Oswald Rivera

Author, Warrior, and Teacher

Category: beans and legumes (page 2 of 3)

FRIJOLES CON TOCINO Y ARROZ (Columbian Rice and Beans)

May 30, 2020 / / 0 Comments

As you may have noticed in prior posts, in my culture rice and beans reign supreme.  It’s in our DNA. Thus, I am always on the lookout for requisite good recipes.  In Columbia they have their own method of  preparing this consummate dish. My Columbian brethren add plantains to the dish. Something we never do in Nuyorican cooking. We may have plantains as a side dish, either green plantains (tostones) or ripe plantains (platanos dulce).

Let me add that in Columbia, when making this dish, they use a type of bean called Bola. This is a red ball bean with a white eye.  Admittedly, they are hard to find, even on the East Coast.  I’m sure you can find them online.  I’ve discovered that red kidney bean do just as well in the recipe, and are quite tasty.  Also,  this recipe contains slab bacon, which gives it that added flavor.
Disfruté.

FRIJOLES CON TOCINO Y ARROZ
(Columbian-Style Rice and Beans)

Ingredients:

1 pound dried red kidney beans
8 ounces slab bacon, cut into ¼-inch cubes
1 small onion, peeled and chopped
2 medium-ripe plantains, cut into ½-inch cubes
¼ cup chopped cilantro
2 cloves garlic, peeled and chopped
Salt to taste

Instructions:

1. Rinse and pick through beans. Then soak overnight in a large pot of water (the pot does not need to be covered unless you prefer it that way).
2. Next day, rinse soaked beans well with cold water. Place in a heavy saucepan or Dutch oven, cover with water (for at least 2 inches) and bring to a boil. Lower heat to low- medium, cover, and cook for two hours.
3. In a skillet, sauté bacon (no oil is needed), onion, plantains, cilantro, garlic and salt. Add to beans. Continue cooking, covered, at low-medium heat for about 45 minutes or until beans are tender. Stir occasionally to make sure than beans do not stick to pot. When completely cooked, liquid should have the consistency of a thick soup. You can serve the beans and rice separately, or beans over the rice.
Yield: 4-6 servings.

 

SOPA DE HABICHUELAS CON SALCHICHA (BEAN AND SAUSAGE STEW)

May 11, 2020 / / 0 Comments

Due to the Covid-19 virus we have stocked up on beans. By that, I mean the dried variety. The are cheap, still plentiful and a healthy food source. Thus we’re always on the lookout for a creative way to use legumes (fancy name for beans). In this effort, beans and sausage are incorporated into a stew. For the dish I used white Northern beans. But you can also try it with red beans, black beans, chickpeas (garbanzos), black eye peas, and lentils. It s a multi-task recipe. Add a good crusty loaf of bread and some dry red or white wine to wash it down, and you have an unforgettable meal.

For a Nuyorican meal one would use the spicy chorizo sausage so beloved in our culture. But you’re not limited. You can use whatever sausage you prefer, be it sweet Italian sausage, French Andoille, kielbasa, even turkey or  chicken sausage. Holly and I came across a wild mushroom sausage with Italian herbs. It peaked our interest.  And you know what? It came out scrumptious. So if you come across something unique, don’t be afraid to experiment. That’s what cooking’s all about.

Let me add that you can use canned beans, if that’s what you want. The recipe won’t take as long but, honestly, it won’t taste the same; and it’ll be a whole different recipe. If you’re using the carrots, you may have to parboil them before adding them to the cooked sausage, along with  the canned beans (and their liquid). And you may have to add more liquid for the soup content. Lots of luck.

