Tico Food

Coffee roasters try growing the beans they sell

2008-12-02T14:31:00.003-06:00

By Brian Harris

Rio Negro, Costa Rica, (Reuters) - Some U.S. gourmet coffee roasters have come up with a new solution to the problem of guaranteeing consistent quality in beans they sell to top-end restaurants and coffee bars: buy the farm.

Coffee connoisseurs pay attention to where and how coffee is grown, just as lovers of fine wines look to certain grape-growing regions.

Brooke McDonnell, owner of the Equator Coffee company which imports, sells and roasts gourmet coffee, began to worry a few years ago about the supply of the rare "geisha" trees found in Panama's highlands near the border with Costa Rica.

The geisha's sweet jasmine flavors are prized internationally but only a few farmers grow the variety, which can fetch more than $100 a pound at online auctions. Instead of scrambling with competitors to scoop up enough coffee beans to keep her customers happy, McDonnell decided to grow them herself.

To read the whole article click here.

Banana industry edging closer to carbon neutrality in Tiquicia

2008-11-11T10:04:00.000-06:00

(Freshinfo.com) - Costa Rica’s banana industry is aiming to be the first in the world to be completely carbon neutral in four years’ time.

Corbana, the banana producers’ association in the country, recently submitted its banana industry action plan against climate change to Costa Rica’s ministry of environment and energy, in which it details plans to cut its net greenhouse gas emissions by 2012.

The plan was formally presented to minister Roberto Dobles Mora under the framework of the national strategy for climate change, earmarked as a priority in the government’s 2006-10 agenda.

The action plan first calculates the overall level and source of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gasses produced by the industry, in order to advise individual banana farms on what steps and measures they must take to offset them.

Corbana and the banana environment commission in Costa Rica will encourage producers to adopt a number of measures, such as the creation of more carbon sinks through reforestation programmes and cutting back on the use of fossil fuels and fertilisers, as well as reducing the use of traditional pesticides and fertilisers.

A manual of good environmental practices will be developed to reinforce an education programme for workers, to show them the value of fighting climate change.

Corbana chief executive Jorge Sauma said: “Even though there are several courses of action open to producers, Corbana encourages growers to build carbon sinks through replanting schemes and to reduce the use of traditional pesticides and fertilisers.”

Coconut-peanut cookies: Galletas Maria recipe

2007-10-26T12:19:00.003-06:00

While browsing through the Food Network site I discovered a galletas Maria recipe. I had been looking for this recipe for quite some time so I of course decided to share it with you. These cookies are very popular in Costa Rica and even though are simple to prepare they are quite a treat.

Ingredients
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon fine salt
3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, slightly softened
3/4 cup packed light brown sugar
1 large egg
1 cup flaked or shredded sweetened coconut
1 cup old fashioned oats
3/4 cup chopped unsalted roasted, skinless peanuts

Time: 12 minutes
Level: easy
Yield: about 3 1/2 dozen

To learn how to prepare this traditional Costa Rican recipe and find out more about it click here.

Torta Chilena recipe

2007-10-19T12:10:00.008-06:00

I had been looking for this recipe for a long time. Torta Chilena is a very popular dessert here in Costa Rica and several other Central American countries even though the name indicates that its origins are South American. This recipe I found at a Web site called The Recipe Link. Recipe posted by a user that goes by the name of Gladys.

If you come to Costa Rica make sure you go to a cafe/restaurant called Spoon and try a slice out.

This photo is not an exact representation of the dessert described here and is used only for illustrative purposes. (Photo by Nicaragua's La Prensa newspaper)

Torta chilena -a multi-layered pastry (puff pastry)- is filled with dulce de leche. Here is the recipe:

Ingredients
1 lb flour
1/4 ounce shortening
1/4 ounce salt
1/2 lb butter (chilled)
1/2 liter water
5 1/4 cups milk caramel sauce
3 ounces powdered sugar

Preparation
Mix the shortening, flour & salt. Add the water slowly until you obtain the dough. Let it rest for 10 minutes. When you are ready to roll the dough, beat the butter to soften it.

When partially softened, work it in the flour and continue until butter is smooth & easy to spread but still cold. Lightly flour the dough & your hands. Form the dough into a rectangle.

Fold the dough into three: fold the bottom third up to the middle; fold the top down to cover it (just as folding a business letter). Let the dough rest in the refrigerator for 30 minutes. Repeat this same process twice, including the resting periods.

After the resting periods, unwrap the chilled dough & flour it sparingly top & bottom. Then roll the dough rapidly into a big rectangle. Divide the dough into three rectangles 18x12 each. Preheat the oven at 175C. Bake the rectangles in separate oven ready molds for 20 minutes each.

Let them rest until room temperature & stuff them with dulce de leche (recipe here) between each of the rectangles. Decorate with powdered sugar over the torta.

Costa Rican cooking vaction

2007-10-12T13:07:00.002-06:00

Note: I am posting this information just because I found it interesting and wanted to share it with you in case you're thinking about visiting Costa Rica. I am in no way associated with this cooking school nor have I attended it.

Have you thought of coming to Costa Rica for a vacation? Probably, but how about coming to Costa Rica for a vacation and learning to cook at the same time?

Now you can do just that! Recently, while I was surfing the Web, I found the site of the Costa Rica Creole Cooking School.

They claim to be the only vacation cooking school in Central America where you can learn about the culinary history of the Americas and some new cooking ideas while relaxing at one of the world's most scenic and tranquil locations : San Ramon de Alajuela.

The Web site describes The Inn at Coyote Mountain as a 5-star luxury hotel, gourmet cooking school, and idyllic nature retreat all rolled into one. Guests learn about sustainable and organic agriculture, explore the culinary history of the Americas, and participate in the very best that responsible travel has to offer.

The Creole Cooking School is located in the mountains above the Pacific Ocean not far from San Ramon, Alajuela, Costa Rica. At the school you'll get intensive, hands-on classes that delve into Creole, Latin, and Mediterranean styles of cookery, and may also include field trips to markets, gardens, or coffee plantations.

The Creole Cooking School teaches you to make dishes such as empanadas and tamales, using organic produce —heirloom tomatoes, mangoes, vanilla— from the inn's gardens

Programs usually begin on thursday afternoons January through May, though dates are flexible for groups of 6 or more.

For reservations, rates and hotel nformation call 1-902-482-8360.

Heredia iced coffee recipe

2007-10-05T13:52:00.001-06:00

I hope you enjoy the delicious taste of this Cafe Britt original beverage.

Ingredients:
5 scoops of Cafe Britt Espresso
6 oz of hot water (just below boiling point)
12 oz of cold milk
1 scoop of sugar
4 spoons (2oz) of Coffee Liqueur
a pinch of cinnamon
3 ice cubes

Preparation:
Place the 5 scoops of Cafe Britt Espresso in the French Press
Add hot water and allow to brew for 3 min.
In a separate container, mix the sugar with the cinnamon and espresso.
Then add the Café Britt Liqueur, cold milk, 3 ice cubes and serve.
Yields 3 glasses..

Tiquicia restaurant

2007-09-30T13:26:00.001-06:00

Besides an incredible view of almost the whole Central Valley, Restaurant -Bar Tiquicia offers its patrons typical dishes of unattainable culinary height! Situated literally under the skies of San Antonio de Escazu Tiquicia has an extensive history as a noticeable tourist destination and is recognized by generations of tour operators in Costa Rica.

From their dining rooms decorated in old tico style patrons can enjoy a breath taking view of the valley down below. Tiquicia counts with a bar and offers special events with a national flavor. The prices are as friendly as the rest of this cozy and welcoming restaurant. Specialties: Costa Rican typical food.

Telephone: (506) 2289-5839 or 8828-1280
Schedule: Mondays closed, Open Tuesday to Friday from 5pm to midnight, Saturdays from 1pm to midnight and Sundays from noon to 6 pm.
Live Music every Friday and Saturday at the bar after 9 p.m.

Note: I am in no way associated with this restaurant.

Making tamales in Costa Rica video

2007-09-24T11:01:00.002-06:00

Here's a short Youtube video that shows you how people in Costa Rica prepare the tamales, but unfortunately it's in spanish only, sorry for the inconvenience. This video should help you with the tamales recipes that I shared with you here and here. If I find a step-by-step video in english I promise I'll share it with you.

Note: a high-speed internet connection is recommended to watch the video

Pan seared tilapia with tropical salsa recipe video

2007-09-17T10:45:00.003-06:00

Ifood.tv presents this video of a spice crusted fresh tilapia fillet sauteed & served with fresh mango salsa. In Costa Rica we prepare a very similar recipe so I thought you would find this video very useful. Besides, mango and tilapia are two ingredients that are very common in Costa Rica. Ifood.tv is a video community that has food-related information. I know this is yet another fish video recipe but I just think these are all too good to pass up. Enjoy!

