Subject: Black Beans & Rice (Puerto Rico)
From: "Deanna" <[email-masked]>
Date: 11 Apr 1999 08:27:03 -0600
Newsgroups: rec.food.recipes

>From "Down Island Caribbean Cookery" by Virginie E. and George A. Elbert

Black Beans and Rice
(Puerto Rico)

3 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 yellow onion, finely sliced
1 green or red bell pepper, seeded and sliced
1 large tomato, peeled and cut into wedges (optional)
1 garlic clove, through the press
3/4 cup long-grain Carolina rice
3 cups water
1 1/2 cups cooked black beans
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
Chili pepper to taste

In a casserole heat the oil and gently fry the onion and pepper until
tender.  Add the tomato and garlic and simmer until they are tender.
Add the rice, toss to coat, and cover with water.  Simmer, stirring from
time to time, until the rice is overcooked and mushy.
Add the cooked black beans and mix with the rice.  Simmer until the beans
are thoroughly heated through.  Add the salt, pepper, and chili pepper.
Stir constantly to prevent it from sticking to the casserole.  Add a little
water if needed.  The consistency should be thick but not dry.
Serve piping hot.
Serves 4

Variations:

In Tobago, when the beans and rice are ready, it is customary to add a
fried egg to each portion.  Make a ring of the beans and rice on each plate
and place a fried egg in the middle.  To decorate the dish, fry in achiote
oil instead of butter.

While preparing the beans and rice, sauti a chicken breast in butter,
then slice it into bite-sized pieces.  Return to the pan and sprinkle with
poultry seasoning.  Simmer, covered, for 2 minutes.  Then stir into the
mixture of rice and beans.  Serve.

Other frequent additions to the rice and beans are boneless pieces of
fried fish, shrimp (St. Martin) , or small pieces of leftover beef, goat, or
pork.

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