Cuban Beans and Rice

Dave DeWitt Recipes Leave a Comment


This is yet another variation of the classic and popular dish, black beans and rice or “Moors and Christians.” The recipe gets its name from the black of the beans and white of the rice. Not only a great entree, it can also be used as a filling for tacos and for burritos. Red kidney beans can be substituted in the recipe for a slightly different taste.

Ingredients

2 tablespoons olive oil
1 medium onion, cut in wedges and separated
1 small green bell pepper, cut in strips
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 habanero chiles, minced
1/4 cup tomato paste
2 bay leaves
2 teaspoon dried oregano
1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
1/4 teaspoon dried thyme
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 cup long-grain raw white rice
1 small tomato, cut into wedges
1 15-ounce can black beans, drained and liquid reserved
Salt to taste

Instructions

Heat the oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Saute the onion, bell pepper, garlic, and habanero in the oil until the onions are softened, about 3 to 5 minutes. Add the tomato paste, bay leaves, thyme and black pepper.
Add the rice to the pan and saute until the rice becomes opaque. Stir in the tomato and beans.
Pour the bean liquid into a measuring cup and add enough water to make 2 2 cups. Add to the rice and bean mixture, stirring once. Cover the pan and cook on low for 35 to 40 minutes, or until the liquid is absorbed and the rice is done.
To serve, remove the bay leaves and ladle onto a platter and serve with warmed flour tortillas.

Steak Stew with Rice (Jollof Rice)

Dave DeWitt Recipes Leave a Comment

Variations on this famous Nigerian dish appear all over West Africa, including versions with game, fish, chicken, and vegtables.

Ingredients

  • 4 1/2 cups water
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 2 pounds sirloin steak cut into 12 pieces
  • 5 tablespoons vegetable oil, preferably peanut oil
  • 1 1/4 cups chopped onion
  • 2 1/2 cups chopped tomatoes
  • 3 tablespoons tomato paste
  • 3 teaspoons crushed red chile or red caribe
  • 1 cup rice

Instructions

Heat 1/2 cup of the water and 1/2 teaspoon of the salt in a barge, heavy skillet.  Add the steak pieces and simmer, turning the meat once or twice, until the water is evaporated.  Add 3 tablespoons of the oil and brown the meat.  Set the meat aside.

Place the remaining 2 tablespoons of oil, 2 cups of water, 1 cup of the onion, 2 cups of the tomatoes, 2 tablespoons tomato paste, and chile in a large, heavy saucepan and bring to a boil.  Add the reserved meat, reduce the heat to a simmer and cook until the mixture thickens, stirring occasionally.

Heat the remaining 2 cups of water and 1/2 teaspoon salt in a saucepan.  When the water is boiling, add the rice and the remaining onion, tomatoes, and the remaining 1 tablespoon tomato paste.  Cover and simmer for 20 minutes.

To serve, spoon the rice over the meat.

Mangos with Sticky Rice

Dave DeWitt Recipes Leave a Comment

Mangos and coconut milk are meant for each other, and sticky rice is the icing on the cake. Try to get yellow-skinned “Manila” mangos if you can—the flavor is stronger and more acidic than the green and red-skinned South American varieties.

Ingredients

  • 1 cup sticky rice

  • 1 can coconut milk, separated into: 1 cup coconut milk and 1/4 cup coconut cream

  • 1/2 cup sugar

  • 1/2 tsp salt

  • 1-2 large ripe mangos, peeled and sliced

Instructions

Soak the sticky rice for several hours, then place in a bamboo steamer over a wok of boiling water until translucent and dry. A large stock pot with a bowl inside can be used as a substitute if the normal bamboo steamer is not available. Sticky rice is very hard and requires a lot of water to cook, so don’t let the steamer run dry.

Heat the coconut milk, sugar and salt in a saucepan over low heat until sugar just dissolves. Pour about half of the mixture over the cooked sticky rice and mix well. Add coconut cream to the remaining mixture and heat to a boil, then cook 5 to 10 minutes until thickened. Allow to cool. Place the rice in a serving bowl, top with sliced mango and drizzle with the coconut cream mixture. Serve at room temperature.

Maurice’s Spicy Chicken Wings

Dave DeWitt Recipes Leave a Comment

These mustard-infused wings are a perfect snack when watching sporting events. If you want them spicier, simply add some hot red chile powder to the marinade.

Ingredients

  • 40 chicken wings

  • 3/4 cup soy sauce

  • 2/3 cup honey

  • 4 teaspoons vegetable oil

  • 3 tablespoons Colman’s dry (powdered) mustard

Instructions

Put the chicken wings in a large self-sealing plastic bag. Mix the soy sauce, honey, vegetable oil, and dry mustard in a bowl, then pour it into the bag. Close the bag securely and shake until all the chicken is well coated. Refrigerate the chicken wings, in the bag with the marinade, for at least 2 hours.

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil, and place a rack on top of the foil. Remove the chicken wings from the bag and place them in one layer on the rack. Bake for 30 minutes, or until the chicken wings are crisp and golden.

Kimchi with Steamed Rice

Dave DeWitt Recipes Leave a Comment

This is a uniquely Korean dish. It has a robust, feisty flavor thanks to the happy marriage of tastes between the nutty rice and fresh, well-pickled cabbage kimchi. This recipe calls for whole cabbage kimchi, either homemade or store-bought. Only the stem part of the cabbage is used, not the stuffing. With its robust kimchi flavor, this rustic one-dish meal does not need to be accompanied by any other sauce.

Ingredients

  • 2 cups raw short-grain rice

  • 1 tablespoon vegetable oil

  • 1 clove garlic, crushed and finely chopped

  • 1 tablespoon finely chopped green onion

  • 4 ounces lean ground pork or ground chicken breast

  • 2 cups finely diced whole cabbage kimchi, stem part only and without stuffing

  • 1 tablespoon sesame oil

  • Pinch of salt

  • Pinch of freshly ground black pepper

  • 2 cups hot water

  • 1/2 cup fresh or frozen green peas

Instructions

Soak the rice in lukewarm water in a bowl for 30 minutes. Meanwhile, heat vegetable oil in a skillet over medium heat until hot. Add the garlic and green onion and sauté for one-and-a-half minutes, until fragrant. Add the pork or chicken and sauté for 5 minutes. Add the kimchi and sauté for another 5 minutes. Add sesame oil, salt, and pepper and immediately remove the skillet from the heat.

Drain the rice. Combine the rice and 2 cups of hot water in a heavy 3-quart pot with a tight-fitting lid. Cover and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Add the kimchi mixture to the rice and stir well. Cover, decrease heat to medium, and cook gently for 15 minutes, or until the rice has absorbed all the liquid, occasionally stirring and scraping the bottom with a wooden spoon. Decrease heat to low and sprinkle the green peas on top of the rice. Cover and cook for 10 minutes more. Decrease heat to very low and let rest, covered, for 15 minutes.

Fluff the rice with a wooden spoon and serve piping hot in individual bowls.