Note: a high-speed internet connection is recommended to watch the video

Costa Rica ceviche video

2007-09-10T13:37:00.002-06:00

Ok here's another nice recipe from the folks at videojug.com. I know it's the second fish recipe in a row but I hope you don't mind. This one is worth it in case you want to prepare something simple and fast. I have to be honest and admit that Ceviche is not a Costa Rican dish, in fact it is a Latin American dish and every country prepares it in its own way, but here in Costa Rica is a very popular dish so I wanted to share this with you. Click on the video screen to activate it and start the video.

How To Make Ceviche

Tilapia Matanzas

2007-09-04T13:09:00.001-06:00

Back in March I shared with you a blackened tilapia recipe that I found on the Web site of Rain Forest Aquaculture. Well, here's another recipe that you may want to try. Tilapia is commonly consumed in Costa Rica and there are several companies that breed this fish solely for that purpose.

Ingredients:
4-6 Rain Forest Tilapia fillets
2 beaten eggs
4 oz. Crabmeat
1/4 c. softened butter
1 T. lemon juice
1 T. oil
Dash of Hot Pepper Sauce
Pinch of Salt

Instructions:
Add Lemon juice, hot pepper sauce, and salt to softened butter and whip smooth. Place aside. Add oil to a saute pan and bring to medium-high heat. Dip each fillet in egg and saute for 2 minutes on each side. Place fillet on plate and top with 1 oz. Crabmeat. Finish with a dollop of lemon butter sauce. Place under broiler for 1 minute.

Coffee Parfait

2007-08-27T13:48:00.001-06:00

Enjoy the delicious taste of this Cafe Britt original beverage full of lively Espresso and condensed milk!

Ingredients:
1 cup heavy cream
14 oz. sweetened condensed milk
1/3 cup Café Britt Espresso coffee, brewed and hot.
4 tsp. sugar

Preparation:
Dissolve the sugar in the Café Britt Espresso coffee. Let it cool.
Whip the heavy cream until soft peaks form.
In another bowl, blend the condensed milk and coffee. Whip for 3 minutes and then add the whipped cream.
Pour mixture into serving glasses. Freeze until firm (approximately 3 hours).

Find more coffee recipes at Cafe Britt's Web site.

Gallo Pinto video

2007-08-20T12:28:00.002-06:00

I finally found a Gallo Pinto video recipe on the internet. This comes from a great Web site called videojug.com, which happens to have great and tasty recipes. I may add more from them in the future so keep coming back here or visit their site if you enjoyed this dish. By the way, even though the video doesn't mention it, you can replace the Tabasco sauce with Salza Lizano to give the Gallo Pinto an additional Costa Rican touch. Click on the video screen to activate it and start the video.

How To Make Gallo Pinto

Note: recently I have noticed that Nicaraguans are creating a bigg fuzz on the internet over the origin of Gallo Pinto as they want it to be considered a Nicaraguan dish exclusively.

I just have to say that even if they invented the dish before Costa Rica, which there isn't any verifiable and trustworthy evidence of this, it is a fact that today Costa Ricans consider Gallo Pinto a traditional dish that is part of their everyday diet and have adapted it to their cooking style.

Today Gallo Pinto is eaten in several Central American countries, and each and everyone of them have a different name for it, and a different way of making it. That's why in my own humble opinion Gallo Pinto is nowadays a Central American dish, more than a Nicaraguan or Costa Rican one.

In any case I think life's too short to fight over the origin of a dish. Good luck with the recipe and enjoy the Gallo Pinto.

Napking folding video

2007-08-13T14:07:00.001-06:00

Ok so this video isn't about food nor a recipe, but still I wanted to post it here in case you want to use it to impress and surprise your guests at private parties, restaurants, weddings and date dinning. Step by step, and easy to follow video that will help you learn how to fold napkins to impress your guests. You can watch 17 more napking videos on Gourmandia.com.

Costa Rica kebobs with tropical fruit salsa

2007-08-05T00:23:00.000-06:00

The International Banana Association Web site had this recipe on its Web site. After I read it I thought it was good enough to share it with all of you. If you love shrimp as much as I do, this definitely is one recipe worth trying.

Prep: 10 min.
Grill: 10 min.
Makes: 4 servings

Ingredients:
• 2 ripe, firm bananas, peeled, each cut into 6 pieces, plus 1 ripe banana, peeled and diced
• 16 extra large or jumbo shrimp, shelled and deveined
• 1 large green bell pepper, cut into 8 pieces
• 2 tablespoons lime juice
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1/2 teaspoon ground allspice
• 1 mango, peeled and diced
• 1 tablespoon chopped mint
• 1 green onion, minced
• 1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and minced

Preparation:
1. Thread 12 banana pieces, shrimp and bell pepper pieces into skewers.
2. Mix together lime juice, oil and allspice in small bowl. Brush 2 tablespoons over kebobs.
3. Combine remaining marinade with diced banana, mango, mint, green onion and jalapeno pepper; place in a serving dish.
4. Grill kebobs over medium high heat 8 minutes, turning once or until the shrimp are opaque. Arrange the kebobs on top of the salsa.

Note: the kebob image that I posted does not correspond to the recipe described herein. Image shows a shrimp and mango kebob and it is being used solely for illustrative purposes. Photo by Getty Images.

Dark Roast Tiramisu

2007-07-28T13:27:00.001-06:00

This tiramisu recipe is courtesy of the Cafe Britt Web site. It looks like a nice dessert for all the coffee lovers out there. For more fantastic Cafe Britt recipes visit their site.

Ingredients:
4 tablespoons sugar
½ cup water
4 egg yolks
1 tablespoon sweet Marsala wine (+) 2 tablespoons for the espresso mixture.
4 ounces cream cheese
6 ounces mascarpone cheese
8 ounces heavy whipping cream, whipped
2 cups Cafe Britt Espresso or Dark Roast coffee
1 ounce dark rum
2 tablespoons sugar
24 French-style ladyfingers
2 tablespoons powdered Britt Gourmet Hot Cocoa
2 tablespoons grated semi-sweet chocolate

Preparation:

Cream Mixture:
1. Cook sugar and water together until it reaches a temperature of between 234°F and 240°F on a candy thermometer, this is the soft-ball stage.
2. At the same time, in an electric mixer, prepare egg mixture by whipping the egg yolks on high speed until pale yellow and thick.
3. Slowly pour in the sugar syrup while mixing on high until the mixture is light and fluffy. Be sure to scrape down the sides of the bowl.
4. With mixer on medium speed, add cream cheese and whip until smooth. Add mascarpone and Marsala. Mix until blended. Fold in whipped cream. Refrigerate.

Espresso Mixture:
5. Combine espresso, additional Marsala, dark rum and sugar. Heat to 140°F, then let it cool completely before using it.
6. To assemble, dip ladyfingers in espresso mixture. Place one layer of dipped ladyfingers on bottom of serving platter. Top with one layer of cream mixture. Add another layer of dipped ladyfingers, topped with a second layer of cream mixture. Sift cocoa over top.
7. Refrigerate for 2 hours before serving.
8. Sprinkle with grated chocolate and chocolate-covered cashew nuts for garnish. Enjoy!

Costa Rican plantain soup

2007-07-20T13:23:00.001-06:00

Here's another great recipe from RecipeZaar. Do not let the plantains turn yellow-black because they will turn sweet. Must use green plantains.

Ingredients:
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1 small onion, finely chopped
1 carrot, finely chopped
1 celery rib, finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
4-4 1/2 cups chicken stock or broth
2 green plantains, peeled, quartered lengthwise & thinly sliced
1 bunch cilantro, stemmed and finely chopped
1/2-1 teaspoon cumin
1 bay leaf
salt & pepper

Preparation:
1. Heat oil in large saucepan over medium heat.
2. Add onions, carrots, celery and garlic.
3. Cook, uncovered, for 3-4 minutes, or until onions are soft but not brown.
4. Add 4 cups of chicken stock/broth and bring to boil over high heat.
5. Add plantains, most of the cilantro (reserve a few tablespoons for garnish), 6. cumin, and bay leaf.
6. Season with salt and pepper.
7. Return to boil.
8. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer, uncovered for 40-50 minutes or until plantains very tender.
9. Remove and discard bay leaf.
10. Transfer half the soup to blender; puree until smooth.
11. Return to the pan.
12. If soup is too thick, add a little more stock/broth.
13. Season with more salt/cumin if desired.

Servings: four

Costa Rican stuffed zucchini (zapallitos rellenos)

2007-07-12T13:48:00.000-06:00

For all the veggie lovers out there I am posting another great recipe that I found on RecipeZaar. This one was posted by bergy, who had these several times while in Costa Rica.

Ingredients:
4 zucchini
1 hard-boiled egg, finely chopped
1/4 cup cheese (Jack, mozzarello or your choice)
1/4 cup milk
1/4 cup parmesan cheese, grated
salt & pepper
1/4 cup whole wheat fesh breadcrumbs

Preparation:
1. Boil the zucchinis until tender, apprx 8-10 minutes.
2. Let cool, cut in half lengthwise.
3. Scoop out the insides and place in a strainer, Force as much liquid out as possible.
4. Combine the squash paste, egg, grated cheese,& milk, mix well.
5. Fill the zucchini shells.
6. Sprinkle with the bread crumbs and parmesan cheese (get them ready up to this point and then just pop them in the oven 15 minutes before serving).
7. Heat in 350F oven for apprx 10-15 minutes or until the parmesan is browned and they are heated through.

