Best Congri Recipes

CUBAN-STYLE ARROZ CONGRí

Steps:

• Rinse the beans and pick them over for any small stones. Put the beans and 8 cups water in a medium-size pot. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a low simmer, partly cover and cook until tender, about 1 to 2 hours. (Time will vary depending on the bean.)
• Meanwhile, make the sofrito: Put the oil in a medium-size pot (large enough to hold the rice as well) over medium heat. When it's hot, add the onion, green pepper and garlic. Add a pinch of salt and several grinds of pepper. Sauté until the vegetables are limp. Stir in the oregano, dill and bay leaves and remove from heat.
• Drain the beans, reserving the broth and being careful to not break the beans. In a large measuring cup, add the vinegar and wine, 1 cup of the reserved bean broth and enough water for all the liquid to measure 2 1/4 cups.
• Put the sofrito back on medium heat, add the rice and stir to combine. Cook the rice for 1 to 2 minutes, then add the seasoned bean broth/water mixture and the salt. Bring to a boil, stir, then reduce to a simmer, cover and cook for 17 minutes. Remove from heat, fluff with a fork and return cover to pot for 10 minutes.
• Remove bay leaves and put rice mixture into a mixing bowl. Gently mix in the beans, being careful not to break them. Season well with salt and pepper and transfer to a serving bowl. Serve hot.

ARROZ CONGRI (CUBAN RICE AND BLACK BEANS)

Steps:

• In a heavy medium sized pot, heat oil on medium heat. Add onions, peppers and garlic and saute until soft, about 4-5 minutes. Add rice, beans, water, cumin, bay leaf, oregano and salt and pepper Simmer on medium-low heat, stirring occasionally, until the rice absorbs most of the water and just barely skims the top of the rice Cover, reduce heat to low, and simmer 20 minute (don't peek). Make sure you have a good seal on your cover, the steam cooks the rice. After 20 minutes, shut flame off and let it sit, covered another 5 minutes (don't open the lid).

CUBAN-STYLE CRISTIANOS Y MOROS (CONGRI)

Steps:

• Soak the beans for at least 4 hours.
• In a large stock pot add the drained beans, the onion, 4 garlic cloves, bay leaves, 1/2 bell pepper, cumin and oregano. Bring to a boil and skim off foam.
• Reduce the heat, cover and gently simmer, stirring occasionally, for one hour or until beans are tender. Add water to keep the beans from drying out. Remove the onion, garlic, bay leaves, and bell pepper and discard.
• SOFRITO: Brown the bacon in a frying pan over medium heat. Drain the bacon. Pour off the fat from the pan except for 1 teaspoon.
• Add olive oil and remaining sofrito ingredients, cooking over medium heat until just beginning to brown, about 3 minutes. Stir the sofrito into the beans, along with the SEASONINGS. Continue simmmering until beans are very soft, about 20 minutes. Adjust seasonings to taste before serving. Serve with hot cooked white rice.

EASY CONGRI

Steps:

• Cook bacon, ham, onions, green peppers and garlic in large skillet on medium-high heat until bacon is crisp.
• Add beans with their liquid, the rice, oregano and black pepper; stir. Bring to boil.
• Reduce heat to medium-low; simmer 5 min., stirring occasionally.

ARROZ CONGRÍ (RICE WITH BEANS)

Steps:

• Wash the beans with tap water. Place beans in bowl and soak in water for about 2 hours before cooking. Place them in a pressure cooker with same water where they soaked and add additional, water to cover about 2" to 3" above the beans. Cook on medium heat for about 40 to 45 minutes. Remove from heat, release pressure, uncover and ensure all grains are tender. Remove and separate beans from stock and set the stock aside. Let the beans cool for about 15 minutes. In a large pot, add the olive oil and heat over medium heat. Add the pork or ham pieces, sauté alone for about 3 minutes; then, add the onion, bell pepper, garlic and oregano and sauté for about 3-4 more minutes. Add 5 cups of the bean stock that you set aside, add the beans, the rice, the bay leaf and salt. Stir, cover the pot and bring to a boil over medium heat. Stir again a few times to prevent sticking to the pot, and reduce heat to low. Continue cooking over low heat until almost all of the liquid has been absorbed, about 15 to 20 minutes, and the rice is done. Stir the rice again with a fork and remove from heat. (Discard the bay leaf before serving).

