Costa Rica's Finest

As I've mentioned earlier, my fiance and I recently traveled to Costa Rica to celebrate our graduations.  We had an absolutely amazing time there.  We enjoyed some tropical cocktails poolside, we experienced some exciting outdoorsy adventures, but most importantly, we ate.  A lot.

Plato Tipico

Perhaps the most famous dish of Costa Rica, gallo pinto is a unique combination of black beans and rice.  Costa Ricans eat it with every meal.  Don't believe me?  Try it as a side dish with an omelet this Sunday morning.  See?  I told ya so.

The name gallo pinto means "painted rooster" or "spotted rooster."

Source

See the resemblance?  The best part about gallo pinto (okay, the second best part...the best part is the taste obviously) is that it's really easy to make.  Convenient, too!  If you have some cooked rice lying around, it's a great way to spice it up and turn boring old leftovers into a new and exciting side dish.

Gallo Pinto
Source: Recipe Zaar 


Ingredients:

2 tablespoons canola oil
1 medium onion, finely choppied
2 garlic cloves, minced
3 cups cooked rice
2 cans Goya black bean soup, heated and drained
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon ground coriander
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoon ground black pepper
2 teaspoons fresh cilantro, minced
2 sliced green onions

Directions:

Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat.  Add onion and sauté until it just begins to soften.  Add garlic and continue to sauté until onion is golden.

Add spices and Worcestershire sauce.  Stir well to combine.

Add beans and rice.  Combine well and cook until it is heated through.

The gallo pinto will have a cohesive consistency...think fried rice.  Use an ice cream scoop to serve neat compact servings.  Garnish with cilantro and green onions.

There you have it!  Have you traveled somewhere in Latin America and fallen in love with a dish?  What was it?