Gallo pinto with fried bananas

There are days when nothing hit’s the spot like a cold, raw banana chopped into a bowl of müsli and yogurt.

These are not those days.

I walked home two nights ago in a slippery, frosty city and woke up to one that was blanketed in that precious, brief white fluff, the type that all too quickly changes (for the worse) in colour and texture.  Thick, premium snowflakes tumbled in slow motion from the soft gray above.  These days do not come often, and they do not last long.

These days, bananas should be fried.

while I’m offering unsolicited advice, I would also add that :

• jackets should be thick
• hair should NOT be wet
• socks should be wool
• those bananas should be eaten with beans before facing the world outside

I can’t remember when I first tried Gallo Pinto, or frankly, why I don’t make it more often, but basically all you need to do is warm up some cooked black beans and rice with the thick, savoury broth from cooking the beans and some fried onions and cilantro, gently fry some bananas in butter, and serve.  You could, if you wanted, add some cumin or tomato paste or turmeric or chopped jalapeño to the beans and rice.  You could, too, add some maple syrup and flaked salt to the bananas as they caramelize.  There would be nothing wrong with that.   But there is something perfectly comforting about the salt-and-pepper simplicity of this dish that I prefer just as is.

Gallo Pinto with Fried Bananas

serves 4

notes:

Although the texture of cooked dried beans is nicer here, canned beans would work too – just keep the liquid from the can.

I used long grain brown rice, but basically any type of rice would work, leftovers included.

• 3 cups cooked rice
• 4 cups cooked black beans, drained but with cooking liquid reserved ( rice, leftovers included, would work)
• 1 large onion, finely chopped
• 1 cup chopped cilantro
• salt and pepper to taste
• 4 bananas, peeled and sliced in half lengthwise
• a few pats of butter (or coconut oil)

In a large saucepan over medium heat, melt the butter and then add the onions, stirring every so often to prevent sticking until onion becomes translucent, 5-7 minutes.  Add half of the cilantro and season with some salt and pepper.  Cook until the cilantro softens and becomes fragrant, then add the cooked rice and beans.  add about 1 cup of bean broth and let everything cook until the liquid is soaked up.  Keep adding liquid one cup at a time as necessary – you want a texture that isn’t quite mushy, but is dancing in that direction.  If you run out of bean broth, use water instead.  Once the beans and rice are hot and have reached desired softness, remove from heat and set aside.

In a large skillet over medium heat, melt about 2 tablespoons of butter.   Once the butter is hot and starts to smell like butter, add the banans face down, and let them cook until slightly caramelised.  It should take a few minutes, but you will need to lift a bit of banana to peek under and check progress.   Then, gently flip the bananas to caramelise on the other side.  (They will be quite soft, so if you want them to stay whole, be careful with this step.   Of course, they will taste just as good if they break apart, though, so don’t worry too much.)  If all 8 banana slices don’t comfortably fit in your pan at once, simply fry half at a time and repeat as need.

To serve, divide the beans and rice between four plates, place 2 slices of banana on each bean mountain and sprinkle with the rest of the cilantro.