Servings: four
Preparation time: 15 minutes
Cooking time: 40 minutes

Jungle-Fusion: black bean burrito video

2007-07-03T13:43:00.002-06:00

Here's another great recipe by the Jungle-Fusion guys. In this video host Drennan Flahive will show you from the middle of the dense Costa Rican rainforest how to prepare black bean burritos in a Tico organic way. Hope you enjoy the video! If you have questions regarding the recipe visit their site.

Picadillo de platano verde con atun (tuna with minced green plantain)

2007-06-25T13:16:00.001-06:00

Picadillos (bits of minced vegetables mixed with bits of minced meats) are eaten a lot in Costa Rica. Imagination is the limit and you can give the recipe your personal touch depending not only of what vegetables and meats you use, but what spices and sauces you add. Vegetarians usually mix two or more vegetables and leave the meats out. In this case the mix involves some plantains with fish (tuna) and garlic among other things. Some people also like to add some lemon, but that is up to you. Enjoy!

Ingredients
2 large green plantains, peeled, cut into three pieces
1 tuna can
¼ cup cilantro leaves, chopped
¼ cup celery, chopped
¼ cup onions, chopped
¼ cup red bell pepper, chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
1 teaspoon butter
1 cup of tomatoes, diced
1/8 teaspoon cumin
1/8 teaspoon paprika
2 teaspoon vegetable oil

Preparation:
1.Bring water to a boil in a saucepan. Add green plantain. Boil until plantains are soft. Keep liquid and transfer plantains to dish.

2.Heat oil and butter in a saucepan over high medium. Add cumin, paprika, onions, red peppers, garlic. Fry them for three minutes. Add tuna.

3.Add two cups of the liquid obtained boiling the plantains and cover. Cook over low for 10 minutes. Add plantain, butter and salt to taste. Simmer for 5 minutes. Let it in the saucepan for 20 minutes.

4.Serve with Rice (optional).

Servings: four
Preparation time: 30 minutes

Note: if you don't like fish you can substitute the can of tuna with ½ lbs of lean ground beef

Banana bread video recipe

2007-06-18T13:31:00.002-06:00

In my search for more Costa Rican recipes I discovered a great Web site called Jungle Fusion. It is a site dedicated to organic cuisine that combines classical and modern cooking techniques to transform native jungle fruits, vegetables, and herbs into nourishing meals.

Jungle Fusion emerges from the dense tropical rainforests of Costa Rica and it offers some of its recipes online for free. Here today I share with you a video recipe for banana bread. If you want to purchase their cookbook click here.

Note: I am not in any way associated with Jungle Fusion nor profit from their sales. I am just sharing with you what I think is a great Web site. A high-speed internet connection is recommended to watch the video.

Costa Rican Style Russian Salad

2007-06-11T13:18:00.000-06:00

This is a fairly typical Costa Rican recipe. Please use fresh beets.

Ingredients:

2 cups sugar beets
3 cups potatoes
½ cup carrots
3 eggs
½ cup cilantro leaves, chopped
1 medium size rib celery
2 tablespoon mayonnaise
1 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons sugar cane natural vinegar
1 ½ tablespoon lime juice, fresh squeezed

Preparation:

1. Boil potatoes, carrots, and eggs in a saucepan over high medium heat for 20 minutes or until vegetables and eggs are done. Refresh under running water. Drain and transfer to a cutting board.
2. Boil beats in a separate saucepan over high medium heat for 60 minutes. Refresh under running water. Drain and transfer to a cutting board.
3. Cut potatoes and beats into small ¼ inch cubes, and carrots in thin circles.
4. Shell eggs and cut them in thin circles.
5. Combine cilantro, and all vegetables in a bowl. Add mayonnaise, eggs, vinegar, lime juice, and salt.
6. Serve cold.

Servings: 8
Note: Onions can also be added. Some people use Salza Lizano with this recipe.

Orange coconut bread recipe

2007-06-03T13:09:00.000-06:00

Ok, so this isn't a recipe originary from Costa Rica, but we eat a very similar bread here so I thought about sharing this Caribbean recipe with all of you. This recipe was taken from Epicurean.com. Enjoy!

Ingredients:
2 3/4 cup flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup brown sugar
1 tablespoon grated orange zest
2 cups grated coconut
1/2 cup fresh orange juice
1 large egg, well beaten
2/3 cup evaporated milk
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 cup butter, melted and cooled

Directions:
Sift together the flour, baking powder and salt. Mix in the sugar, coconut, orange zest, orange juice, egg, milk, vanilla, and butter, mixing lightly but well. Place dough into greased 9x5 inch loaf pan. Bake in a preheated 350 degrees oven until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean, usually about 55 to 65 minutes. Let cool a little in the pan, then turn out on cake rack. Yield: 1 (9 inch) loaf.

Edible Adventure: Costa Rica

2007-05-25T13:12:00.001-06:00

If you like organic food you will love this show. It's called Edible Adventure and it features a gringo guy from North Miami who moved to Costa Rica to pursue his dream of organic and sustainable living. His program can be seen on the Travel Channel and it's both entertaining and educational. Enjoy the video!

Rice pudding

2007-05-17T12:32:00.000-06:00

2 cups (470 ml) rice
4 cups (950 ml) milk
4 cups (950 ml) sugar
1 Tablespoon (15 ml) vanilla
½ teaspoon (2.5 ml) ground cinnamon
½ teaspoon (2.5 ml) ground cloves or 6 whole cloves
½ teaspoon (2.5 ml) grated fresh nutmeg
4 oz (110 gr) butter
1 cup (235 ml) raisins

Cook rice uncovered in 8 cups of water for 45 minutes until rice is quite soft. Stir in other ingredients and simmer for 1/2 hour.

Serve warm, or refrigerate at least four hours to serve cold.

Gallo Pinto recipe

2007-05-10T13:01:00.001-06:00

1 lb (450 gr.) Black beans. Fresh are best but most likely you’ll find them dried.
8-10 sprigs cilantro (coriander leaf) fresh or frozen.
1 small or medium onion
½ small red or yellow sweet pepper (optional)
3 cups (700 ml) chicken broth or water
2 cups (350 ml) white rice
½ teaspoon (2.5 ml) salt
1 Tablespoon (15 ml) vegetable oil
1-3 Tablespoon oil to fry the Gallo Pinto

If beans are dried, cover with water and soak overnight, if they are fresh, just rise them off. Drain the beans and add fresh water to an inch (2.5-cm) above the top of the beans, salt, and bring to a boil. Cover the pan and reduce heat to very low simmer until beans are soft (~3 hours).

Chop cilantro, onion, and sweet pepper very fine.

Add 1 Tablespoon oil to a large pan and sauté the dry rice for 2 minutes over medium high flame then add half of the chopped onion, sweet pepper and cilantro and sauté another 2 minutes. Add water or chicken broth, bring to a boil, cover and reduce heat to simmer until rice is tender (20-35 minutes). This is also the recipe for Tico rice used in other favorites like tamales.

Once the rice and beans are cooked you can refrigerate or freeze them. Keep a significant amount of the “black water” with the beans (½-1 cup 120-240 ml). This is what gives the rice its color and some of its flavor. Sauté the rice, beans reserved chopped onion, sweet pepper and cilantro together in vegetable oil for a few minutes. Sprinkle with a little fresh chopped cilantro just before serving.

Once the rice and beans are cooked you can also refrigerate or freeze them. Make up small batches of Gallo Pinto when you want it by simply sautéing them together.

In Guanacaste they sometimes use small very hot red peppers instead of or in addition to the sweet. Some people add a tablespoon or so of salsa Lizano to the beans while they're cooking.

Coffee Crusted Jerk Chicken

2007-05-03T09:11:00.001-06:00

Chicken with coffee? This exotic combination is described by Cafe Britt on its Web site. This gourmet recipe is the only entree offered by the company so far but I have to admit it sounds delicious. For more great Cafe Britt recipes visit their site here.

Ingredients:
500 grams of chicken breast boned per person
1 ounce of Cafe Britt Espresso ground coffee (only the grind)
2 ounces of grated parmesan cheese
2 tb. Jambo Caribbean Jerk Seasoning
1 teaspoon of Olive oil
¾ ounces of coffee liqueur (optional)
Salt to taste
Ground black pepper to taste

Instructions:
First marinate the chicken breasts with Jambo Caribbean Jerk Seasoning all of the ingredients except the espresso grind.
Leave still for 15 minutes.
Dredge the chicken brest in the Cafe Britt Espresso grind.
Heat a splash of olive oil in a medium saucepan and cook chicken until well done.

Suggested garnishing and plating:
Sliced avocados
Fried plantain
Vegetable salad

Oven baked sweet plantains

2007-04-27T09:42:00.001-06:00

This is a lower fat method of making "maduros" without the use of oil and frying in a pan. Again I went to RecipeZaar to get it. I know I use that site too much but hey...at least I'm saving you the job of searching and browsing the Tico recipes.

