Monday, October 29, 2007

Beans and Rice

Last year K our youngest son spent 2 months volunteering at a school in Costa Rica. One of the dishes he learned to like in Costa Rica is Beans and Rice.

During the past year he and I have developed our own recipe for Beans and Rice. This past Saturday he and we were going to make some Beans and Rice. However he ended up working all day. But his brother J came to clean, wash and wax P's car. So I decided to make a double batch of the Beans and Rice by myself. This way I would have some for lunches and the two boys and daughter K would also have some.

I had soaked the beans over night and cooked them Saturday morning. After lunch I cut up the peppers and onions. I had placed them in a large pan to sauté and was adding the spices. Because of my neuromuscular problems, I managed to spill an entire tablespoon of Indian Chili powder all over the wheelchair the floor and myself. At this point my daughter K said she would help me. So I read the rest of the ingredients to her and she added them to the pans. I was doubling the recipe so I had K double the amount of rice from 2 cups to 4 cups of uncooked rice. I also doubled the amount of all the hot spices.

When K's mom came home and saw what I was doing, she mentioned that rice triples while cooking. She asked me if I had remembered that fact. I thought I had, however, P told me that my pot wasn't nearly large enough. So P and K divided the mixture between two pots.

After simmering for one hour I did a taste test. WOW DID IT HAVE A LOT OF HEAT.

Son J said that instead of doubling the spices, I should have only increased the spices by half again as much. Even though doubling the original recipe was a learning experience for me, and the Beans and Rice may have more heat then I wanted, they taste good. If you try you can taste the different spices.

Here is my Beans and Rice recipe.

8 oz dried pinto beans cooked, or 16 oz cooked beans.
2 cups uncooked rice.
14 oz. Chicken broth plus enough water to = 4 cups
29 oz. diced tomatoes.

2 cloves garlic diced.
1 large Spanish onion.
1 Green pepper.
½ Red pepper.
½ Yellow pepper.
1 tsp. of pepper flakes.
1 tsp. canine pepper.
1 tsp. Abodo seasoning.
2 tsp. salt.
1 Tbs. Indian Chile powder.

1 Habanero or Scotch Bonnet pepper whole with a knife slice in it. (Keep whole so you can remove it later)
1 canned chipotle chili + 1 Tbs. adobo from can.
1 Tbs. hot sauce (your choice)

Sauté the onion, peppers, with all the spices except the habanero pepper.
Combine everything in an 8-quart pot. Bring to a boil turn down to a simmer and cover for about one hour.

NOTES:
Pinto or Kidney beans work, Phil prefers Pinto as they have more texture. Actually any dried beans will work.
Adjust spices as needed. If too spicy just add more cooked rice.
If missing ingredients, fill in with whatever is handy.
Remember that this is a EXTREMELY forgiving recipe.

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