Ingredients:
2 cups water
1 3/4 lbs calabaza squash or 1 3/4 lbs butternut squash, peeled and cut into 1/2 inch cubes
1 teaspoon annatto seeds (optional)
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 medium onions, chopped
1 small sweet green peppers, chopped
1/2 chili peppers, finely chopped
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
6 fresh cilantro leaves, finely chopped ( or use culantro leaves, if you can find them)
1/2 cup tomato sauce
1 (15 ounce) cans pink beans, undrained
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano leaves
3 cups water
1/4 cup olive oil
1 teaspoon salt
2 cups long-grain white rice
Directions:
Prepare Cooked White Rice: In a heavy 4-quart saucepan or Dutch oven, heat 3 cups water, 1/4 cup olive oil, and salt to boiling over high heat.
Reduce heat to medium; add 2 cups rice and cook uncovered until rice appears to be dry-10 to 15 minutes.
Using a fork, bring rice on the bottom to the top, but do not mix.
Reduce heat to low; cook 10 minutes.
Turn rice over again and cook 10 minutes longer.
Cover rice and keep warm until ready to serve.
This rice dish is somewhat crunchy in texture.
Beans: In a 1-quart saucepan, heat water and squash to boiling over high heat.
Reduce heat to low, cover, and cook until tender-10 to 15 minutes.
Drain squash, reserving 1 1/2 cups cooking liquid in a measuring cup.
Add annatto seeds to cooking liquid and set aside 5 minutes.
In 4-quart saucepan, heat olive oil over medium heat.
Add onion, green pepper, garlic, chile pepper, and cilantro; saute mixture, or sofrito, 5 minutes.
Strain liquid from annatto into sofrito, discarding seeds.
Add tomato sauce and squash.
Reduce heat to low and cook, stirring occasionally, until sauce is thickened-about 20 minutes.
Stir undrained beans, salt, and oregano into mixture and cook until beans are warmed through and sauce has thickened again-about 15 minutes.
To serve, spoon bean mixture over Cooked White Rice on serving plate.
Enjoy!
Servings: 6
Time preparation: 20 min.
Time total: 90 min.