Ingredients:
4 Very ripe plantains (when the skin is yellow with spots of black they're perfect)
1 Cooking spray

Preparation:
1. Preheat oven to 450°F.
2. Coat a nonstick cookie sheet with cooking spray.
3. Cut the ends off of the plantains and peel.
4. Cut each plantain on the diagonal into 1/2 inch slices.
5. Arrange in single layer and coat tops with cooking spray.
6. Bake, turning occasionally, for 10-15 minutes, until plantains are golden brown and very tender.

Servings: four
Time: 25 min.

Bananas, the Costa Rican way

2007-04-19T14:54:00.000-06:00

(Fresh Plaza) - Costa Rica was the first country to commercialise bananas, in 1880. Not surprisingly, Costa Rica's gastronomy attaches great importance to this fruit.

"In Costa Rica we eat bananas during virtually every meal", explains Jorge Sauma, Director of CORBANA, the Costa Rican National Banana Corporation.

"We fry them in a pan or a deep-fryer and we boil green bananas in water to give them a salty touch, similar to the taste of potatoes. But Costa Ricans also like their bananas plain. The only difference between us and Europeans, is that we prefer our bananas riper and blacker!"

Bananas can be cooked for every taste. Plain, dried, flambé, mashed or in milkshake, bananas always have an extremely subtle flavour.

They are delicious especially with chocolate, honey, coconut and other exotic fruits. For breakfast, for dessert or as a snack at any time of the day - bananas are also a perfect ingredient for savoury and even spicy dishes.

"For a very original result, you can prepare a banana soup or add banana to curry sauce", explains Laurent Van de Vyver, president of the Jeunes Restaurateurs d’Europe in Belgium.

"This fruit is perfect for such culinary experiences and will undoubtedly surprise and win over your guests!"

Bananas are not only one of the Belgians’ favourite fruits, they are also a versatile, rich ingredient in the kitchen!

Finally a healthy snack!

Thanks to their delicate and sweet taste, bananas are very popular with kids, and paediatricians praise their nutritional value. As these fruits are rich in energy sources, potassium and vitamins C, B6, B1 and B2, they are the ideal food for growing children.

What’s more, contrary to common belief, although bananas are very nourishing, they are low in fat (0.2%) and do not contain cholesterol. So no more worries: a banana is as fattening as an apple or a handful of grapes!

Agricultural exports increase almost 12 percent

2007-04-12T10:02:00.000-06:00

Agricultural exports from Costa Rica rose by 11.7 per cent in the first two months of this year, according to the External Commerce Promotion Agency Procomer. Figures for the agricultural sector in January and February revealed that the value of sendings rose to $327.6 million, 23.2 percent of the country’s total exports. Bananas remained the leading product, representing $111.2m, 14.3 percent higher than the year-earlier period. Pineapples were second, at $66.7m, 13.4 percent higher than 2006. Coffee was the third most important agricultural export.

Heart of palm parmesan salad

2007-04-03T08:12:00.000-06:00

I love salads, especially the ones that you can prepare quickly. Back in February 2007 I shared with you a recipe for a heart of palm salad. If you liked that one then you most likely will love this one. I found this Costa Rican salad recipe on RecipeZaar. (That Web site is a must for cooking enthusiasts, you should bookmark it.) For this recipe the author requests that you use fresh shaved Parmesan.

by Bergy

Ingredients:
1 (14 ounce) can hearts of palm, drained & rinsed.
2 medium tomatoes, seeded & chopped
3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
2 green onions, chopped (use white & green parts)
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
salt and pepper (Use fresh cracked pepper)
2 ounces parmesan cheese, freshly shaved
2 tablespoons fresh basil, chopped

Preparation:
-Cut the hearts of palm into 1/2" wide pieces.
-Combine all but the parmesan ingredients in a large bowl.
-Toss and allow to sit at room temperature for 30 minutes allowing the flavors to blend.
-Serve with shavings of Parmesan on top of the salad.

Servings: four

Salza Lizano: the flavor of Tiquicia

2007-03-26T08:17:00.000-06:00

Salsa Lizano, made of vegetables and natural spices, is a sauce that many Ticos consider the national flavor of Costa Rica . Salsa Lizano is a deep brown Costa Rican condiment developed by the Lizano company in 1920. It contains onions, carrots, cauliflower, cucumber and chili. Slightly sweet and with a hint of spiciness, Salsa Lizano is often used in the same way that North Americans would use ketchup. It's a sauce that tastes like a slightly sweet curry with a hint of Worcestershire, and a breath of Tabasco.

Note: I'm not associated with the Lizano company, nor profit from telling you about this sauce. I'm just letting foreigners know about traditional Tico food products so that when they come to Costa Rica they can try them on their own and decide if they like them or not. This, being a favorite of many Ticos, is something worth trying.

Blackened tilapia

2007-03-20T10:32:00.001-06:00

A month ago I shared with you a tilapia recipe that I found on the Web site of Rain Forest Aquaculture. If you enjoyed that recipe you may want to try this one too. Tilapia is commonly consumed in Costa Rica and there are several companies that breed this fish solely for that purpose.

Ingredients:
4-6 Rain Forest Tilapia
2 Tbls. Paprika
2 tsp salt
2 tsp lemon pepper
1.5 tsp garlic powder
1.5 tsp ground red pepper
1.5 tsp. dried, crushed basil
1 tsp. onion powder
1 tsp. dried thyme
1 c. unsalted butter, melted

Instructions:
1. Heat iron skillet on high 5 minutes.
2. Mix all seasonings in a bowl.
3. Dip fillets in melted butter and coat with seasonings.
4. Place fillets in hot skillet and cook 2 minutes on each side.

Flor de itabo (Yucca Flower) Omelet

2007-03-12T13:58:00.000-06:00

MizEllie asked for flor de Itabo recipes and despite looking real hard for them on the internet, this is all I was able to find. If any of you have recipes for flor de itabo please do share them with us. Don't worry, if I post them on my blog I will give you credit and mention your name (unless you prefer to remain anonymous). I will talk to my grandmother and see if she has any good recipes for flor de itabo. If she does I will translate them and share them with all of you.

Ingredients
1 cup spineless or giant yucca flowers, rinsed
2 eggs
1 teaspoon lard or vegetable oil
Salt and pepper to taste

Preparation: Bring salted water to a boil in a saucepan. Add yucca flowers and cook over moderate heat until crisp-tender, about 5minutes. Drain and transfer to a plate. Heat oil or lard in a skillet over medium high. Add yucca flowers and eggs. Scramble eggs in skillet until eggs arecooked. Add salt and pepper to taste. Serve with rice.

Notes: Flor de Itabo (Yucca Flower Omelet) by Costa Rica Garýs Cookbook by Gerald Berger Http://www.vb-dozent.net (this Web site is in German)

Preparation Time: 15 Min.
Difficulty: normal
Portion: 1 serving
Country: Costa Rica
Type: vegetarian

For those of you who read french: I found a recipe for flor de itabo with egg. If you are interested in it click here.

Black bean soup recipe

2007-03-05T15:37:00.001-06:00

Ingredients:
1 lb (450 gr.) Black beans.
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 the following ingredients:
10-12 sprigs cilantro (coriander leaf) fresh or frozen.
1 small or medium onion
2 cloves garlic
1 small green, red, or yellow sweet pepper

Preparation:
If beans are dried, cover with water and soak overnight, if they are fresh, just rise them off. Drain the beans and add water or chicken broth, salt, and half of the chopped ingredients, bring to a boil.

Cover the pan and reduce heat to very low simmer until beans are nearly soft (~ 2½ hours). Add the rest of the chopped ingredients, and vegetable oil, and cook an additional ½ hour. Add eggs for the final 2-4 minutes (depending on how you like your eggs cooked).

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).

Remove the eggs, peel and place one or two in each bowl before serving with warm corn tortillas.

Costa Rican style rice with chicken

2007-02-27T10:32:00.000-06:00

Recipe by Isela Ruiz Salguero

Precook whole chicken - add salt, garlic, oregano and 1 celery

Ingredients:
2 lbs rice
1 precooked whole chicken (see above)
1 tomato
1 diced carrot
small bunch of cilantro
1 finely diced onion
1 sprig of parsley
1/2 red bell pepper finely diced
8oz can of chopped mushrooms
8oz can sweet peas (drain juice)
2 tablespoon Lizano sauce
1 small can of tomato paste
1 teaspoon annatto
2 bay leaves
salt, pepper, cumin, cooking oil to taste

Cook rice along with carrots and add chicken broth from precooked chicken with annatto.

Saute onions, add red bell pepper, parsley, and cilantro and all other spices, black pepper cumin, salt and finally the tomato paste.

Cook at low heat.

Remove skin and bone chicken, tearing meat into strips as desired.

When sauce is ready add chicken and cook for 3 minutes on low heat. Slowly add rice and stir frequently.

Final step is to add mushrooms and sweet peas. Cover and allow mixture to steam for at least 10 minutes.

