In honor of our trip to Costa Rica earlier this month, I’ve decided to focus this meal around Costa Rican cuisine. I’ve tried to track down the most authentic recipes I could find, but because I haven’t asked any actual Costa Ricans, I make no promises. I can promise that these recipes are delicious, though.
We ate so much amazing food while we were in Costa Rica, so it was really hard to choose just one meal’s worth of recipes. But some of the things that I remember most about our trip were the amazing breakfasts. They consisted of rice and beans, eggs, delicious fruit, and occasionally a slice of cake. Though it took me a day or two to get used to the concept of eating rice and beans in the morning, I came to love it. As Roberto from Coopedota said, this typical Costa Rican breakfast meal is light and full of energy.
In place of the usual dessert item, I’ve included a recipe for chocolate cake that was given to me by Cecilia and Rosita, our hostesses at our hotel in Santa Maria de Dota. This cake was an accompaniment to our breakfast on our last day at Cecilia’s hotel, and I was ecstatic when the women called me into their kitchen to give me the recipe. Though we didn’t share a common language, Cecilia, Rosita and I communicated in the international language of women sharing recipes in the kitchen. How great is that?
GALLO PINTO
Gallo Pinto, or Rice and Black Beans
At least, I think it’s called gallo pinto, I’m not really sure. I really should get around to buying a Rosetta Stone for Spanish!
INGREDIENTS
-2 Tablespoons of Red Palm Oil
-1 medium onion, finely chopped
-2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
-3 cups white rice, cooked
-2 cups cooked black beans, drained and rinsed*
-1 teaspoon ground cumin
-1 teaspoon ground coriander
-1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
-2 or 3 Tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
DIRECTIONS
Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add onion, sauté until it just begins to turn color. Add garlic and sauté for about 5 minutes, or until onion is golden brown. Stir in spices and Worcestershire sauce.
Add cooked beans and rice, continue to stir so the mixture is heated evenly. Add salt and pepper to taste, and serve hot.
If you like, you can garnish the rice and beans with chopped cilantro or green onions.
*I buy canned black beans to save time. I haven’t tried it using beans I’ve cooked myself, so if you decide to try this, let me know how it goes.
Scrambled Eggs
Consider yourselves special: I’ve never shared my secret for scrambled eggs before. I know it sounds odd, but one of the most important elements is your spatula. I use a high-heat spatula with a wooden handle from Sur la Table. Whichever spatula you choose, make sure it can withstand high temperatures so the silicone end doesn’t melt into your eggs.
If you’re vegan or just simply don’t care for eggs, you can skip this part and add extra fruit to your plate, or maybe some avocado. Actually, if you can find good organic avocado this time of year, I commend you.
DIRECTIONS
In a small (8″ or so) non-stick frying pan, heat a few teaspoons of coconut oil over medium-low heat. In a small bowl, crack eggs (two per person) quickly and precisely against edge of bowl, checking for bits of shell after each egg is cracked. Add a dollop of fresh cream and some salt, and whisk the mixture until well blended.
Grate some of your favorite hard cheese, and set aside. I like to use a good medium or sharp cheddar.
Once the oil is hot, pour the egg mixture into the pan. When you can see a thin layer of cooked eggs forming on the bottom of the pan, scrape the bottom and sides of the pan, bringing the cooked portion up to the center. Do this frequently, you should expect to get a very small amount of cooked egg each time so that no large chunks can form.
Wait until the eggs are a little over halfway cooked, and then sprinkle the grated cheese into the middle of the eggs. Continue scraping the bottom and edges of the pan, folding the cooked egg over the center, until the eggs are just done. I have a classic Betty Crocker cookbook that has a great diagram showing eggs that are undercooked and overdone, but since it’s probably illegal to scan it and post it here, you’ll just have to learn how to tell when eggs are done by practicing. Some people like them firmer, and some prefer their eggs to resemble custard; I like them in-between, at that perfect consistency where the eggs are fully cooked but still moist.
Serve the eggs hot, alongside the rice and beans. You can garnish your eggs with chopped green onions or salsa, if you’re into that sort of thing.
Fruit
Yeah, I know fruit doesn’t need a recipe. But I think it’s important to talk about the kinds of fruit we had in Costa Rica.
