PUERTO RICAN RICE AND BEANS (ARROZ CON HABICHUELAS)

Puerto Rican Rice And Beans (Arroz Con Habichuelas) image

Provided by TishT

Time 1h5m

Yield 1 pot full

Number Of Ingredients 16

4 cups water
8 ounces smoked ham hock
1 cup dried pinto bean
1 cup uncooked long grain white rice
1 teaspoon olive oil
1 dash sesame oil
1/2 onion, peeled and diced
2 cloves garlic, smash and chop
1 large red bell pepper, seeded and diced
2 jalapeno peppers, seeded and diced
1 tablespoon chopped fresh oregano
1 (15 ounce) can peeled plum tomatoes, drain reserve juice
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground pepper
3 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
2 tablespoons capers

Steps:

Place the water and ham hock in a pressure cooker, check to make sure the steam release holes are clear and cook for 5 minutes.
Add the pinto beans and cook 20 minutes more.
Add the rice, and when the pressure cooker"hisses," cook for another 5 minutes.
While the rice and beans cook, heat the oil in a large skillet and saute the onion and garlic until the onion becomes translucent.
Add the red pepper, jalapeno peppers, oregano and tomatoes, stirring and chopping as you go.
Add 1/4 cup of the reserved tomato juice, half of the salt and half of the pepper.
Lower the heat and simmer 15 minutes.
After the rice and beans have cooked, remove the ham hock, slice off 2 ounces of lean meat and reserve.
Add the cooked rice and beans to the pepper-tomato mixture in the skillet.
Stir in the reserved ham hock meat, 2 Tbs of the cilantro, the capers and the remaining salt and pepper.
To serve: Spoon into bowls and garnish with the remaining cilantro.