Costa Rica - Chicken Rice & Garbanzo Pork

Last week  I cooked a dinner from

Costa Rica

Our Menu Included

Chicken Rice 

 Garbanzo Pork

&

Costa Rican Potato Mash

The food itself was very colourful & wholesome. It was noticeable for the very subtle flavours (which is apparently a common feature of this nation’s cuisine), so if you’re not into spices I recommend the food of Costa Rica. We, on the other hand, do like a bit of gutsy taste to our food so these dishes were marked down for that!

In addition, I would have to say this was one of the most labour intensive dinners we have prepared for Q Zine so far…lots of  food preparation before cooking…lots of stages in the cooking….& lots of washing up! 

ARROZ CON POLLO - CHICKEN & RICE

INGREDIENTS

Rice:

·      500 gm (1 lb) uncooked long grain rice, rinsed and dry

·      2 tbs vegetable oil

·      2 carrots, cut in fine slices

·      1 tsp annatto (or ½ tsp tumeric & ½ tsp paprika)

·      Salt to taste

·      100 gms (15 oz.)  peas, drained

Chicken:

·      500 gm (1 lb) de-boned chicken thigh meat

·      2 tbs vegetable oil

·      2 cloves garlic - crushed

·      1 stick/rib celery - chopped

·      1 tsp cumin

·      1 tsp oregano

·      Salt & pepper to taste

Sauce:

·      1/2 cup onions, finely chopped

·      1 red capsicum/bell pepper, finely chopped

·      1 ripe tomato – de-seeded & diced

·      2 tbs cilantro, finely chopped

·      2 tsp Salsa Lizano (Worcestershire sauce is a suitable replacement)

·      4 tbs tomato paste

METHOD:

Prepare the Rice:

1.     Heat vegetable oil in a medium heavy saucepan over medium heat.

2.     Add rice stirring often until rice is slightly brown.

3.     Add carrots, annatto, and salt. 

4.     Add  4 cups of water.

5.     Bring mix to a boil over medium high heat.

6.     Cover saucepan and simmer until rice is tender, 10 mins

7.     Turn off heat and leave rice in saucepan covered for 10 minutes.

Whilst the rice is cooking prepare the Chicken:

1.     Heat vegetable oil in a saucepan over medium high.

2.     Add chicken, salt, pepper, garlic, oregano, cumin, and celery.

3.     Turning occasionally until chicken is golden brown evenly.

When chicken is done prepare the Sauce:

1.     Saute onions, red bell peppers, tomato, cilantro, Lizano sauce, and salt in a saucepan over medium heat. 

2.     Add tomato paste and stir until sauce is ready.

To complete:

1.     Combine chicken and sauce in a saucepan over low heat for 2 minutes.

2.     add peas.

3.     Cover and cook for 5 minutes. 

4.     Stir into rice

I found the original recipes for the Chicken Rice & Garbanzo Pork (which I adapted a little to suit Australian measurements & to be easier for you to follow) @

http://costarica.com/recipes/arroz-con-pollo-chicken-rice/z

PORK GARBANZO BEANS

INGREDIENTS

·      1 lb dried garbanzo beans

·      ½ kg (1 lb) lean pork, cut into 2 inch square cubes

·      1 red capsicum/bell pepper, chopped

·      2 medium onions, chopped

·      1 stick/rib celery, chopped

·      1 tsp parsley, chopped

·      1/4 cup vegetable oil

·      1 chicken bouillon (stock cube)

·      1 tsp chicken broth powder

·      2 carrots, chopped

·      4 potatoes, peeled & chopped

·      Salt and annatto (achiote) to taste

DIRECTIONS

1.     Soak garbanzo beans in 4 cups water for 24 hours.

2.     Boil garbanzos in water until tender.

3.     Drain and transfer to a bowl. Save 2 cups of liquid.

4.     Heat oil in a saucepan over medium high heat.

5.     Add onions and red bell peppers. Cook until golden brown.

6.     Add lean pork and cook until golden brown. 

7.     Add 2 cups liquid from the garbanzo beans, and also chicken bouillon, chicken broth powder, and salt to taste.

8.     Cook until meat is tender.

9.     Add garbanzos, carrots, and potatoes. 

10.  Cook until vegetables are tender.

11.  Add celery, parsley, and annatto, then cook to combine

12.  Serve in a bowl with rice.

PAPAS MASHED POTATOES

INGREDIENTS:

·      I kg (2 1/2 lbs) red potatoes

·      1/4 cup butter

·      1/2 cup sour cream

·      1 jalapeno pepper

·      1 anaheim chili

·      1 teaspoon garlic powder

·      1 tablespoon salt

·      1 tablespoon pepper

·      1 cup velvetta mexican cheese (I couldn’t get this so I used quesadilla Cheese)

METHOD:

1.     Roast jalapeno pepper & anaheim chili pepper on a grill pan on the stove. place peppers on the grill until they begin to blister, then turn them over. When blistered on both sides, remove from grill.

2.     Allow peppers to cool until you can work with them with your hands. Peel peppers, remove seeds, and puree.

3.     While peppers are roasting, peel potatoes, cut in small water, and boil until fork tender (12-15 minutes).

4.     When potatoes are done, drain.

5.     Put potatoes back in pot and add the butter.

6.     Mash butter into potatoes with either a hand held masher or an immersion blender.

7.     Add the sour cream, pureed peppers, salt, pepper, and garlic powder.

8.     Melt the Velvetta Mexican Cheese in the microwave and then add to potatoes.

9.     Mix all the ingredients together. You can add more salt, pepper, garlic, or hot pepper based on your tastes!

Note:

we forgot to melt the cheese before we added it to the potatoes – to be honest the meal took so long to prepare that The Godfather & Goddess were about to throw down their aprons & walk off the job…luckily they love me & stayed where they belong (with me in the kitchen), It probably would have been nicer if we had actually followed the recipe but by that time we had been cooking for about 3 hours & just wanted the food on the table so we could eat!

The recipe for the potatoes (which it was claimed were Costa Rican but the web address say is Mexican?) was found @

http://www.food.com/recipe/papas-mexican-mashed-potatoes-419046