CONGRI (CUBAN BLACK BEANS AND RICE)

Steps:

• 1. Soak beans overnight before cooking. Cook beans in six cups of water by bringing to a boil. Remove and let stand for about 60 minutes. DO NOT discard the liquid.
• 2. In cast iron skillet place the vegetable oil and rice and stir until the grains get oily. This prevents the rice grains from sticking to each other.
• 3. Add garlic, onion, bell pepper, cumin, bay leaf, oregano, black pepper and salt.
• 4. Add 2 cups liquid from the beans, bring to boil and cook on slow heat for about 25 minutes or until liquid is almost absorbed by the rice. Lower the flame, cover the pot with foil or a lid to seal in the steam.
• 5. If the rice is still hard, add more bean liquid, a little at a time. Cook until rice is well done.
• 6. Once the rice is ready, add the beans that have drained and stir. Saute one chopped garlic clove with the olive oil in a small pan and pour over the rice to add addiitional flavor and shine.

CUBAN-STYLE RED BEANS AND RICE - CONGRI TRADITIONAL

Steps:

• Cook bacon in a Dutch oven over medium heat until crsip.
• Remove bacon from pan, reserving 1 tablespoon drippings in pan, crumble bacon, and set aside on paper towel to drain.
• Add oil to pan.
• Add onion and bell pepper; sauté over medium-high heat 4 minutes or until onion is tender.
• Add garlic; sauté 1 minute or just until garlic begins to brown.
• Add tomato paste; cook 1 minute, stirring constantly.
• Add rice, oregano, cumin, salt, and black pepper; cook 2 minutes, stirring constantly.
• Place reserved bacon and bay leaf in pan; stir in 6 cans of broth and bring to a boil.
• Cover, reduce heat and simmer 20 minutes or until rice is tender.
• Remove from heat; discard bay leaf.
• Stir in remaining can of broth and beans.
• Cook 5 minutes over low heat or until heated through, stirring frquently, but carefully.
• Garnish with green onions, if desired or/and parsley, if desired.

MOROS CON CRISTIANOS (CONGRí) RECIPE BY TASTY

Steps:

• In a pressure cooker on medium heat, saute diced pork belly until pieces are crunchy and have released all the grease.
• Increase heat to medium-high, add sausage and bacon, and cook thoroughly. Once cooked through, add the green pepper, fry, and add onions and stir until transparent.
• Lower heat to Medium, add crushed garlic and rice, and mix thoroughly. To this add cumin, oregano, and any other desired spices.
• Next, add the black beans (without draining), 2 cups of water, bay leaf, and vinegar and mix. Season with salt or seasoning as necessary.
• Cover and cook on medium for 15-20 minutes, then let rest.
• Serve warm.

QUICK AND EASY ARROZ CONGRí

Steps:

• Heat olive oil over medium-high heat in a ~4 quart pot, uncovered. Make sure the pot has a tight fitting lid for cooking the rice later, though.
• Once olive oil is fragrant, add onions. Sauté for 2-3 minutes, stirring occasionally.
• Add bell pepper and continue to sauté and stir for another 1-2 minutes.
• Add garlic and continue to sauté and stir for 1-2 minutes, being careful not to let the garlic burn.
• If using, add oregano.
• Add package of yellow rice. Break apart the spice mixture and stir continuously until rice is coated with oil. Continue sautéing until rice just begins to smell nutty.
• Add water and bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer and cover tightly. Let rice simmer, undisturbed, for 20 minutes.
• After rice has finished cooking, add black beans and black bean soup. Stir until well combined, and keep over low heat until beans are heated through.

UNCLE SALVI'S CONGRI

Steps:

• Cut bacon into small bits (1/2 inch) and fry in pot until brown.
• Dice onion and green pepper, put in with bacon and stir fry.
• Add garlic, onion powder, salt, cumin and vinegar.
• Stir in kitchen bouquet.
• Add the rice and fry with mixture.
• Add 5 cups of water and olive oil plus bay leaf.
• Add the black beans and bring to a boil.
• Simmer with lid on for 20 minutes.
• Take off stove and simmer until moist.

CONGRI

Steps:

• Microwave 13 minutes on high, then 8 minutes on medium