The best fruit we had during our trip, hands down, was the mango. Sweet LORD, I’ve never had better mango, ever. We learned that when mangoes are imported to the U.S., federal regulations require that the fruits are dunked in boiling water for minutes at a time. This regulation was developed to prevent a particular type of fruit fly from entering the country, though I heard from someone at our table that the species of fly got in anyway. It’s such a shame that these amazing fruits are essentially boiled and reconstituted, and that’s what we’re used to here in the States. In Central America, they think we’re crazy. And, honestly, we kind of are.
If you can stand the idea that your mango has undergone this process, by all means, go ahead. Matt Rogers from EARTH University told us that the mangoes imported from Asia don’t have to go through the hot water process, but he also said that they’re hard to find.
To learn how to properly cut a mango, EatingWell.com has helpful directions and photos. You can also serve this breakfast dish with sliced bananas or papaya, which is what I’ve been doing.
Coffee
Ahhhh, coffee. How could one visit Costa Rica and not rave about the coffee? To get the authentic experience, go to your nearest Whole Foods and buy some of Allegro’s Costa Rican Dota Reserve or Providencia beans (not yet on the company’s website). MAKE SURE you buy whole beans and grind them yourself. Buy just a week’s worth of beans, and when you get them home, store them in an airtight container. There’s a myth that you’re supposed to store coffee beans in the refrigerator; all this will do is make your coffee taste like last night’s roast, which is kind of foul. Don’t do that.
Ted and I make our coffee in a French press from Bodum. I don’t care if it’s clichéd, the Bodum press kicks ass. Buy a glass French press, and wash it with soap every time you use it. Just be sure to let the glass cool before it’s washed, or else it may break.
I like my coffee black, but sometimes, if I’m feeling naughty, I’ll stir in a couple of teaspoons of raw honey and some cream or steamed milk. It’s also good black with a little pinch of cinnamon, though coffee purists would cringe at the idea of flavoring their brew at all.
CHOCOLATE CAKE
Cake Recipe from Cecilia and Rosita
Left to right: Cecilia, Rosita, and me
Like I said at the beginning of the post, on our last day in Santa Maria de Dota, we were served slices of a delicious chocolate cake along with the traditional breakfast goods. Ted expressed to Cecilia how much he liked it, and before we knew it she had wrapped several pieces in foil for our trip, and then I was in the kitchen speaking with the two women, trying to remember some of my high school Spanish. We communicated well enough, and it turned out that Rosita spoke decent English. As a result of their generous hospitality and their willingness to share with me, I’m able to bring you the cake recipe below.
INGREDIENTS
-2 large or 3 small eggs [juevos]
-3 cups all-purpose flour [harina]
-2 teaspoons baking powder [bolbo de hornear]
-2 teaspoons baking soda [bicarbonato]
-2 cups sugar [azucar]
-1 cup cocoa powder [bolbo de chocolate]
-2 teaspoons vanilla [vanilla, pronounced "banilla"]
-1 teaspoon salt [sal]
-1 cup milk [leche]
-1 cup oil [aceite]*
-1 cup boiling water
*I don’t know what oil Cecilia and Rosita used, but I’m using a blend of equal parts macadamia nut oil and coconut oil for this cake.
DIRECTIONS
Preheat oven to 325º F. Mix all ingredients (except hot water) in a stand mixer for 5 minutes; I use my KitchenAid mixer. If you don’t have a stand mixer, I’m sure you could use a hand mixer; just be sure to use a spatula to scrape the sides of the bowl frequently.
Add the hot water, and continue to mix for about 5 more minutes. Prepare a glass baking dish (9″ x 13″) by rubbing oil on sides and bottom of dish.
The women didn’t say how long to bake the cake, they just said to test for doneness by inserting a toothpick in the center, and making sure it comes out clean. I made this cake yesterday, and I had to leave it in the oven for nearly an hour.
When the cake is done, remove the dish from the oven and set it on a cooling rack. After about 10–15 minutes, use a knife to cut it into squares, and serve warm.
To store this cake, remove the squares from the pan, and wrap them in foil. You can store it in an airtight container or your refrigerator for a few days, though you’ll probably finish it off by then.
¡Gracias Cecilia y Rosita!
MUSIC
Album: Beirut, Gulag Orkestar
This album is SO GOOD. Postcards from Italy is my current favorite song, though I love them all. I’m not sure how to describe Beirut’s music, though it’s kind of like going to a Russian circus with a bunch of hipsters in tow.
But what does this have to do with Costa Rica? Absolutely nothing. I chose this album in honor of our friend Jessica, who has been able to schedule two visits with us in one month. She said that Beirut was good, and now I love it, so I’m giving her credit. Thanks Jess!
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