavor.  The Nicaraguan Perrerreque was not good.  I think the concept is good, but it tasted spoiled when we ate it.  It also took way longer to bake than the recipe said.  Not sure if it is my oven or the recipe, so I didn't change the cooking time in the recipe to what I actually did.  If you make it, keep that in mind.  Overall, a decent meal, and a lot of memories!

 

    

 

ME

Taste of Gallo Pinto (1 is terrible, 10 is amazing): NA

Spicy (hot) (1 is not at all spicy, 10 is uneatable): NA

Flavor (1 is no flavor, 10 is packed with flavor): NA

 

HANDSOME HUSBAND

Taste of Gallo Pinto (1 is terrible, 10 is amazing): 6

Spicy (hot) (1 is not at all spicy, 10 is uneatable): 0

Flavor (1 is no flavor, 10 is packed with flavor): 5

 

ME

Taste of Arroz a la Valenciana (1 is terrible, 10 is amazing): 7

Spicy (hot) (1 is not at all spicy, 10 is uneatable): 0

Flavor (1 is no flavor, 10 is packed with flavor): 7

 

HANDSOME HUSBAND

Taste of Arroz a la Valenica (1 is terrible, 10 is amazing): 8

Spicy (hot) (1 is not at all spicy, 10 is uneatable): 0

Flavor (1 is no flavor, 10 is packed with flavor): 8

 

ME

Taste of Nicaraguan Perrerreque (1 is terrible, 10 is amazing): 2

Spicy (hot) (1 is not at all spicy, 10 is uneatable): 0

Flavor (1 is no flavor, 10 is packed with flavor): 5

 

HANDSOME HUSBAND

Taste of Nicaraguan Perrerreque (1 is terrible, 10 is amazing): 3

Spicy (hot) (1 is not at all spicy, 10 is uneatable): 0

Flavor (1 is no flavor, 10 is packed with flavor): 4

 

Hope you enjoyed our "visit" to Nicaragua!  Join us in Russia next time!