Best Uncle Salvis Congri Recipes

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.

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.

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.

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.