SOPA DE HABICHUELAS CON SALCHICHA
(Bean and Sausage Stew)

Ingredients:

2 table spoons olive oil
1 pound sausage, sliced ¾-inch thick
1 tablespoon tomato paste
½ teaspoon ground cumin
2 medium carrots, diced
1 onion, peeled and sliced into rings
2 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
1 pound dried Great Northern  beans, rinsed and picked through
Salt taste
3 sprigs fresh thyme or ½ teaspoon dried
2 large rosemary sprigs or ½ teaspoon dried
1 bay leaf
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar or balsamic vinegar
¼ teaspoon ground black pepper or more to taste

Instructions:

1. Heat oil in a large stockpot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add sausage and brown until cooked through, about 7 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer to a plate, and set aside.
2. Add the tomato paste and cumin to the pot. Cook, stirring, until dark golden, about 2 minutes. Add the carrots, onion and garlic. Cook, stirring, until the vegetables had softened, about 5 minutes. Stir in the beans, 8 cups water, salt, thyme, rosemary and bay leaf. Turn the heat up to high and bring to a boil. Then reduce heat to low and simmer gently until the beans are tender, about 2 hours. Stir in the vinegar and pepper. Ladle into warm serving bowls and served drizzle with additional vinegar and olive oil, if desired.
Yield: 6 to 8 servings.

 

 

 

PASTA E FAGIOLI

April 26, 2020 / / 0 Comments

“When the stars make you drool, just like pasta fazool, that’s amore.”

Pasta e Fagioli, or pasta and beans, is a popular dish in Italian cuisine. And it’s best know to the rest of us as “Pasta Fazool.” It’s origin is Southern Italy, where it started out as a peasant dish, since it is filling and inexpensive. It began, originally, as a hearty soup or stew. In my family, we never made it soupy. It was more of a traditional pasta dish. That’s the way I’ve been eating it  all my life. The version I’m familiar with includes white beans, either cannellini beans (white kidney), Great Northern, or Navy beans. At one time there was a great restaurant in Brooklyn, Fiorentino’s, where they made the dish with lentils. I found that fascinating, and just as good. In all cases, the pasta used is of the small variety such a elbow macaroni or ditalini.  I reckon you could probably do it with larger shapes such as penne or rigatoni. I’ve never seen it done with string pasta but, if you wanna try, go right ahead.

Since the Covid-19 pandemic, we’ve been stocking up on beans, along with everyone else. Mainly it’s been the dried variety since they are cheap and plentiful. So, pasta fazool was a natural for a hearty dinner. Now, in the recipe noted below, we use canned beans since that’s the easiest way to prepare. But if you want to use dried beans, be my guest. Remember they have to be soaked, preferably overnight, drained, boiled, then simmered for an hour or so using the ingredients given.  Add a crusty loaf of bread, a good Chianti wine, and you’re set for a beggar’s (or a rich person’s) feast.

PASTA E FAGIOLI
(Pasta Fazool)

Ingredients:

1 pound elbow macaroni
4 tablespoons olive oil
1 large onion, peeled and chopped
1 clove garlic, peeled and minced
1 ½ cups (more or less) tomato sauce
2 15.5-oz cans white kidney beans, drained
Fresh basil to taste or 1 teaspoon dried
Salt and ground black pepper to taste
Grated Parmesan cheese for garnish

Instructions:

1. Cook elbow macaroni per package instructions.
2. Meanwhile, heat oil in a large saucepan or Dutch oven. Add onion and garlic and sauté over moderate heat until onion is translucent and tender.
3. Add tomato sauce and simmer, covered, for 10 minutes.
4. Add beans, cooked macaroni, basil, salt and pepper. Bring to boil. Remove from heat and serve piping hot. Garnish with Parmesan cheese.
Yield: 6 or more servings.

 

 

BIFTEC CON GARBANZOS (Beefsteak with Chickpeas)

April 25, 2020 / / 0 Comments

Like everyone else, during this time of Covid-19, we have stocked up on beans, both dried and canned. This is inclusive of chickpeas (garbanzos), which is one of the most common staples in Nuyorican cooking.  It amazes me how we never got the idea of mashing the chickpeas and creating something akin to hummus—but that’s another story. The following recipe comes from my first cookbook, Puerto Rican Cuisine in America (Running Press) and the thickener used is cornstarch. I suppose flour could be used though we’ve never tried it that way. For the steak, fillet of beef is recommended, though boneless sirloin or round steak can be substituted. The cooking time will be longer though: 15 to 20 minutes for simmering the meat or until tender.

In our family, when we served his dish, the usual accompaniment was steamed rice. This time around we had some plantains on hand and we made platanos (fried plantains). For a recipe you can go to the post of 10/16/16 (Tostones, Fried Green Plantains). The biftec recipe also calls for achiote, a flavoring that adds an orange-red color to our dishes. For simplicity’s sake, I’ve added a recipe for achiote. If you don’t have the time or inclination to use genuine achiote, then you can substitute 1 teaspoon turmeric.