Tilapia with lemon and capers

2007-02-20T09:17:00.001-06:00

Tilapia.com has several tilapia recipes for all seafood lovers out there. Tilapia is commonly consumed in Costa Rica and there are several companies that breed this fish solely for that purpose.

Ingredients:
4-6 Rain Forest Tilapia Fillets
3 large lemons
2 c. milk
1 c. flour
6 Tbls peanut oil
5 Tbls. unsalted butter
1/4 c. dried capers
2 Tbls. fresh chopped parsley

Instructions:
1. Peel lemons removing inner white membrane.
2. Cut into segments and dice. Season flour with salt and pepper.
3. Dip fillets in milk and coat with flour.
4. Heat oil in large skillet, sauté fillets, brown on both sides for 4 to 5 minutes.
5. Transfer to serving dish, keep warm.
6. Wipe out skillet, add butter, brown slightly.
7. Stir in lemons and capers and parsley, spoon over fish.

Costa Rica: banana exports increase 23 percent in 2006

2007-02-13T12:20:00.000-06:00

By Andre van der Wiel

Tholen (FreshPlaza.com) - The exports of bananas from Costa Rica reached a total of 107 million boxes. This is an increase of 20 mln. boxes compared to the previous year.

The export turnover amounted a total of $603 million according to the figures of the national banana corporation Corbana. These figures make 2006 the best export year of the past 10 years. The major markets were the EU, to which 50% of the exported fruit was shipped, and the US, with 49% of the national production.

Jorge Sauma, president of Corbana, attributed the success to the implementation of new cultivation methods amongst a number of growers, following scientific research in laboratories.

Hearts of palm salad

2007-02-04T13:34:00.002-06:00

Here's a recipe for a Costa Rican style hearts of palm salad. I hope you enjoy this heathy but tasty meal.

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

Preparation
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.

Marcus Allen GridIron Guacamole

2007-01-30T13:38:00.001-06:00

Ok this is not a Costa Rican recipe, but hey, we eat guacamole here too and with the Super Bowl just a few days away I thought I should share one of the favorite Big Game recipes. I took this recipe from Avocado Central. For more recipes and ways of preparing guacamole go to their site.

Ingredients:

* 5 ripe avocados, peeled and seeded
* 2 Tbs. lemon juice
* 1/2 large onion, chopped
* 1 tomato, diced
* 2 garlic cloves, crushed
* 1 cup Cheddar cheese, grated
* 2 green chilies, diced
* 1/3 cup fresh cilantro, finely chopped

Instructions:

1. In a large mixing bowl, coarsely mash avocados, leaving some chunks
2. Stir in lemon juice
3. Fold in remaining ingredients and serve

Costa Rica : pineapple exports increase with 20%

2007-01-29T17:10:00.000-06:00

Growing acreage doubles in 2 years time

Tholen - According to figures of the Spanish ministry of agriculture, the Costa Rican pineapple exports will grow with 20% from an export turnover of 413 mln. dollar in 2006 to 500 mln. dollar in 2007. Last year the turnover increased with 90 mln. dollars compared to 2005, from 68,5 mln. boxes to 80 mln. boxes of 12 kg.

According to the president of Canapep, which unites pineapple producers and exporters, only the export position in the US still needs to be strengthened. For Costa Rica, pineapples are the second agricultural export product after bananas. The major market is the US, with 51,2% of the total, followed by The Netherlands with 13,8% and Belgium with 10%.

The pineapple production in the country is increasing fast, as many growers of bananas, sugar cane, yuca and cattle farmers have switched to the production of pineapple, to profit from the dynamic market for this product. Especially in the South West of the country and at the Atlantic coast, the production is increasing fast.

While the growing acreage was still at 10.000 hectares in 2004, in 2006 this amounted 20.000 hectare. As long as the market prices do not decrease internationally, this production increase is expected to be sustained.

Pacific Palm pie video

2007-01-13T14:25:00.002-06:00

I found this recipe on YouTube. Even though this is not a Costa Rican recipe I liked it because it looks good and seems very simple to make. Besides, it uses coconuts, a fruit that you'll find in both our Caribbean and Pacific coasts. The recipe's video is property of oneminuteworld.com, enjoy!

Over a century processing sugarcane...and still going strong

2007-01-07T08:25:00.000-06:00

Unidentified workers knead toffee candy at a sugarcane processing plant known as Los Trapiches in Tacares, about 40 km. west of San Jose, Costa Rica Saturday, Jan. 6, 2007. Los Trapiches, which is powered by a water mill, was founded 101 years ago and still produces handcrafted toffee, molasses, and other sugarcane byproducts, daily consumed by Costa Ricans. (AP Photo/Cristobal Herrera)

Brew a cup of coffee the traditional Costa Rican way

2006-12-23T13:04:00.002-06:00

Costa Rica In Focus has a secret recipe by Ana Isabel Herrera Sotillo for preparing a superb cup of Costa Rican coffee using the traditional chorreador de cafe (a traditional Costa Rican coffee-making device). Complete step-by-step illustrated instructions are available. Worth checking out if you are interested in traditional Tico cuisine.

Typical Costa Rican tamale

2006-12-14T09:40:00.000-06:00

Back in June of this year I shared with you another tamale recipe. Well, since this is a favorite of Ticos everywhere, here's a second recipe for the typical Costa Rican tamale. The tamale is eaten a lot during the month of December as part of the Christmas dinners and end of year celebrations. Ticos have a lot of ways of preparing tamales, this is just another one of them, I hope you like it.

Ingredients:
4 cups of corn flour
4 cups of potatoes puree
5 cups of water
½ cup and 6 tsp. of chicken broth
1 cup of olive oil
4 garlic
1 sp. de grounded marjoram
Plane leafs

For the filling:
1 cup of cooked white rice
Paprika
1 roll of celery
1 medium carrot
1 small can of green peas
½ red chili
½ shredded chicken
Preparation:

1. For the dough, sauté with the oil, the good chopped garlic and the marjoram. Then add the other ingredients of the dough and mix.

2. For the filling, chop the carrot in thin slices and the red chili in small stripes. Divide in different recipients the celery, the green peas and the rice

3. Clean the leafs and cut them in the same

4. Once that the dough is cold make it in balls of the same size (from 100 to 125 g each one)

5. Now with all the ingredients ready, start to give a shape to the tamales. Put two leafs and, over them, one of the dough balls. Smash it a little to put the rice over and then all the vegetables and the chicken. Finally, put a little branch of celery as decoration.

6. Close it carefully and make "piñas", so they won't open while cooking. They can also be frozen for 3 months, so any time you want to eat them, you just defrost and cook them. In this way, you will eat the tamales always fresh.

7. Cook them for approximately 30 minutes

For approximately: 8 portions

Coconut flan au caramel

2006-12-07T10:22:00.000-06:00

This cold coconut and caramel custard is one of Tiquicia's favorite desserts. They are usually avalaible in most Tico restaurants and food stands, however the ones prepared at home are usually the best ones because each person can adapt the recipe as he/she pleases. With that in mind I bring you a recipe for it's preparation.

INGREDIENTS:
1 can condensed milk
1 can evaporated milk
½ cup sugar
½ cup milk
½ cup shredded coconut
6 eggs

Custard Preparation:
Combine all ingredients in a blender for 3 minutes. Pour mixture in caramelized pirex dish and bake in double broiler for 45 minutes or until knife inserted comes out clean. Let cool. Run knife around edges, to separate from de dish. Refrigerate (good for up to 12 servings).

Caramel preparation:
In a small saucepan, put the sugar to melt, stirring constantly.
Pour the caramel on the dish and move it so it distributes evenly.
If you don't like coconut, it can be omitted.

Costa Rican Tilapia

2006-12-02T13:21:00.001-06:00

I found a recipe for Costa Rican Tilapia on a Web site called Global Gourmet. The preparation time is 30 minutes but for the seafood lovers it sounds as if the work is well worth it.

For those willing to sail into this cooking adventure I list here the ingredients needed to prepare this fish recipe that will let you taste the tropical flavors of the sunny Caribbean. To find out how to prepare this dish and learn other cooking tips click here.

3 tablespoons fresh lime juice
3 tablespoons olive oil, divided
4 tablespoons finely chopped fresh cilantro or parsley, divided
4 teaspoons minced garlic, divided
1-1/2 teaspoons kosher salt, divided
1/4 teaspoon sugar
6 tilapia fillets, about 5 ounces each
3/4 cup long-grain rice
1 cup chopped onions
2 oranges, peeled, seeded, coarsely chopped
1 can (28 ounces) diced tomatoes, undrained
1 can (15 ounces) black or pinto beans, drained, rinsed
1 teaspoon dried oregano leaves
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper

Preparation time: 30 minutes
Marinating time: 15 minutes
Cooking time: 30 minutes
Yield: 6 servings

Good luck and enjoy!

Arenal Coffee

2006-11-26T13:27:00.001-06:00

Enjoy the explosive taste of this frozen Cafe Britt original beverage full of lively Espresso, caramel and chocolate!

