Gallo Pinto (spotted rooster) is the national rice and beans breakfast dish found all over CR. At the Turrialba B&B, I cornered the cordial cook Marie and found out how to make it. Here is the recipe to serve 6. T. = tablespoon, t. = teaspoon, c. = cup - all give or take - pura vida!
Ingredients
Cooked rice - 3 c.
Cooked beans - 2 c.
Onion - 1/2 c.
Red pepper - 1/2
Olive oil - 2 T.
White pepper - 1/2 t.
Dried basil - 1/2 t.
Cayenne - 1/4 t. (or more to taste)
Paprika - 1/4 t.
Lizano Salsa (or equivalent spicy mixed vegetable sauce) - 2 T.
Salt - 1/2 t.
Fresh cilantro - 1/4 c. finely chopped (2 t. dried if fresh not available)
The night before
- Cook rice (white rice universally used here, but healthier to substitute brown).
- Cook black beans (black beans only for true gallo pinto; red beans OK for other rice and beans dishes)
(note: Ticos often cook larger amounts of rice and beans and keep separately in plastic tubs in fridge for all sorts of dishes)
On cooking day
- Finely chop onion and red pepper
- Saute in oil in large frying pan (to hold all ingredients) over low-med heat
- Add beans and stir to heat through
- Increase heat to med-high and gently fold in rice (so not to smash rice grains)
- Add white pepper, basil, cayenne, paprika and Lizano Salsa; fold to mix
- Reduce heat to low and gently fold in cilatro.
To Serve
- Scoop into small bowl (individual serving size), invert on plate, and lift off bowl for nicely-shaped mound! Bueno! Enjoy with fried eggs, sausages, or whatever else you like.
Cooked rice - 3 c.
Cooked beans - 2 c.
Onion - 1/2 c.
Red pepper - 1/2
Olive oil - 2 T.
White pepper - 1/2 t.
Dried basil - 1/2 t.
Cayenne - 1/4 t. (or more to taste)
Paprika - 1/4 t.
Lizano Salsa (or equivalent spicy mixed vegetable sauce) - 2 T.
Salt - 1/2 t.
Fresh cilantro - 1/4 c. finely chopped (2 t. dried if fresh not available)
The night before
- Cook rice (white rice universally used here, but healthier to substitute brown).
- Cook black beans (black beans only for true gallo pinto; red beans OK for other rice and beans dishes)
(note: Ticos often cook larger amounts of rice and beans and keep separately in plastic tubs in fridge for all sorts of dishes)
On cooking day
- Finely chop onion and red pepper
- Saute in oil in large frying pan (to hold all ingredients) over low-med heat
- Add beans and stir to heat through
- Increase heat to med-high and gently fold in rice (so not to smash rice grains)
- Add white pepper, basil, cayenne, paprika and Lizano Salsa; fold to mix
- Reduce heat to low and gently fold in cilatro.
To Serve
- Scoop into small bowl (individual serving size), invert on plate, and lift off bowl for nicely-shaped mound! Bueno! Enjoy with fried eggs, sausages, or whatever else you like.
Marie chopping onion and red pepper with machete-like all-purpose kitchen knife. She does everything with it, and I wouldn't cross her...
Rice in white bowl; beans in tupperware to right, waiting their turn.
Saute onions and pepper in oil. Marie used wooden spatula.
Rice in white bowl; beans in tupperware to right, waiting their turn.
Saute onions and pepper in oil. Marie used wooden spatula.
Add cooked black beans.
Add cooked rice and fold over to gently mix.
Add spices and secret ingredient - Lizano Salsa.
At end at cilantro, and it's done!
It all looks so easy in Marie's practiced hands...
No breakfast is complete without fresh Costa Rican coffee. Here is the simple coffee maker - just a wooden stand, a cloth back and wire rim. One heaping teaspoon of ground coffee per two demi-tasse cups (so 6 heaping T. per "12 cup"coffee pot). Pour boiling water through.
Can store in thermos, or insulated metal coffee carafe.
Dump grounds, rinse bag, then dry. Es muy facil!
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