Bowl of Pink Beans
(click to enlarge)

Pink Beans


Puerto Rico   -   Habichuelas Rosadas | Habichuelas Guisadas
Makes:
Effort:
Sched:
DoAhead:  		 4 cups
***
2 hrs
Yes		 An obligatory dish in Puerto Rican households, often served several times a week, because it's delicious. See also Comments.




1
3
6
1/2
1
3/4
1/4
1/2
2
1
1
1/3
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c
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oz
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T
c
c
T
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Pink Beans (1)
Ham, Smoked
Kabocha Squash (2)
Annatto Oil (4)
Olive Oil ExtV
Sofrito (3)
Tomato Paste
Oregano, dried
Culantro fresh (5)
Cilantro
Salt
Pepper, black
-- Serve With
Steamed White Rice (6)  
Do Ahead   -   (Overnight for Beans   50 min, for the Sofrito - includes making Alcaparrado)
  1. Soak PINK BEANS overnight with a half tablespoon of salt, or at least 8 hours.
  2. Prepare Sofrito if not already on hand.
Prep   -   (20 min)
  1. Dice HAM about 1/4 inch.
  2. Peel KABOCHA (optional). Cut into 3/8 to 1/2 inch dice.
  3. Chop CULANTRO and CILANTRO small. Measure is after chopping and moderately packed. Mix.
Run   -   (1-1/2 hr)
  1. In a 2 or 3 quart sauce pan, place Beans, Ham, and enough Water to cover the beans by 1-1/2 inches. Bring to a boil uncovered, then simmer covered until beans are just tender, about 45 minutes.
  2. Strain out Beans and Ham - reserving water.
  3. Clean and dry the saucepan. Combine Annatto Oil, Olive Oil, and Sofrito in the pan. Fry stirring over high heat for about 2 minutes.
  4. Stir in Tomato Paste and Oregano for 1 minute.
  5. Stir in Beans and Kabocha. Add 2 cups of the Reserved Water. Bring to a boil and simmer until Kabocha is tender, about 30 minutes.
  6. Adjust liquid if needed. The stew should be thick but not dry.
  7. Stir in Culantro mix, Salt, and Pepper, check seasoning to your liking.
  8. Serve hot with steamed Rice.
NOTES:

  1. Pink Beans:

      These are very popular in Puerto Rico, and in other parts of the Caribbean. One cup dried makes one pound soaked. You could use 2 cans of canned Pink Beans, if you aren't still boycotting Goya for promoting Trump on TV. If you can't get Pink Beans, Pinto Beans are a decent substitute.

  2. Kabocha Squash:

      This easily available hard squash is a perfect stand in for Puerto Rican Calabaza (West Indies Pumpkin). For details see our Kabocha Squash page.

  3. Sofrito:

      This is an indispensable flavor base for Puerto Rican cooking. See our recipe Sofrito - (Formal). We also have a much simpler recipe, Sofrito - Informal - a type of Sofrito also used to make this dish. Some even use Recaíto.

  4. Annatto Oil:

      You should already have this because it is used in making the Sofrito. For recipe see our Achiote / Annatto page.

  5. Culantro:

      [Sawtooth Herb; Recao (Puerto Rico)]   Popular in the Caribbean, Central America, and Southeast Asia. Here in Los Angeles, this herb is easiest to find in the large Asian markets. If you can't get it, use Cilantro leaves and tender stems, but about twice as much. For details see our Culantro page.

  6. Rice:

      Medium grain California type rice is the dominant rice used in Puerto Rico. Kohada Rose is the best. Like so many food writers, I'll usually use Thai Jasmine anyway.

  7. Comments

      This recipe would probably be doubled in a Puerto Rican household. This recipe is much more convenient for a household that does a lot of Puerto Rican cooking, because the Sofrito, or at least the major ingredients for making it, will be on hand as a matter of kitchen routine. Our recipe for Sofrito - (Formal) makes enough for several dishes. For vegetarian, just skip the Ham, in the Sofrito and the Beans, won't make a lot of difference.
  8. U.S. measure: t=teaspoon, T=Tablespoon, c=cup, qt=quart, oz=ounce, #=pound, cl=clove in=inch, ar=as required tt=to taste
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