BIFTEC CON GARBANZOS
(Beefsteak with Chickpeas)

Ingredients:

1 pound fillet of beef, cut into julienne strips
1 clove garlic, peeled and finely minced
Salt and ground black pepper to taste
1 teaspoon achiote (see recipe given)
¼ cup olive oil
1 medium onion, peeled and slice in thin rounds
1 teaspoon paprika
1 16-ounce can chickpeas
1 bay leaf
1 teaspoon cornstarch
1 tablespoon water

Instructions:

1. Sprinkle the beef with garlic, salt, pepper and achiote, and mix until meat is well coated.
2. Heat the oil in a large skillet or frying pan and sauté the meat over high heat for approximately 3 minutes.
3. Reduce heat to medium, add the onion, paprika, chickpeas (with their liquid) and bay leaf. Stir to blend.
4. Add the water mixed with cornstarch and cook, stirring constantly, until mixture thickens (about 3minutes). Reduce heat to low, cover and simmer for 3 minutes more.
Yield: 4 to 5 servings.

ACHIOTE

1, Ina small skillet, preferably cast-iron, heat ½ cup olive oil or vegetable oil. When the oil is very hot add 1 tablespoon annatto seeds. They can be obtained in most supermarkets in 8-ounce jars. Turn heat to low and cook the seeds, stirring frequently for 5 minutes. If the flame is kept on high, the seeds may crack and splatter. During cooking, the oil will turn a bright orange-red color. The longer the seeds steep in the oil, the deeper the hue.
2. Remove from heat and let cool. Using a small strainer, pour into a glass jar or container. Cover and refrigerate.
Note: My relatives use a lot of achiote. Some of their recipes call for a  whole bottle of vegetable oil (32ounes) and one jar (8-ounes) in annatto seeds. Again, this is for those who use it constantly and fequently.

 

 

 

 

 

 

HABICHUELAS CON CHORIZO (Beans with Sausage)

February 12, 2020 / / 0 Comments

Whether you call them, habicheulas,  frijoles, or granos,  beans are a popular foodstuff in Puerto Rican cooking. In my parents day, during the dark times of the Great Depression, beans and rice is what staved off hunger on the island. It was cheap and nutritious. When Boricuas first came to New York during the mass wave in the 1950s, they brought with them their penchant for beans . I was raised on beans and whatever grain was available. And the dish given below was one of our favorites. It’s Bean with Sausage. The sausage being chorizo, the cured, spicy Spanish sausage so beloved in our culture. They come in an 8-ounce package and, for this meal, you’ll need three.

Now, if you’ve acquired my book, Puerto Rican Cuisine in America (Running Press) you will note that I give two  methods for soaking beans. Most likely you’ll be getting dried beans from a store or supermarket. They require soaking in water before cooking if for no other reason that the dry beans you pick up could be older and drier than last year’s meatloaf. I prefer overnight soaking as oppose to the quick soaking method. It follows that the more soaking time, the more tender the product. But, if you’re pressed for time you can do quick soaking: put the beans in a pot with water to cover (about 2 inches). Bring water to a boil and cook beans for 1 minute. Remove from heat, cover with a lid and let soak for 1 hour. Drain the beans, rinse and cook according to recipe.

Now, for this recipe you can use whatever beans are available. It can be red kidney beans, black beans, white beans, Lima beans, pink beans, black eye peas, or green peas (what we call pitipuas, a mispronunciation of the French petitpois).  This time around I used pinto beans, which we hand on hand. Yes, you’re saying, who not just use beans from a can. You could, and it would be convenient, but it just wouldn’t taste the same. Believe me, the result would be different.  If nothing else, dried beans are healthier (canned beans are chock full of salt).

