Spanish Rice and Beans

Ohh! The family secret?! Not quite.... but I can help guide you there.

Coming from a Puerto Rican background, I grew up on rice and beans (and my favorite, tostones!). My dad and his family were born in Lares, Puerto Rico and my mom... well, she is Irish. My Spanish grandmother taught my mom everything she knew about cooking before she passed. Now my mom cooks just like a Puerto Rican, which is great for me! I was passed this recipe - but the secret weapon is just that, a secret..
It is called sofrito, and it provides all the flavoring in a sauce for the beans. Sofrito is made up of different vegetables and spices - blended together and then frozen into cubes. I am sure there are many recipes online for sofrito - but mine will be staying locked away in our little family box!


Ingredients:
For the BEANS-
3 cubes Sofrito
1/2 small can of tomato sauce
1/4 cup Olive Oil
1/4 cup water
1 can pink beans (GOYA)
*Optional: Green Olives
For the RICE-
2 cups Carolina White Rice
1/2 cup Olive oil
Water * See step 1
Salt (generous amount)


Directions:

1.  Fill rice pot halfway with water. Pour in rice, Olive oil and salt. Cover pot.

2. Bring rice to a boil on medium heat, stirring often and boil until water is evaporated.

3. Lower heat. Pile rice towards the center of the pot and cover with foil, then with pot cover. Let cook for about 30 minutes, stirring often.

4. Meanwhile in a medium sized sauce pan on medium heat, heat up sofrito, tomato sauce, oil and water until all are mixed together and melted. Lower heat to very low.

5.  Pour in can of beans and heat on very low for about 10 minutes. You can add some green olives in with the beans!

*above: Sofrito, tomato sauce, oil and water

 *above: Served with chipotle panko chicken cutlets