Cuban Style Arroz Congr Food

ARROZ CONGRI (CUBAN RICE AND BLACK BEANS)

Steps:

• In a heavy medium sized pot, heat oil on medium heat.
• Add onions, peppers and garlic and saute until soft, about 4-5 minutes.
• Add rice, beans, water, cumin, bay leaf, oregano and salt and pepper. Simmer on medium-low heat, stirring occasionally, until the rice absorbs most of the water and just barely skims the top of the rice.
• Cover, reduce heat to low, and simmer 20 minute (don't peek).
• Make sure you have a good seal on your cover, the steam cooks the rice. After 20 minutes, shut flame off and let it sit, covered another 5 minutes (don't open the lid).

CUBAN-STYLE ARROZ CONGRí

Steps:

• Rinse the beans and pick them over for any small stones. Put the beans and 8 cups water in a medium-size pot. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a low simmer, partly cover and cook until tender, about 1 to 2 hours. (Time will vary depending on the bean.)
• Meanwhile, make the sofrito: Put the oil in a medium-size pot (large enough to hold the rice as well) over medium heat. When it's hot, add the onion, green pepper and garlic. Add a pinch of salt and several grinds of pepper. Sauté until the vegetables are limp. Stir in the oregano, dill and bay leaves and remove from heat.
• Drain the beans, reserving the broth and being careful to not break the beans. In a large measuring cup, add the vinegar and wine, 1 cup of the reserved bean broth and enough water for all the liquid to measure 2 1/4 cups.
• Put the sofrito back on medium heat, add the rice and stir to combine. Cook the rice for 1 to 2 minutes, then add the seasoned bean broth/water mixture and the salt. Bring to a boil, stir, then reduce to a simmer, cover and cook for 17 minutes. Remove from heat, fluff with a fork and return cover to pot for 10 minutes.
• Remove bay leaves and put rice mixture into a mixing bowl. Gently mix in the beans, being careful not to break them. Season well with salt and pepper and transfer to a serving bowl. Serve hot.

ARROZ CONGRI

Steps:

• This recipe starts with the frijoles. Put the beans and bay leaves in a saucepan and cover with 6 cups of water. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, then reduce to a simmer. Add water when necessary to keep the beans covered by 1 inch, until just tender. This will take about one hour. Season with a pinch of salt to taste. Now it's time to have some fun! Fry the bacon and oil in a 6- to 8-quart pot. Cook over medium-low heat until slightly crispy. Add the onion, pepper, garlic, cumin, oregano and stir for about 10 minutes. Add the rice and stir to coat. Add the beans and their liquid, stir well, and add enough water to cover the beans and rice by about 3/4 inch. Bring to a rolling boil over medium-high heat then turn down the heat to maintain a gentle simmer. Cover tightly and do not uncover until the water is absorbed and the rice and beans are both cooked throughout about 20 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Once done, garnish with cilantro and drizzle with a little olive oil just before serving.

ARROZ CONGRí

Steps:

• Wash the soaked beans.
• Add them into a pressure cooker and cover generously with water.
• Lock the pressure cooker and cook the beans under pressure for 30 minutes.
• Wash the beans and soak them in water the night before or for a few hours before cooking.
• Take 2 large ladles of cooked beans and 2 large ladles of the cooking water.
• Heat the olive oil or lard in a Dutch oven over medium heat and add the diced pork and fry them until they release their fat and are golden.
• Remove the pieces of meat and, in the hot fat, add the sliced ​​onions, garlic, cilantro, ajis cachuchas (sweet Cuban peppers), and dry seasonings.
• Stir everything and add the kidney beans. Brown together with the rest of the ingredients for a few minutes, stirring constantly.
• Add the rice and mix it with all the other ingredients until the grains of rice start to absorb the flavors.
• Then cover everything with the reserved cooking water for the beans.
• Cover and cook over low to medium heat until the rice softens and absorbs all the water. Uncover and stir with a fork to separate the grains and prevent them from settling as they cool.
• Serve the arroz congrí hot, sprinkled with fried pork when ready to serve.

ARROZ CON POLLO - CUBAN STYLE

Steps:

• Cut chicken breasts into bite size cubes. Season with 1 teaspoon of salt, pepper, garlic powder, onion powder and cumin; set aside.
• Heat chicken broth.
• In an large iron pot put 2 tablespoons corn oil; add chicken breasts and fry until brown.
• Don't cook the chicken completely. Take chicken out and set aside.
• To the same pot add 2 tablespoons of oil and add chopped onions, garlic and green peppers. Sauté until onions are soft about 3 minutes. Add pearl rice and sauté for about 2 minutes to seal the rice.
• Start adding your liquid 1/2 cup of broth and 1 bottle of beer.
• When rice has absorbed the liquid, repeat step--1/2 cup of chicken broth and one bottle of beer; continue until rice is soft, stirring constantly after each addition of liquid.
• Add the remaining 1 teaspoon of salt.When rice is almost cooked, add your chicken breast back into pot.
• Continue to cook until rice it fully cooked. Rice should be wet not dry. Serve immediately.

CUBAN-STYLE CRISTIANOS Y MOROS (CONGRI)

Steps:

• Soak the beans for at least 4 hours.
• In a large stock pot add the drained beans, the onion, 4 garlic cloves, bay leaves, 1/2 bell pepper, cumin and oregano. Bring to a boil and skim off foam.
• Reduce the heat, cover and gently simmer, stirring occasionally, for one hour or until beans are tender. Add water to keep the beans from drying out. Remove the onion, garlic, bay leaves, and bell pepper and discard.
• SOFRITO: Brown the bacon in a frying pan over medium heat. Drain the bacon. Pour off the fat from the pan except for 1 teaspoon.
• Add olive oil and remaining sofrito ingredients, cooking over medium heat until just beginning to brown, about 3 minutes. Stir the sofrito into the beans, along with the SEASONINGS. Continue simmmering until beans are very soft, about 20 minutes. Adjust seasonings to taste before serving. Serve with hot cooked white rice.