Recipes
Gallo Pinto (Costa Rican Fried Beans and Rice)
Recipe by Marc Garcia
A word from the author: "The ratios in this recipe are up to each person. Some people like more beans, while other prefer more rice. The recipe serves 3-4. Almost every Costa Rican family eats this at least once a week in their house. And you can find it in every corner of the country. I know it's a breakfast food, but if I could, I would eat it three times a day."
Ingredients:
3 cups white rice
1 small or medium onion, chopped in small pieces
1/2 green bell pepper, chopped in small pieces
Red bell pepper, chopped in small pieces
Salt
1/4 cup oil
3 and 1/2 cups black or red beans
2 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
1. Cook rice using your preferred method. Set aside.
2. Heat oil in a pan. When oil is hot, add onion, peppers, and Worcestershire sauce and fry them over medium-high heat for about five minutes, until translucent. Add salt, to taste.
3. Add beans, with liquid. Mix and cook together for about five minutes.
4. Simmer over low heat for about ten minutes.
5. Add rice, then mix and cook for 5-10 minutes. Add salt, to taste.
6. Typically in Costa Rica serve with eggs (since it's a breakfast!), fried sweet plantains, cheese, and tortillas!
Do Chua (Vietnamese Daikon and Carrot Pickles)
Recipe by Elise Bauer, from Simply Recipes
2 pounds carrots (about 5 medium sized carrots), peeled
2 pounds of daikon radishes (about 2 large daikon), peeled
1 cup plus 4 teaspoons of sugar
2 teaspoons salt
2 1/2 cups white vinegar
2 cups warm water (warm enough to easily dissolve sugar
1. Julienne the carrots and the daikon radishes: Cut them first crosswise into 2 1/2 inch long segments. Then cut 1/4-inch thick slices lengthwise. Stack the slices and cut them again into 1/4-inch thick batons.
2. Massage with salt and sugar: Place the carrots and daikon radishes in a large bowl. Sprinkle with 4 teaspoons of sugar and 2 teaspoons of salt. Use your clean hands to toss the carrots and daikon with the salt and sugar until well coated. Continue to mix the carrots and daikon with your hands until they begin to soften, about 3 minutes. They are ready once you can bend a piece of daikon all the way over without it breaking.
3. Rinse: Transfer the carrots and daikon to a colander, rinse with cool water and drain well.
4. Make vinegar sugar mixture: In a bowl (a 8 cup pyrex measuring cup works great for this) mix together one cup of sugar, the white vinegar and the warm water, until the sugar dissolves.
5. Pour vinegar mixture over carrots and daikon in jars: Prepare clean jars. Pack the daikon and carrots tightly into the jars. Pour over the pickling liquid to cover. Seal. Refrigerate.
The pickles should sit at least overnight before eating; their flavor will improve with time. They should last 4 to 6 weeks in the refrigerator.
Apple and Onion Soup
Recipe by Chef Steve Lee
2 tablespoons butter, unsalted
In a large Dutch oven, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the onions and cook, stirring often, until transparent. Add the apples, vegetable broth, sugar, curry powder, kosher salt and white pepper. Cover and cook over low heat until the apples are tender - do not allow to boil. Puree using a stick blender or by transferring to a food processor. After the apple mixture is
pureed add the half and half and warm. Taste and adjust seasonings if necessary. Serve garnished with a very thin apple slice.
Parsnip Apple Cardamom Curry Soup
Recipe by Ann Curtis
Serves 6-8
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 large onion, finely chopped
2 teaspoons fresh ginger root, chopped
2 teaspoons curry powder
1 teaspoon ground cardamom
1 garlic clove, chopped
4-5 medium sized parsnips, peeled, cored and chopped
3 medium sized apples
5-6 cups vegetable broth, amount depending on desired thickness
1 cup apple sauce or apple cider
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
½ cup low-fat Greek yogurt, optional
Heat oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. Add onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until the onion begins to brown, 5 to 7 minutes. Add ginger, curry and cardamom and stir for one minute. Add garlic and stir another minute. Add broth, parsnips, apples, and apple cider or applesauce and bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat to medium-low and simmer until the vegetables are tender when mashed against the side of the pot with a wooden spoon, about 20 minutes. Puree the soup in the pot with an immersion blender until desired smoothness. Add salt and pepper. Garnish with yogurt and fresh black pepper, if desired.