Ingredients:
1 ½ oz of Cafe Britt Espresso prepared in a French coffee press, espresso machine or brewer.
1 ½ oz. milk
½ oz. chocolate syrup
½ oz. caramel syrup
2 scoops of vanilla ice cream
whipped cream
6 ice cubes

Instructions:
In a blender, place the ice cubes, ice cream, Café Britt Espresso caramel syrup, chocolate syrup and milk.
Blend until the ingredients gain a smooth, creamy consistency.
Set the mixture in a glass, top with whipped cream and chocolate syrup. Add two wafer sticks for an extra rumbling taste.

Find more coffee recipes at Cafe Britt's Web site.

Costa Rican dining overview

2006-11-19T08:32:00.001-06:00

From Fodor's Guide to Costa Rica

In San Jose and surrounding cities, sodas (informal eateries) are usually open daily 7 AM to 7 or 9 PM, though some close on Sunday. Other restaurants are usually open 11 AM-9 PM. In rural areas restaurants are usually closed on Sunday, except around resorts. In resort areas some restaurants may be open late.

Most all-night restaurants are in downtown San Jose casinos. However, Nuestra Tierra and Manolos are both good 24-hour options, and for late-night cravings the doors at Denny's at the Best Western Irazú just north of San José are always open. Normal dining hours in Costa Rica are noon-3 and 6-9. Desayuno (breakfast) is served at most sodas and hotels.

Except for those in hotels, most restaurants close between Christmas and New Year's Day and during Holy Week (Palm Sunday to Easter Sunday). Call before heading out. Those that do stay open may not sell alcohol between Holy Thursday and Easter Sunday. Even if you keep your base in San José, consider venturing to the Central Valley towns for a meal or two.

Credit cards are not accepted at most restaurants in rural areas. Always ask before you order to find out if your credit card will be accepted. Visa and MasterCard are the most commonly accepted cards; American Express and Diners Club are less widely accepted. Remember that 23% is added to all menu prices: 13% for tax and 10% for service. Because a gratuity is included, there's no need to tip, but if your service is good, it's nice to add a little money to the obligatory 10%.

Reservations are always a good idea; we mention them only when they're essential or not accepted. Book as far ahead as you can, and reconfirm as soon as you arrive. (Large parties should always call ahead to check the reservations policy.)

Costa Ricans generally dress more formally than North Americans. For dinner, long pants and closed-toed shoes are standard for men except for beach locations, and women tend to wear dressy clothes that show off their figures, with high heels. Shorts, flip-flops, and tank tops are not acceptable, except at inexpensive restaurants in beach towns.

Preparing the typical empanadas!

2006-11-11T09:21:00.002-06:00

I found an old (January 2006), yet very nice article on the Web site A.M. Costa Rica, a Costa Rican daily news source, about how to prepare empanadas.

It goes into great detail about what empanadas are, their tradition, and how to cook them. It even has nice pictures that show you several of the steps you have to follow in order to prepare the empanadas.

Even though A.M Costa Rica has always had articles about Costa Rican food and restaurants, they recently created a food section, which I find very useful for those interested in knowing about Tico food, the culinary traditions, and where to eat in this country.

Accesing this site requires no registration, so I think it's a good idea to add it to your bookmarks if you are really into Tico food.

Here's an excerpt of the empanadas article:

"The empanada, the Costa Rican version of a sandwich, is easy to make. That's why they are available all over town.

But to make them you need a little time and patience.

Here the empanada is a breakfast treat but also eaten during afternoon coffee. And you will find it at the oh-so-upscale embassy cocktail party.

The technique is simple, and the types of fillings are as wide as the imagination. Usually those sold commercially contain beef, chicken, cheese or beans. But anyone can vary the theme, perhaps with spinach, gallo pinto, leftovers or even fish.

And then there are hundreds of possibilities for sauces, like chimichurri or other spicy types.

Although the empanadas displayed here are served intact, each can be cut open to allow a dash of guacamole, hot chile sauce and even lettuce and other salad fixings."

To read the whole article click here.
To access the A.M. Costa Rica food section click here. (Just make sure you scroll down past the poker article)

Yuca cake

2006-11-06T10:38:00.000-06:00

Ingredients:
1 kg of yuca
250 g of Mozzarella
125 g of butter
200 g of corned beef
1 small onion
1 small roll of celery
1 red chili
1 small box of cheese cream
Salt and pepper

Preparation:
1. In a pot, put the yuca and cook until it is very soft.
2. Make a puree with the yuca. Add the cheese and the butter.
3. In a pan, fry the onion, chili and celery until they are golden. Mix it with the puree, with salt and pepper as you like.
4. Put the mix in a Pyrex with a coat of puree and over the meat and the half of the cheese.
5. Finally, put another coat of puree and sprinkle the cheese.
6. Bake at 350 °F for 15 minutes. Serve it hot.

For approximately: 4 portions

Platanos maduros (Costa Rican fried ripe plantains)

2006-10-31T09:37:00.000-06:00

A few weeks ago I posted a recipe for fried plantains, or what we call here in Costa Rica "patacones." Today I will share with you another great plaintain recipe from RecipeZaar: Costa Rican fried ripe plaintains or "platanos maduros".

The recipe belongs to the same person who wrote the patacones recipe. That person spent a semester of college in Puntarenas, Costa Rica and learned how to prepare this from a Tico friend.

Here's the recipe:

Preparation: 5 minutes
Cooking time: 15 minutes
Servings: four

Ingredients:
4 ripe dark-skinned plantains
5 tablespoons vegetable oil

Preparation:
1. Heat vegetable oil in skillet over medium heat.
2. Fully peel plantains, and cut them diagonally into approximately 1-inch wide pieces, working 3. your way down the length of the plantain. (NOT length-wise slices).
4. Carefully place pieces of plantain in skillet.
5. Flipping often, fry plantains until golden brown. The Plantains will be rather mushy - they're supposed to be.
*They will be sweet - the riper the plantains, the sweeter they will be. (They will NOT taste like patacones, if you've tried those) If you prefer them sweeter, you can sprinkle with sugar before cooking.

Note: platanos maduros can be eaten by themselves as a dessert or combined with almost anything. Try them with sour cream, gallo pinto, meat of any kind, salad, or mashed potatoes.

For full details of this recipe and its nutritional information click here.

Costa Rican raisin cake

2006-10-23T08:26:00.000-06:00

I found on RecipeZaar this Costa Rican raisin cake recipe. This cake is a specialty at Cafe Cartago, in Denver, Colorado. Hope you like it. Note: This image is just for illustrative purposes. It does not show the actual product sold at Cafe Cartago.

Ingredients:
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1/2 cup freshly brewed coffee
3/4 cup granulated sugar, divided
1 cup seedless raisins
1/2 cup chopped nuts
1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup dark brown sugar
2 eggs, beaten
2 cups flour
1 1/2 teaspoons cream of tartar
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1/2 cup milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Preparation:
1.Mix cornstarch and coffee in saucepan until smooth.
2.Add 1/2 cup sugar and cook over low heat, stirring constantly until thickened.
3.Add raisins and nuts and set aside while preparing batter.
4.Beat butter until soft and fluffy.
5.Add brown sugar and remaining white sugar and continue beating until thick and light in color.
6.Add cream of tartar and baking soda together and add alternately with milk.
7.Add vanilla and mix well.
8.Pour 1/2 the batter into a buttered 8-inch square pan.
9.Spread with raisin mixture and cover with remaining batter.
10.Bake in preheated 350°F oven for 40 minutes or until knife comes out clean.
11.Cool and turn out of pan and cut into nine squares.

Three restaurants worth trying in Costa Rica

2006-10-14T08:17:00.000-06:00

Note: I am posting this information just because I like these restaurants and thought to mention them to you in case you visit the country. I am not associated in any way with any of them.

Resting hillside on the Escazu mountains with a 270 grades view over the central valley is the elegant and romantic Le Monastere restaurant, where the exquisite flavuors of European cuisine are combined with a mystical ambiance and impeccable attention to detail. Indulge in the delicate taste of flambe right at your table with the Venison tenderloin Port Flambe, Shrimp Singapore or Steak Diane, or try the Wild Boar Chops with Essence of Truffle or Fried Camembert with Blackberry Sauce. The grill La Cava also located on the premises, offers live music on weekends and a less formal atmosphere inside an old wine cellar beloging to the monks of this old monastery. Open for dinner M-W 7pm and -10:30pm and TH-Saturday 7pm- 11pm, Sunday closed. For reservations call 289-4404/ 228-8515.

For autentic Argentinian cuisine you must try El Novillo Alegre Owned and operated by Argentinians, this restaurant offers the highest quality cuts of beef including the famous Bife de Chorizo also know as New York Steak, and many other specialties like grielled provolone cheese, empanadas and brochettes. Also available are many chicken and veal dishes, as are salads and so many argentine specialties as is a wide selection of argentine specialties as is a wide selwction of Argentinian and International wines.