Also, in preparing the beans, I use sofrito as a condiment.  Sofrito is an aromatic mix of herbs and spices that is a base for cooking countless dishes. In my cookbook I give a recipe for making sofrito. You can also access a recipe from my post of 11/08/10. Or you can prepare the recipe without it. Some cooks use Sazón Accent (Goya makes a good product).  And, of course, the perfect side dish for this recipe is white or yellow rice

HABICUELAS CON CHORIZO
(Beans with Sausage)

Ingredients:

1 pound package of whatever bean desired
3 cups water
½ cup olive oil
3 chorizo sausages, sliced into ¼-inch rounds
2 tablespoons sofrito
¼ cup tomato sauce
Salt and ground black pepper to taste
1 tablespoons fresh chopped oregano or 1 teaspoon dried

Instructions:

1. Rinse the beans in a colander under cool running water. Check and discard any stones or other debris. Soak overnight in a pot with water to cover.
2. Drain and rinse. Place in heavy kettle or Dutch oven with 3 cups water. Bring to a boil, cover, and cook over moderate-high heat for 20 minutes.
3. Meanwhile, in a skillet or frying pan, heat olive oil. Add chorizo and stir-fry on moderate heat for 5 minutes.
4. Add sofrito, tomato sauce, salt, pepper and oregano. Sauté another 5 minutes.
5. Add sofrito mix to the beans. Stir, cover and cook for 20 minutes or until sauce has thickened. Serve with rice.
Yield: 6 servings.

 

 

 

Shrimp with Black Beans

March 19, 2016 / / 0 Comments

I was recently given a jar of fermented black beans as a gift. The first thing I asked is, How do I use this thing?  Then I discovered it is very common in Chinese cuisine, and it’s an item found  in Asian stores.  I also learned that, in cooking, it should be used rather sparingly. Its not like opening a can of beans and adding it to your stew. A little bit goes a long way. The recipe I tried it with is stir-fried shrimp.

The dish is easy to cook and calls for the usual ingredients found in Cantonese dishes: soy sauce, sesame oil, bok choi (or other cabbage, if desired), ginger, and scallions. I decided to give it a sweet and sour affect by adding honey to the mix. The result is given below. Served over steamed rice, or, if you like, lo mein noodles, it’s delicious.

SHRIMP WITH BLACK BEANS

2 tablespoons fermented black beans
2 tablespoons white wine or dry sherry
2 1/2 pound shrimp, peeled and deveined
2 tablespoons honey
2 tablespoons soy sauce
1 clove garlic, peeled and sliced
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons sesame oil
1 pound bok choi, trimmed, washed and dried (can use regular cabbage)
2 tablespoons peanut oil
1 clove garlic, peeled and finely minced
1 tablespoon fresh ginger, peeled and minced or grated
1 cup minced scallions

1. Soak black beans in wine or sherry. In a large bowl, marinate shrimp in 1 tablespoon honey, 1 tablespoon soy sauce, sliced garlic, salt and 1 teaspoon sesame oil. Set aside.
2. Separate bok choi leaves from stems. Chop stems into 1-inch pieces, and chop leaves roughly.
3. Preheat a wok, large skillet or frying pan over medium-high heat. Add 1 tablespoon peanut oil. Raise heat to high, and when it begins to smoke, add minced garlic and immediately add shrimp with its marinade. Cook for about 2 minutes, stirring frequently. Spoon shrimp out of wok into a plate and set aside.
4. Add remaining tablespoon peanut oil to wok and, when it smokes, add ginger and bok choi. Cook, stirring frequently, for about 4 minutes.
5. Add shrimp to wok. Stir in black beans and their liquid, scallions, and remaining honey and soy sauce. Cook for 1 minutes. Turn off heat, drizzle remaining sesame oil on top, and serve.  
    Yield: 4 servings.

Cooking with Bay Leaves

September 24, 2015 / / 0 Comments

Some folks I know don’t like to use bay leaves in their cooking. I could never figure that one out. I cook with bay leaves all the time. They add an aromatic flavor to dishes that is hard to replicate. Bay leaves go back a long way. They were used by the ancient Greeks and Romans not only as a flavoring but also for medicinal  purposes. They were good for soothing an upset stomach, as a diuretic, for treating muscle pain, and even as an insect repellent (that’s right: insect repellent). Today they are used worldwide and are particularly prominent in Classical French cuisine. They are used whole and are often removed from the dish before serving (to prevent choking on the things).

