Costa Rica Simmering Sunshine We all know Costa Rica is famous for its coffee but “Ticos” serve a series of mouthwatering meals every day. The food is not spicy but simmered to blend flavors…and the secret ingredient is Salsa Lizano, a slightly sweet curry and vegetable sauce. From the first time you taste Costa Rican cuisine you’ll know you want more. Costa Rican cuisine is simple and chefs normally shun spices. Comida Tipica, or native dishes greatly rely on rice and beans which is the basis of many Costa Rican meals. The meals are generally wholesome. Gallo Pinto, which is the national dish of Costa Rica, is made out of fried rice and black beans. Commonly at lunch Gallo Pinto is the main dish. This is made with rice and beans supplemented with cabbage and tomato salad, fried plantains and meat. Food staples include carne Beef, sometimes called bistek), pollo (Chicken), and pescado (fish). Costa Ricans enjoy a lot of meat, mostly beef, chicken and pork. Eating fish is considered a luxury although fish marinated in lemon juice and spices is a cheap delicacy. Vegetables and fruits are also popular and cheap. Costa Rica is known as the beef country, one of the tropical nations that have converted much of its rainforest land to pastures for raising beef cattle. In general, steaks are cut and served thinner here than in the United States or Europe. Appetizers are known as Bocas in Costa Rica. The most popular appetizers or Bocas include Gallos (tortillas piled up with meat, chicken, cheese or beans), cevinche (a marinated seafood salad), and tamales (stuffed cornmeal patties that are wrapped and steamed inside banana leaves), patacones (friend green plantain chips) and the most popular fried yuca. There is a variety of Costa Rican beverages. Frescos, refrescos and jugos are the toppers of the beverage list. Most of the beverages are made from fresh fruit, milk or water. Mangoes, papayas, blackberries (mora), and pineapples are commonly used in the preparation. Some of the beverages are made uniquely with flour and a lot of cinnamon. If you are a coffee lover, then you might be a little disappointed with the fact that there are not many traditional coffee beverages in Costa Rica as the best of coffee has traditionally been targeted for export and the locals prefer their own weak and sugary coffee blends. A popular morning beverage is the agua dulce, this is a warm drink that is made from melted sugar cane and served with either milk, lemon or simply plain. It is a unique delight. Costa Rica 1 There are several soups in the Costa Rican cuisine category which are quite popular in the region. Bacalao (Cod soup) is a favorite among many locals in the region. Other soups are: the Bean Soup, Modongo, which is a beef tripe soup, Olla de Carne (beef soup), Sopa de Albondigas (Meatball soup), Sopas de Leche (Tortilla Soup) and the famous Sopa de Pescado (fish soup). Costa Rican soups are extremely easy to prepare. The soups use mostly meat in them rather than vegetables Lizano Sauce is a Costa Rican condiment developed in 1920 by the Lizano Company. It is now a product of Knorr, and can also be found under the name and label of "Salsa Alfaro." It is a thin, smooth, light brown sauce. It is meant to be used while cooking or — popularly — at tableside to flavor one's food when serving. It is slightly sweet with a hint of spiciness lent by black pepper and cumin. The ingredients include water, sugar, salt, vegetables (onions, carrots, cauliflower, cucumbers), spices, pepper, mustard and turmeric. It is commonly used with gallo pinto and tamales, and is also considered particularly complementary with eggs, rice, beans, cheese, curries, and as a marinade for meat. There are not be many vegetarian dishes in Costa Rica. Most commonly nothing more than a little pile of shredded cabbage topped with a slice or two of tomato can be seen on the Costa Rican meals. A vegetable dish that is worth mentioning is the pejibaye, a form of palm fruit that looks like a miniature orange coconut. Boiled pejibayes are frequently sold from carts on the street. When cut in half, a pejibaye reveals a large seed surrounded by soft, fibrous flesh. You can eat it plain, but it's usually topped with a dollop of mayonnaise. Chayote is a fruit, but most often used as a vegetable. It looks like a large, green pear, but having a number of deep folds in the skin. In Costa Rica it's referred to as "kissing fruit". Using your imagination, it does resemble a big pair of lips! Its flavor is a bland mix of zucchini, green beans, and cucumber, and is grown commercially in the US. Some of the most popular Costa Rican desserts are: cono capuchino - an ice-cream cone topped with chocolate, dulce de leche - syrup of boiled milk and sugar. Also thicker, fudge like cajeta - delicious! Flan - cold caramel custard, mazamorra - corn starch pudding, melcocha - candy made from raw sugar, milanes - chocolate candies, pan de maiz - corn sweet bread, queque seco - pound cake, and the famous torta chilena - multilayered cake filled with dulce de leche. Costa Rica 2 Class Projects Sopa Negra Ingredients 1 lb. (450 gr.) black beans. Fresh are best but most likely you’ll find them dried. 