Gallo Pinto (Costa Rican beans and rice)

This was part of the breakfast buffet every morning when we traveled in Costa Rica. If you like hot pepper, add some (chopped fine).

• 1 lb black beans
• 2 C white rice
• 1 medium onion
• 1 sweet pepper (red, orange, or yellow looks best)
• 3 C chicken broth or water
• 1/2 t salt
• vegetable oil
• small bunch cilantro (at least 12 sprigs but don't be stingy)

Cover beans with water and soak overnight, (optional: bring water to a boil, turn burner off, and let stand overnight, covered). Drain and rinse, add fresh water to an inch above the top of the beans, and bring to a boil. Cover and reduce heat to a simmer; simmer until beans are soft, up to 3 hours.

Chop onion and sweet pepper very fine.

Chop cilantro; keep separate from onion and pepper.

Add 1 T oil to a large pan and saute the dry rice for 2 minutes over medium high heat, then add half of the chopped onion, sweet pepper, and cilantro and saute another 2 minutes. Add water or chicken broth, bring to a boil, cover, and simmer until rice is tender.

Saute together the rice, beans (partially drained, but keep at least 1/2 C of the water they have cooked in), remaining chopped onion and pepper and some cilantro. Keep some chopped cilantro to sprinkle on top when serving.

Serve with Lizano sauce if you have any. A-1 or Pickapeppa sauce might be a substitute.