Bay leaves have a tea-like aroma which is great for soups, stews and sauces. Stored in the freezer, they’ll last forever. I prefer dried bay leaves to fresh. I know, this is heresy. But, to me, dried bay leaves rule. Why? Dried bay leaves are usually imported from the Middle East, namely, Turkey. Most fresh bay leaves come from California, and they have a strong eucalyptus flavor that can overcome a dish. Dried bay leaves have a milder flavor and an herbal, floral fragrance similar to oregano or thyme. To my mind, they are better for cooking. In fact, I’m told California fresh bay leaves are not the same as dried. They are two distinct products. So, stick to dried bay leaves—unless you want to end up with an inedible dish which reeks of menthol.

Given below are five dishes using bay leaves. This may give you an idea of its true versatility. If nothing else, the next time you have indigestion, just steep some bay leaves in hot water for a great, soothing tea to quiet your tummy.

BASMATI RICE WITH BAY LEAVES:

Wash 1 cup Basmati rice in cold water, drain. Add rice to 1 3/4 cups boiling water. Add two bay leaves along with a cinnamon stick and 3-4 cardamom pods. Lower heat and cook 15 minutes. Cut off heat and let it sit for 5 minutes before serving (don’t forget to remove bay leaves and cinnamon stick). Note: if desired, you can use jasmine rice as well.

BEANS WITH BAY LEAVES:

In a skillet or fry pan, sauté  1 medium chopped onion, and 2 cloves minced garlic in 3 tablespoons olive oil. Add 2-3 bay leaves and continue cooking until onions are soft and translucent. Add 2 cups  canned beans (either red kidney beans, black beans, white cannellini beans, or black eye peas), 2 fresh chopped tomatoes, and 1/4 cup chopped cilantro. Simmer on low heat, stirring frequently for 5 minutes.

CHICKEN  WITH BAY LEAVES:

Cook 8-10 bay leaves in a dry skillet until brown and toasted. Then take a whole chicken (or chicken parts) seasoned with pepper and salt, and moisten with some lager beer or white wine (for a richer flavor, you can use brandy or whisky). Wrap the chicken in aluminum foil with a carpet of toasted bay leaves on the bottom and on top. Seal and place in a preheated oven (375 F.) and cook until done (30-45 minutes depending on whether you use a whole chicken or chicken parts).

MEAT PASTA SAUCE:

In a skillet or pan, sauté in oil: 1 medium chopped onion, 2 cloves minced garlic, 4 bay leaves, and 2 cinnamon sticks. When onion is soft and translucent, add 1 pound ground meat (beef, pork, chicken, or turkey). Cook until meat is browned. Add 1 8-ounce can tomato sauce, 1/3 cup dry red wine, and season to taste with salt and ground black pepper. Cover and cook on low heat for 1/2 hour. Remove bay leaves and cinnamon sticks and serve with favorite pasta. If desired, you may add whatever vegetables you like during cooking.

SHISH-KEBAB:

Soak as many bay leaves as needed in water. Then place them on skewers along with the chicken, lamb, beef, veggies, whatever. And grill as you normally would. When done, remove from skewers and discard bay leaves.   
     

Chick Pea Salad

September 4, 2015 / / 0 Comments

The endless summer continues, and cool salads are still the preference. Following that vein, chick peas or garbanzos, as we call ’em, is one of my favorite dishes. Traditionally, we serve chick peas as a stewed bean dish over rice. Everyone these days is familiar with hummus, that versatile appetizer made with chick peas. Chick peas are also great in salads, as in the famous Three Bean Salad. I make a different chick pea salad. Here, it is paired with olives and fennel.

Now, fennel is something that I discovered back in my young manhood. We never heard of it in East Harlem. Once I discovered it, I fell in love with the thing. It is a flowering plant that yields a pale green bulb with a fragrance akin to anise (as in anisette). It is crunchy and slightly sweet, and very popular in Mediterranean cuisine. It’s health benefits are legion. In the past, fennel was used as a cure for indigestion, constipation, and flatulence. I don’t know about its curative effects, but is it high in Vitamin C, fiber and potassium. The thing is good for you.

This is the archetypical summer recipe. No need to light up the stove, or heat anything. Canned chick peas are fine. The whole thing takes less that 20 minutes to prepare.