Barbecue Los Anonos. Good steaks and well-prepared Costa Rican cuisine have made this simple restaurant something of an institution. Most of the seating here is at simple wooden tables covered with red-and-white checkered tablecloths, and long and rustic booths set under the shelter of low interior red-tile roofs. Aged Angus beef is served, and this is the place to come if you're craving a 16-ounce T-bone. There are also a host of chicken, pork, and fish options here; The mixed-grill plate for two, which comes with a little bit of everything is highly recommended. Location: 600m (6 blocks) west of the Los Anonos bridge in San Rafael de Escazu, next to the Sarretto Market, Escazu. For reservations call: 228-0180.

Patacones Ticos (Costa Rican fried plantains)

2006-10-06T09:51:00.001-06:00

Someone requested this some time ago. Here's a recipe for fried plantains, or what we call here in Costa Rica "Patacones." It's from RecipeZaar and the recipe belongs to someone who spent a semester in Puntarenas, Costa Rica. As this person says patacones are a delicious snack that go really well with frijoles molidos (refried beans, basically).

Note from recipe author: Plantains can be purchased at most grocery stores in the produce section...they look like bananas, but DO NOT try to eat them like bananas - they are NOT the same thing!

Ingredients:
2 green plantains
1 cup vegetable oil
1 pinch salt, to taste

Preparation:
1. Peel plantains completely.
2. Slice Plantains into 1/2 inch rounds.
3. Heat oil in sauce pan until almost boiling.
4. CAREFULLY place a handful of plantain rounds into hot oil, leaving them in until light brown, about 2 minutes.
5. CAREFULLY remove plantain rounds from hot oil with slotted spoon (preferably metal) and place on a cutting board covered in parchment paper.
6. Plantain pieces should be on only half of the parchment paper. Fold second half of parchment paper over them, and with a second board or other hard, flat surface press firmly on the paper-covered plantain rounds.
*This can also be done using a metal tortilla press, if available. What I use is like a tortilla press, but is specifically designed for patacones, and I bought it at a supermarket in Costa Rica.
7. The rounds should now be smushed-looking, yet still intact.
8. With slotted spoon, replace pieces of plantain in the oil until golden brown.
9. Remove pieces with slotted spoon and place on paper towel. Pieces should be slightly crispy.
10. Repeat with another handful of rounds, until all have been cooked.
11. Sprinkle with salt, to taste.

-Dip in warm refried beans, or also good with ceviche.
-Enjoy!

Dulce de mango (mango pudding) recipe

2006-09-30T08:54:00.000-06:00

Ingredients
3 cups pureed mangoes (2 to 3 mangoes)
2 tablespoons fresh squeezed lemon juice
1 cup orange juice
1/3 cup quick-cooking tapioca
1/2 teaspoon grated orange peel

Preparation:
Peel and slice mangoes, then puree in blender or food processor.

Place puree in saucepan, add lemon juice, orange juice, sugar and tapioca. Mix well and let set for 5 minutes.

Slowly bring to a full boil over medium heat.

Stir in orange peel, wait 20 minutes and then cover and chill in refrigerator for 1 1/2 to 2 hours before serving.

Garnish with fresh mint leaves* and mango slices.

* = Optional

Costa Rican terrine

2006-09-23T13:32:00.000-06:00

Here's a recipe for "Costa Rican Terrine with Coconut-Date Vinaigrette" that I found on Global Gourmet. This terrine is called "Costa Rican" because of the hearts of palm in it. It is a dish that you can prepare a couple of days in advance. This is an elaborate recipe but I think it is well worth the work it represents.

Terrine Ingredients
3 large potatoes (about 1-1/2 pounds), peeled and cut into large chunks
2 canned chipotle chiles, seeded
2 cups milk
Salt to taste
White pepper to taste
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 teaspoons unflavored gelatin
2 teaspoons cold water
2 tablespoons boiling water
1 can (16 ounces) hearts of palm, drained, and patted dry

Preparation:
To prepare the terrine, combine the potatoes, chipotles, and milk in a large saucepan. Bring the milk to a gentle boil and cook over medium heat until the potatoes are tender, about 10 to 15 minutes.

Strain the milk from the potatoes and set the potatoes and chiles aside. Return the milk to the pan and gently simmer until it has reduced to about l/3 cup...

For the vinaigrette ingredients and more information on how to prepare this recipe please click here.

Stuffed chayotes recipe

2006-09-15T10:15:00.000-06:00

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

Preparation:
Parboil the chayotes in salted water for 10 minutes. Drain and carefully scoop out the pulp, leaving at least at ¼ inch shell. Chop pulp and add 3 cups of breadcrumbs, cheese, salt, pepper and eggs. Fill chayotes shell with this mixture. Mix the rest of breadcrumbs with parmesan cheese and sprinkle over the stuffed chayotes. Dot with butter. Bake in a 450 oven for 15-20 minutes or until browned.

Costa Rica stuffed chili recipe

2006-09-07T11:08:00.000-06:00

Ingredients:

6 big red sweet chili
1 garlic
150 g of minced pig meat
2 sp. of oil
1 small onion
1 small chopped tomato
¼ tsp. of pepper.
2 cups of grounded beans
1 tsp. of salt
5 sp. of milk cream
100g of grated cheese

Preparation:
1. Bake the chili in the oven for 30 minutes approximately. You can do it also in the microwave, inside of a plastic bag with holes for 6 minutes. Once they are roasted, peel them and put away the seeds.

2. Fry the garlic and the meat in the oil. Extract the meat and in the same fat fry the onion and tomato. Then add the grounded beans, the pepper and salt. Let them boil until it becomes a dough. Chop the meat and mix with the dough.

3. With this dough stuff the red chili and put them in a Pyrex. Put a spoon of milk cream over every chili and sprinkle some grated cheese.

4. Put it in the oven for approximately 20 minutes or until they are dry and golden.

Stuffed grapefruit

2006-08-16T09:47:00.000-06:00

Ingredients:
8 small grapefruits
1 tapa de dulce
1 splinter of cinnamon
4 cloves
1 grated lemon skin
1 tsp. of baking soda
200 g of sugar

Stuffing ingredients:
400 g of powdered milk
1 bar of butter
1 can of condensed milk

Optional: You can add 100g of cashew seeds, peanuts or nuts.

Preparation:
1. Peel the grapefruits and put away the pulp.

2. In a hot pot add the grapefruits and cook them with the baking soda for avoiding the bitter taste.

3. When they are ready, wash them and let them in for one day. The have to be very dry.

Syrup for the grapefruits:
-Melt the tapa de dulce with the cinnamon and the cloves. Then cook in the syrup of the grapefruits. Add the grated lemon skin and cook in slow heat.

Stuffing preparation:
-Melt the butter with the condensed milk. Add the powder milk. You can add the seeds. Move until you get a homogenous dough. Fill with this mix the grapefruits and at least, cover them with the sugar.

For approximately: 8 portions

The three milk dessert (Tres leches)

2006-08-12T11:18:00.000-06:00

This recipe is for a traditional Costa Rican dessert.

Recipe by Mario Cordero

6 eggs
1 ¼ cup sugar
1 ½ cup flour
1 teaspoonful vanilla
condensed milk 395 gr (about 14 fluid ounces)
evaporated milk 395 gr (about 14 fluid ounces)
whipping cream 250 ml (about 1 cup) plus another cup to whip for topping
1 ½ teaspoon baking powder

Cake preparation
Beat egg whites to “punto de nieve” (what we call "stiff peaks" in English). Add egg yolks one by one, then add sugar. Add baking powder and flour. Bake in a greased glass mold at 350 F for 15 min. Let it cool off, but do not remove from the glass mold! When cool, poke lightly with a fork all around to aid absorption of the cream mixture.

Mixture preparation
In a blender, lightly mix the condensed milk, evaporated milk and whipping cream and pour over the cake.

Pejibaye cakes

2006-08-09T09:42:00.000-06:00

In July I shared with you the recipe for pejibaye soup. I recently found another tasty and simple recipe to prepare using pejibaye. I am posting it here for all of you to try. By the way, this is not a dessert. I Hope you like it!

Ingredients:
5 cups of pejibaye, grated and cooked
1 cup of corn flour
½ cup of water
1 small onion, fine minced
5 sp. of oil
2 tsp. of salt
Cumin

Preparation:
1. Prepare the dough with the corn flour and add it water until making the dough.
2. Mix the dough with the pejibayes, the onion, the cumin and salt.
3. Make the cakes and then fry them until get a golden color.

Note: As an optional ingredients you can use 1 batter egg or 2 oz of white grated cheese. This must be added to the mix.

For approximately: 4 portions

Tangy Plantain Sauté

2006-08-06T13:02:00.001-06:00

Ingredients
2 green plantains diced into cubes
3 cloves garlic minced
1 medium onion minced
3 tablespoons olive oil
1/4 cup red bell pepper diced
5 medium sized mushrooms, diced
1/4 cup chopped cilantro
1 8oz can tomato sauce
1 cup water
1/2 packet Sazon Goya
3 tablespoons Salsa Lizano
salt & pepper to taste

Preparation
Green platain: First ensure that the green platains have been refrigerated overnight. This will make them easier to peel. To peel them, score it along one side of it’s length. With the knife partially under the skin begin to loosen it. Using your hands (thumb works real good) peel the skin off . Then dice them into cubes. Once cubed put them in water and let soak while you prepare the rest of the ingredients.

