Gallo Pinto with salsa Lizzano

Gallo Pinto is a traditional Costa Rican staple that is typically eaten during breakfast with a side of scrambled eggs and sweet plantains! During our trip last fall I opted to eat it for every single meal and thoroughly enjoyed it with the side of slasa Lizano! You can easily find a jar on Amazon but I found that the sauce is incredibly easy to make!

Although a completely different cuisine I made the pinto gallo today along with papusas filled with cheese and beans!! 

2 tbsp oil

3 cups of cooked short grained rice

2 cups cooked black beans

1/2 cup salsa lizano (Store bought or homemade)

1 red pepper finely chopped

1/2 yellow onion finely chopped

2 - 4 cloves of garlic finely chopped

1/2 cup chopped cilantro 

Heat oil saute onions till pink, add the garlic and peppers and saute for a few minutes. Add beans and salsa and let it cook till it becomes a little dry and mix in the rice! Heat more until it dries out a little more and that is it my friends. Simple as that!!

Salsa Lizano

There is a particular bottled salsa on every table in Costa Rica. It’s called Lizano and the first 

time you taste it you have to stop and savor it’s really pleasant in a sweet, smoky, tangy way

 — like A1 meets tamarind paste — and then you’re addicted and you look at the label because 

You’re already hooked!!

It is super easy to make and stores super well in the refrigerator!

• 1 to 2 dried red chilies, 
• 1/2 cups water
• 1/2 small yellow onion
• 1 4-inch piece thick carrot, chopped
• 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
• 2 tablespoons fresh squeezed lemon juice
• 1 tablespoon white vinegar
• 1 tablespoon ground cumin
• 2 teaspoons fine salt
• 2 teaspoons molasses (I used pomegranate molasses because that's all I had)
• 2 teaspoons all-natural vegetable broth base, optional
• 1 cup cilantro along with stems washed well. 

1. Remove the stems of the chilies. Pre-heat a 6-8-inch cast iron or stainless steel skillet over 
2. medium heat. Lay the chile pieces in the pan and toast, turning after about 2 minutes. Add the
3. water and lower the heat to bring the water to a simmer. Simmer for about five minutes. Add
4. onion and carrot and simmer for 5 more minutes. Place everything 

   in blender including other 
5. ingredients.  
6. Blend until smooth. Taste for seasoning. Sauce will keep in refrigerator for up to two weeks.

Enjoy!!! Until next time...XOXO

These were the pictures from my trip!!