CHICK PEA SALAD

3 cups chick peas (if canned, rinsed and drained)
2 cloves garlic, peeled and finely minced
1 tablespoon chopped fresh oregano or 1 teaspoon dried
18 large black olives, pitted and halved
2/3 cup finely diced fresh fennel
2 tablespoons minced scallions
3 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
1/3 cup fresh lemon juice
1 tablespoon black olive paste (available in fancy food shops or stores)
5 tablespoons olive oil
Salt and ground black pepper to taste
1 medium tomato, sliced in 1/2-moon shapes (for garnish)
1 hard-boil egg, sliced (for garnish)

1. Place the chick peas in a serving bowl. Add the garlic, oregano, olives, fennel, scallions and parsley. Mix to combine.
2. In a cruet or small bowl, mix the lemon juice with the olives, olive paste and olive oil. Pour over the chick pea mix and toss gently.
3. Season to taste with salt and pepper, stir to mix again. Garnish with tomato and egg, and serve.
    Yield: 6 servings.

Holiday treat: Rice and Pigeon Peas

December 1, 2014 / / 0 Comments

In Puerto Rican cooking, rice and pigeon peas, or arroz con gadules, is the preeminent holiday side dish. When I was a kid back in the Barrio (Spanish Harlem) there wasn’t a home that didn’t have a steaming pot of arroz con gandules to go with the turkey at Thanksgiving, roast pork shoulder (pernil) at Christmas, ham or lamb at Easter. This tasty mix has been with us since I can remember, and it served as a change from the standard rice and beans.

So, what are pigeon peas? Well,  they are a legume (or fruit pod) such as beans, peas, soybeans, peanuts, alfalfa, etc. They’ve been around for about 3,500 years; and were first cultivated in eastern India, and from there spread worldwide. They were brought to the Caribbean islands by the slave trade; and until recently were virtually unknown in mainland North America. I remember that when I traveled to New England or the Midwest I couldn’t find the things anywhere. Today you can find them in any Hispanic or Caribbean market.

In the recipe given below, you can either prepare gandules from scratch, like you would do any beans, or simply get canned pigeon peas. I’ll tell you right now, there is no shame in using canned pigeon peas. I know, the purists will howl—but as viable shortcut when time is essential, the canned stuff is just as good. You may have to doctor the canned peas somewhat by adding spices such as black pepper and oregano, but the results will be acceptable.

Note that in the recipe, I favor the overnight soaking method for dry beans rather than the popular quick-soaking method where beans are covered with water, then cooked uncovered over moderate heat for 2 minutes. Afterward, they are removed from heat and left to soak for 1 hour. Then cooked as required. What bothers me about this method is that the package beans you pick up at the supermarket may be older (and drier) than last year’s leftover meatloaf. So it follows, the more soaking time, the more tender the final product. The recipe also calls for sofrito, the base flavoring used in criollo cuisine. If you don’t have sofrito, then in a small bowl combine 1 clove garlic, crushed; 1/2 onion, chopped; and 1/2 cooked chopped fresh parsley. Stir in 2 tablespoons olive oil, and then add this mixture to the recipe.

One final plug: this recipe is from my first cookbook, Puerto Rican Cuisine in America, which is going into its third printing. Want to savor more gems kike this one? Buy the book, make me rich.
 
ARROZ CON GANDULES
   (Rice and Pigeon Peas)

1 pound fresh or dried pigeon peas, or 1 pound canned peas
2 cups rice
3 tablespoons olive oil
1/4 pound salt pork, rinsed in cold water and diced
1/4 pound lean cured ham, rinsed in cold water and diced
1 medium onion, peeled and chopped
1 medium green bell pepper (pimento), cored, seeded and chopped
2 tablespoons chopped cilantro
3 tablespoons sofrito (or the substitute given above)
1 cup alcaparrado (olive-caper mix available in Latino markets)
1 8-ounce can tomato sauce
2 tablespoons dry white wine
Salt to taste

