Sometimes it pains me to look back at older post. The recipes weren’t always the best and the photos make me cringe. Yet, I leave everything up because it is good documentation on growth and development.
I recently received a comment on an older post of Gallo Pinto. At first I was taken aback (I always am when people come off rude and angry) and I went to trash the comment because frankly, it’s my blog and I hate negativity.
Then I re-read the comment (which was actually a recipe) for Gallo Pinto and then looked at my original recipe. The second I looked at my recipe, I knew the commenter was right and I was actually kind of upset with myself. For some of the recipes up here, I make them occasionally and then sometimes they make their way out of the rotation.
So I set out to right my wrong (and also travel back to Costa Rica through food.)
The secret to this standard Tico dish is the Salsa Lizano. However, one disadvantage of living in small towns is the lack of grocery choices (I couldn’t even find coconut oil at the store!) So, thanks to the a Serious Eats Recipe and the commentor, I was able to make due with Annie’s vegan Worcestershire sauce and a pinch of cumin (I don’t like strong cumin flavor so I backed off of this a little.)
Sometimes growth taste good….
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Ingredients
- 1/2 cup brown rice
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- 1/2 medium onion finely diced
- 1/2 medium red pepper finely diced
- 1 clove garlic minced
- 1/2 cup black beans with liquid
- 2 tablespoons Annie’s Worcestershire Sauce (or Salsa Lizano)
- salt and pepper
- Handful of cilantro
Instructions
- Prepare rice according to package (I swear by my rice cooker now) with the addition of adding the cumin before cooking.
- While rice is almost done cooking, heat sunflower oil over medium heat. Add in onions and saute until the onions become translucent. Stir in peppers and garlic, continue to cook until pepper is cooked through. Stir in beans (with juice), Worcestershire sauce, and salt/pepper. Continue to cook until the liquid has mostly disappeared (about 4-5 minutes.) Stir in cooked rice and part of the cilantro (or if you want the rice separate, just stir in the cilantro.) Cook for 1-2 more minutes. Serve with extra cilantro, cooked eggs, or hot sauce.
*Recipe adapted from Nick Kindelsperger over at Serious Eats and Aaron, the commenter on my blog…
Prep Time:
Yield:
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I completely agree the the statement about documenting growth. We all know we’re not perfect and it’s so easy to compare ourselves to other bloggers(I know I do) and see that our work isn’t as good. But this is where we are at in our development so there’s nothing to be embarrassed about. This dish looks fantastic. The flavors sound wonderful and I always love rice and beans 🙂
Ahhhh that looks absolutely delish 🙂 lovely presentation of the food as well ! i will be following your recipes from now on
please visit n follow my blog if you wish to @ http://kitchensojourn.blogspot.com 🙂
This looks delicious, i have never heard of it before.
first time in your blog.. dropped in from foodgawker. This dish is something very similar to what i had made some weeks back . We call it rajma Chawal in India (Rajma: red kidney beans and Chawal : rice) 🙂
http://www.sunshineandsmile.com/2011/03/14/rajma-chawal-vegeterian-chilli/
You have a beautiful blog, following you in twitter now 🙂
Thanks!
I totally agree with you. I have a lot of “what was I thinking” stuff on my blog from the first couple years, but I leave it up because it’s part of where I am today. And I have no qualms about giving some of those recipes a second chance on the blog either!
You have no idea how happy this post made me! My dad is from Costa Rica and seeing anything related to the beautiful country makes me all warm and fuzzy inside. 🙂 The country is so dear to my heart so I love when I see other people enjoy things from it, especially gallo pinto since it’s pretty amazing. Gallo pinto with fresh cut pineapple, mango and warm, homemade corn tortillas with cheese made from the cows on my uncle’s farm is just about the best breakfast anyone could ask for. It’s interesting to see that you put cumin in your recipe; I’ve never seen my family do that. I’ll have to try it–I love cumin.
Have you traveled to CR? If so, where?? And I know what you mean about the Lizano; we always bring back at least 3 big bottles when we go there since my dad puts it on just about everything and it’s so expensive when you can actually find it in the States. I just found your blog through Pinterest and I’m enjoying it since I’m a vegetarian. I’ll make sure to check back now and again. ¡Pura vida!
Hi, im a Costarican and wanted you to know that you can buy salsa lizano on line in a site called tico shopping they deliver anywhere in the us :o) i would love to share with you my recipe of gallo pinto that doesnt needed it and is as good as the one that has it, let me know if you want it….
Sure, I would love for you to share your recipe for Gallo Pinto! We went to Costa Rica last summer and it would be great to “revisit” the country through some great food:)
Im costarican and I’m so happy to hear that you love our food!!!
Salsa lizano is truly what makes this dish taste so good however my mom and grandma make it without it.
For me the best “pinto(Gallo pinto)”, is the one made with lizano sauce and “old” rice( plus all the spices and seasonings of course).
Make it few days before and put it in the fridge.
Take it out next morning and make your pinto.
I like my rice nice and “loose”, not sticky.
Pura vida!!!!