Red Beans & Rice and Plantains

There is this great little restaurant in our neighborhood called Cafe Con Leche that has excellent Cuban/Caribbean food. Our favorite thing to order is the chicken and rice and beans (arroz con pollo), and green plantains (tostones). I wouldn't necessarily give this  meal an A+ for being uber healthy, I mean the plantains are fried, albeit not deep fried or anything. But I use wild rice which is really healthy, and plantains themselves are full of fiber (complex carbs vs. simple starches) , B vitamins, and minerals. Plus, red kidney beans are full of vitamins, minerals and protein. Yes, that does make me feel better. 

Tonight I created that meal. So good. I must note that my husband is particularly good at preparing the plantains, as he did tonight.

Red Beans & Rice

1 T olive oil

1 cup wild rice

2 tsp ground cumin

1 (15 oz) can red kidney beans, undrained

1 3/4 cups water

1 cup chopped, cooked chicken (you can use leftovers, or grill up some chicken in olive oil and toss it with a few pinches of kosher salt and ground cumin)

Heat a medium pot over high heat and add the oil and rice, stirring frequently to toast. Add the cumin and stir until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add the undrained beans and the water and stir well to combine. Cover and reduce heat to low to simmer. Stir about every 5 minutes until cooked. Fold in the chicken chunks just before serving.  

Plantains

2 unripe (green) plantains, peeled and cut into 1 inch pieces

Canola oil for frying

Kosher salt to season

Heat a large skillet over medium high heat and add enough oil to cover the bottom completely (these are not deep fried). Place about 8-10 pieces of the plantain cut side down into the pan and fry for a few minutes on each side. Using tongs, remove each piece to a cutting board and using an object with a flat surface (I used the back of a metal measuring cup), apply pressure directly down onto each piece to smash it down. Return to the oil for about 30 seconds to crisp, then drain on a paper towel and season with kosher salt immediately. You will need to work in batches so you don't crowd the pan, probably 2-3 batches for 2 large plantains.