1. If you’re using fresh pigeon peas, you’re ahead of the game. They can be cooked just as is after rinsing in cold running water. If using dry beans, they need to be soaked overnight in water to cover by at least 2 inches. Drain beans and place in a pot or kettle (a Dutch oven is perfect for this) with 2 quarts (8 cups water) and bring to a boil. Cover and boil over moderate-low heat until beans are tender (about 1 hour).
2.   Drain cooked peas and set aside, reserving 1 1/2 cups cooking liquid.
3.   Wash rice and drain.
4.   Heat oil in a heavy kettle or pot (I prefer cast-iron). Brown the salt pork.
5.   Add ham and cook on moderate heat until golden-crisp (about 4-5 minutes).
6.   Add onion, bell pepper, cilantro, sofrito, alcaparrado and tomato sauce. Sauté for about 5 minutes.
7.   Stir in rice. Add peas, reserved cooking liquid, wine and salt.
8.   Boil on moderate-high heat, uncovered, until water is absorbed (about 5-8 minutes).
9.   Cover and simmer on low heat for 30 minutes.
10. Turn off heat and let rice sit for 10 minutes before serving.
      Yield: 8 servings.

New Orleans Red Beans and Rice

March 26, 2014 / / 0 Comments
I’ve always enjoyed Creole cooking. This is a style of cuisine that originated with the descendants of colonial settlers in Louisiana, mainly of French, Spanish and African descent. They have given us such popular entrées as Gumbo (a seafood stew), Jambalaya (a mix of meat, vegetables, rice and seafood) and Crayfish Étouffée (shellfish over rice). Add to that, my favorite: Red Beans and Rice (a standby in New Orleans). I daresay there as as many versions of this dish as there are chefs in New Orleans.

Traditionalists claim that New Orleans Red Beans and Rice should be made with small red beans. I’m all for tradition, but I prefer using red kidney beans. This is what I grew up on, along with black beans for Puerto Rican style black beans and rice or, as they term it in Spain and Latin America, “Moros y Cristianos” (Moors and Christians). New Orleans red beans and rice calls for Andouille sausages (a spicy sausage associated with Cajun cuisine). But you can substitute smoked sausages, or (my preference) Spanish chorizo. My version also includes salt pork rather than bacon grease which is normally used for frying. You can find salted pork in almost any market these days. They usually come in 12-ounce packages and give a heartier flavor to stir-fry dishes.

Note that the traditional way to serve this dish is to ladle the beans onto a plate, add a scoop of rice on top and season with a squirt or two of Tabasco. This is the correct procedure, sworn so by New Orleans residents. Diverge from this procedure and you will incur the wrath of the gods.

NEW ORLEANS RED BEANS AND RICE

1 pound dried red beans
1/2 cup salt pork, washed and diced
1/2 cup chopped ham
1 large yellow onion, peeled and thinly sliced
Salt and fresh ground black pepper to taste
1 medium green bell pepper, chopped
Pinch of cayenne pepper (or more to taste if you like it spicy)
3 bay leaves
3 tablespoons fresh chopped parsley
2 teaspoons fresh thyme
1/2 pound chorizo or smoked sausage, split in half lengthwise and cut into 1-inch pieces
1 pound smoked ham hocks
3 cloves garlic, peeled and finely chopped
10 cups chicken stock
Cooked white rice (about 4-6 cups)
1/2 cup chopped scallions

1. Place beans in a pot or Dutch oven cover with water by 2 inches.  Let soak overnight. Drain, place in a bowl and set aside.
2. In the same pot or Dutch oven as before, heat the salt pork over medium high heat. Add the ham and cook, stirring, until pork pieces are well browned (3-4 minutes).
3. Stir in the onion, bell pepper, and cayenne. Cook, stirring, until the onion and bell pepper are soft (about 4 minutes).
4. Add bay leaves, parsley, thyme, chorizo, and ham hocks. Cook, stirring, until chorizo and ham hocks are brown (about 4 minutes). Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute.
5. Add the beans and chicken stock. Stir to mix, and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer, uncovered, stirring occasionally until the beans are tender and the liquid starts to thicken. This should take at least 2 hours or more. If the beans become too thick and dry, you can add more water, 1/4 cup at a time.
6. Remove pot from heat and with the back of a heavy spoon, mash about 1/4 cup of the beans against the side of the pot. Put back on the burner and continue to cook over low heat until the beans are tender and creamy (about 15 minutes more). Remove the bay leaves and serve with the rice, garnished with scallions.
    Yield: 6 servings.

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