In a large sauté pan (medium heat), add the onions, garlic peppers and
cilantro. Sauté these for 2 or 3 minutes. Add the tomato sauce, Sazon Goya, Salsa Lizano, plantains (drained) and salt/pepper. Stir this until the plantains are seasoned well. Add themushrooms and 1 cup of water. Cook covered over low medium heat for about 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. Serves 4.

Contest to set the record straight on Tico food

2006-07-28T08:24:00.000-06:00

By the A.M. Costa Rica staff
First published July 27, 2006

Costa Rica has not distinguished itself as a nation of wonderful foods, but a cook-off Aug. 6 in Ciudad Colón aims to set the record straight and incorporated traditional dishes as the country's intangible heritage.

The contest has been run by the culture ministry since 2001. Even though the nation's kitchens do not produce show stoppers like Mexico's mole poblano or a Venezuelan arepa, there are a number of dishes that are traditional and can stand comparison with the better-known ones.

This contest is designed for cooks in Escazú, the Cantón de Mora and Santa Ana. And the cook-off will be held in the principal city of Mora, Ciudad Colón, from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m.

To read the whole article click here.

Gallitos de papa

2006-07-19T10:03:00.000-06:00

The Web site RecipeZaar has a great recipe for Gallitos de Papa (corn tortillas with potato) which could be considered some sort of potato tacos. Here I posted only the ingredients necessary for the recipe. If you want more information on the recipe and how to prepare it click here.

Ingredients:
3 large potatoes
2 garlic cloves, chopped finely
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 teaspoon sugar
1 teaspoon paprika or ground annatto seed (if you can find it)
4 corn tortillas
2 teaspoons chopped coriander, if desired, as garnish

4 servings
10 mins prep

Costa Rican food according to Frommer's

2006-07-04T09:23:00.000-06:00

Frommer's Web site has a very complete article about Costa Rican food and drink. It is very interesting and detailed, thus I think it will be very useful to both the person who has no knowledge of what our cuisine is like as to those who have visited us before but would like to know a little more about things such as our meals and dining customs.

An excerpt of the article follows:

"Costa Rican food is not especially memorable. Perhaps that's why there's so much international food available throughout the country. However, if you really want to save money, you'll find that Costa Rican, or tipico, food is always the cheapest nourishment available. It's primarily served in sodas, Costa Rica's equivalent of diners."

To read the whole article click here.

Palm Fruit (pejibaye) Soup recipe

2006-07-02T14:34:00.000-06:00

10-12 pejibayes
3 cups chicken stock
1 Tablespoon vegetable oil
3 cups milk
1 onion chopped
3 cloves garlic chopped or pressed
1 red, yellow or green sweet pepper.
salt and fresh ground black pepper to taste

Wash and boil the pejibayes until soft (about 45 minutes). Remove from the water, and when cool enough to handle, peel and core them. Puree the pejibayes with the chicken stock.

Sauté the onion, garlic, and pepper in the oil until the onions are clear, then combine all the ingredients in a stock pot and simmer for another 5-10 minutes.

Costa Rican tamale recipe

2006-06-30T17:06:00.000-06:00

2 lbs instant corn masa mix
3 lbs (1.4 kg) pork shoulder roast (or beef roast,or boneless chicken)
¼ lb (110 gr) pork lard (or vegetable shortening)
1 cup (240 ml) corn oil
1 batch (~5 cups cooked Tico style rice, see ingredient list and recipe below)
2 ¼ lbs (1 kg) potatoes
8 cloves of garlic
½ lb (225 gr) sweet or hot peppers to taste
1 large onion (optional)
2 ¼ lbs (1 kg) banana leaves (corn husks can be substituted, or if desperate aluminum foil)
coriander leaves (cilantro), salt, black pepper, cumin, oregano, achiote (annato)

Start from raw corn ground for tamales (3 lbs, 1.4 kg Maiz cascado). Soak the flour in water then rinse it well, cook with a tablespoon of achiote, and a little of the garlic and peppers in salted water to just cover until tender then stand overnight. The next day, knead it into dough. You should probably have a demonstration first if you're going to try this method. For first timers we'd suggest the Masa version described below.

Chop the meat into large (2", 5 cm) chunks then brown on high heat in the ½ cup lard or vegetable oil. Add the chopped garlic, peppers, onion, 1 teaspoon salt, 1teaspoon cumin, ½ teaspoon black pepper, and 1 teaspoon salt for the last minute or two of browning, then cover with water and simmer until very tender (2-3 hours). Remove the meat from the broth and reserve the broth. When the meat is cool shred it finely. While the meat is simmering prepare the potatoes and rice.

Peel the potatoes and boil with salt, cilantro, and oregano to taste until soft. Cool and cut into ½ inch (1 cm) cubes.

Rica Foods delisted from the American Stock Exchange

2006-06-26T14:23:00.000-06:00

Miami, Fla. (PRNewswire) - Rica Foods Inc., the parent company of Costa Rica’s largest poultry producer Corporacion Pipasa, announced today that the company received a notice from the Committee on Securities of the American Stock Exchange that the Committee had affirmed the decision of the Listing Qualifications Panel to delist the company's common stock from the American Stock Exchange.

The staff of the Listing Qualifications Department had initiated delisting procedures due to the Company's delinquency in filing required reports with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

The Company intends to seek quotation of its securities on the Pink Sheets, a centralized electronic quotation service for over-the-counter securities, to the extent market makers demonstrate an interest in trading in the Company's common stock. However, the Company can give no assurance that trading in its stock will commence on the Pink Sheets or in any other forum. In addition, the Company may not be able to satisfy certain requirements of the Pink Sheets or other trading forums until it becomes current with the filing of its required SEC reports.

Corporacion Pipasa covers approximately 52 percent of the Costa Rican total poultry market. Some of the companies Pipasa supplies poultry products in Costa Rica to are Burger King, Pizza Hut, Price Smart, Subway, KFC, Gerber Products, and McDonald's restaurants in Central America.

Overview of Costa Rican food

2006-06-10T15:52:00.000-06:00

By the New York Times

Costa Rican specialties include arroz con pollo (chicken with rice), ensalada de palmito (heart-of-palm salad), sopa negra (black-bean soup), and casados (plates of rice, beans, fried plantains, salad, cheese, and fish or meat).

Take advantage of the plato del día (plate of the day), an inexpensive lunch special that often includes a main course, fresco natural (fresh fruit drink), soup, and dessert.

The most popular fish on Tico menus is corvina, a white flaky fish. Tico food is often mild, but the capital has a smorgasbord of international restaurants, should you need some variety.

Restaurants in the Central Valley include everything from rustic mountain lodges to the exceptional eateries in the hills above Escazu. Guanacaste's traditional foods derive from dishes prepared by pre-Columbian Chorotega Indians. Typical fare includes frito guanacasteco (black beans, rice, vegetables, and meat) and arroz de maíz (a kind of corn stew).

Meat lovers, rejoice: the northwest, whose plains are covered with cattle ranches, produces the country's best steak. On the Nicoya Peninsula, seafood is plentiful: camarones (shrimp), langostinos (a kind of lobster), and a fine variety of fish are served in most restaurants at reasonable prices. Restaurants in Manuel Antonio and Jacó on the Pacific Coast serve some of the best food in Costa Rica: thanks to world-class fishing, seafood is the forte of the area's best chefs.

In San Jose, wherever you eat, be it a small soda (cafe) or a sophisticated restaurant, dress is casual. Meals tend to be taken earlier than in other Latin American countries; few restaurants serve past 10pm. Note that 23% is added to all menu prices -- 13% for tax and 10% for service. Because a gratuity is included, there is no need to tip. However, if your service is good, it's nice to add something to the obligatory 10%.

Drinks in Costa Rica

2006-06-03T11:36:00.000-06:00

The traditional breakfast drink, besides coffee, is called agua dulce ("sweet water") and is made from "tapa de dulce". Sugar cane juice is boiled down in traditional "trapiches" and put to solidify in molds in the form of conical sections with the top cut off called tapas which can literally be translated into "Lids". Then some of this tapa is scraped off and dissolved into boiling water or milk to make the sweet "agua dulce".

The traditional drinks for lunch are called refrescos or "frescos" for short, and consist of liquified fruits diluted in either water or milk and sweetened to taste. They come in many varieties such as melon, blackberry, strawberry, watermelon, Mango, tamarind, passion fruit, guanabana and cas.

The national liquor of Costa Rica is made from sugar cane and is called Guaro. The primary producer of Guaro is Cacique and the liquor is similar to rum. Ticos drink Guaro as a shot or mixed with juice or soda. The cost of Guaro is very cheap compared to the cerveza (beer) in Costa Rica which is run by a monopoly. Imperial is the most popular and is an American style lager; the Pilsen is a bohemian style pilsner; and Bavaria is offered in Light, Dark or Gold. The Dutch beer, Heineken, is also produced in Costa Rica but tastes a little different.

Text: property of Wikipedia