A visit to Los Suenos, Costa Rica, would not have been complete without me bringing back a cookbook. I have discovered that Costa Rica was not a country replete with cookbooks, so I had to settle for what I found in a mega-mercado (a supermarket). I was lucky enough to find one that included an English translation of its Spanish text. In case you were wondering, the book is: Costa Rica: Una aventura gastronomica by Miguel Casafont.
Surprisingly, I've never had a bad, tasteless meal while in Costa Rica. Their food is not what I would consider gourmet-like, but it is healthy, sensible and loaded with fresh natural flavors. They do not use lots of chilis to my dismay, but they do have awesome "Tabasco" sauces that have a little kick but not too spicy.
So tonight, as I went through the pantry to search for what I had available on this rainy stormy evening, I thought it was appropriate to make a Costa Rican staple: Gallo Pinto (a red beans and rice staple that is always served in almost every meal in Costa Rica). The ingredients were simple and the dish was very easy to prepare.
My husband was my "taste tester" and he gave it a rating of "9" -- he's saving up his "10" for the next batch he says. I would give it an "8" only because it didn't have hot peppers in the recipe. I love SPICY and certain points are reserved for hotness of the dish. I served the dish with a dollop of creme fraiche (sour cream) and a Costa Rican salsa (shown in photo above). I'm sure you can find the salsa in any Latin American store. In Costa Rica, Salsa is a condiment you will find on the table with the salt and pepper shakers. Sometimes you'll have to ask for it but it's like ketchup to them. It is not tomato-based, but rather vegetable-based and adds a vinegary zing to a dish. It has a greenish-brown color, not red like ketchup.
I know you are all holding your breath for the recipe, so here goes:
GALLO PINTO (Serves 4)
1/2 onion (red or white), finely chopped
1/2 red bell pepper, diced
Coriander leaves and stems, minced, to taste
1 medium ripe tomato, cut into cubes
Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Pinch of sea salt
1 Tablespoon butter
1 Tablespoon olive oil
2 cups red kidney beans (approx. 15 oz can), drained and rinsed
3 cups of cooked rice (leftover is fine)
In a large skillet, over medium heat, melt the butter and olive oil and saute the chopped onion, diced bell pepper, and tomato cubes. Add salt and pepper to taste. Then stir-fry the beans, adding the cooked rice little by little. If the mixture looks too dry, just add a few spoonfuls of water until it looks moist. Simmer and let all the flavours blend. Stir in the minced coriander just before serving.
Serve the Gallo Pinto with warm corn tortillas and a dollop of sour cream dressing on top (if desired).
Please comment and let me know what you think of the dish. :)
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