8 cups (700 ml) chicken broth or water or a mix ½ teaspoon (2.5 ml) salt 1 Tablespoon (15 ml) vegetable oil salt and black pepper to taste 6 eggs Finely chop 10-12 sprigs cilantro (coriander leaf) fresh or frozen, not dried! 1 small or medium Onion 2 cloves garlic 1 small green, red, or yellow sweet pepper Preparation 1. If beans are dried, cover with water and soak overnight, if they are fresh, just rise them off. 2. Drain the Beans and add water or chicken broth, salt, and half of the chopped ingredients. 3. Bring to a boil. 4. Cover the pan and reduce heat to very low simmer until Beans are nearly soft (~ 2½ hours). 5. Add the rest of the chopped ingredients, and vegetable oil, and cook an additional ½ hour. 6. Add eggs for the final 2-4 minutes (depending on how you like your eggs cooked). 7. Remove about half the Beans and reserve for gallo pinto or to mash and refry (you can leave all the Beans in but typically some are removed). Stuffed Chayotes Ingredients 3 Chayotes, peeled halved salt and pepper 3 ½ Cups soft breadcrumbs 2 Cups Munster Cheese, grated 2 eggs beaten 3 Tablespoon Parmesan cheese, grated butter Directions 1. Parboil the chayotes in salted water for 10 minutes. 2. Drain and carefully scoop out the pulp, leaving at least at ¼ inch shell. 3. Chop pulp and add 3 cups of breadcrumbs, Cheese, salt, pepper and eggs. 4. Fill chayotes shell with this mixture. 5. Mix the rest of breadcrumbs with Parmesan cheese and sprinkle over the stuffed chayotes. 6. Dot with butter. Bake in a 450 oven for 15-20 minutes or until browned. Costa Rica 3 Hearts of Palm Salad Ingredients 2 16-ounce cans of hearts of palm 1/3 cup chopped red bell pepper 1/3 cup chopped yellow bell pepper 1 tablespoon chopped parsley 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard 2 tablespoons low-sodium chicken broth (remove fat) 1 tablespoon olive oil ground pepper to taste very small amount of salt (optional) lettuce leaves Directions Drain the hearts of palm, cut them into ½-inch pieces, and put them into a large bowl. Stir in the red pepper, yellow pepper, and chopped parsley. In a small bowl, whisk together the lemon juice, mustard, chicken broth, and olive oil. Drizzle the dressing over the hearts of palm mixture and toss gently. Season to taste with salt (optional) and pepper. Line a serving bowl with lettuce leaves, spoon the salad on top and serve. Lomo de Res (Steak Rib Eye) Ingredients: 4 lbs. steak rib eye, rinsed 4 cloves garlic, minced ½ teaspoon black pepper 1 cup onions, chopped in slices 1 ½ cup green peppers, chopped 3 cups beef stock 2 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce 1 tablespoon brown sugar Salt to taste Preparation: 1. Preheat oven at 180C (356F.) 2. Season steaks with pepper and garlic in a bowl. Combine stock, Worcestershire sauce and brown sugar. Pour mix over seasoned steaks. Make a layer of onions on the top of the steaks. Cover with aluminum wrap and marinate at room temperature for ten minutes. 3. Bake mix for two hours or until steaks are tender. Take out from the oven and let it stand for 10 minutes. 4. Serve hot with rice. Costa Rica 4 Pork Tenderloin with Coffee Glaze Ingredients 1 tablespoon olive oil 1/2 cup chopped onion 1 tablespoon grated peeled fresh ginger 2 garlic cloves, minced 1 Serrano chili, chopped 1 1/2 tablespoons molasses 1/2 cup dark rum 4 cups hot brewed coffee 1 tablespoon regular grind coffee 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon 1 1/2 teaspoons unsweetened cocoa 1 tablespoon butter or margarine, softened 1/2 teaspoon salt 2 lbs. pork tenderloins Directions 1. Heat oil in a big skillet over medium-high heat. 2. Add in onion, stir/sauté for 5 minutes. 3. Add in ginger, garlic, and Serrano pepper; stir/sauté 2 minutes. 4. Stir in molasses. 5. Remove pan from heat; carefully stir in rum. 6. Cook mixture 2 minutes. 7. Stir in brewed coffee, ground coffee, cinnamon, and cocoa. 8. Bring to a boil; cook until reduced to 1 1/2 cups (about 20 minutes).