Gallo Pinto

Gallo Pinto is near and dear to my heart but I've never tried to make it at home, which is really sad considering I'm Costa Rican and it's the national dish. My sister-in-law Stephanie and her mother Mary are from Costa Rica so I'm spoiled because everytime I visit them in Los Angeles, I always get a little taste of heaven. It's called "gallo pinto" because it resembles a spotted chicken. It's also knows as  "casado" (which means married) because the black beans and white rice are reminiscent of a bride and groom on their wedding day.

Finally, after a zillion visits, I begged Mary to tell me how to make it. She revealed the big secret: make the rice and the beans at least a day ahead of time. It makes all the difference. Best served for breakfast, with fried eggs, fresh slices of avocado and warm corn tortillas.

Gallo Pinto
1.5 cups white or brown rice
3 cups chicken stock
2 cloves garlic
1 cup black beans
1 yellow onion
1/2 red onion, diced
1 bay leaf
1 celery stalk
1 bunch cilantro
1 sweet red pepper
olive oil
salt to taste

Day 1:
Cook the rice
Bring the chicken stock to boil and add the rice and garlic cloves. Turn heat down to a low simmer and cook until tender (about 30-40 minutes depending on the type of rice). Set aside.

Cook the beans:
Soak the beans in water overnight. The next morning, drain the beans and place them in a large pot, covering with about 3 inches of water. Bring to a boil. Add celery, bay leaf, onion and cilantro and return to a boil. Reduce to a simmer and cook gently on the stove for 2 hours, or until beans are very, very soft. Add more water to the pot as needed, to make sure beans are completely covered during cooking. When done, cool, drain and set aside.

Day 2: 
Mince the red onion and red pepper. Mince some additional cilantro (optional).
Heat a generous amount of olive oil in a saute pan over  medium heat (2-3 tablespoons, or enough to coat the bottom lightly). When oil is hot, add the onions and cook until they are soft and translucent but not browned. Add the red pepper and cook for another 2 minutes, until soft. Add about 1.5 cups of the beans and 1.5 cups of the rice stirring until heated through. The dish should be about 1/2 and 1/2 - but you can alter the beans and rice until the combination suits you. Adjust seasonings and serve.