By Jo Cooper
What can be better than cooking with friends? Recently Rosenny and I took over the main kitchen at the Center and headed out on a culinary adventure, cooking lunch for the whole office. She brought the beans, rice, and spices, and I brought fresh veggies from the farm market. We got things going, and pretty soon colleagues were drifting in, curious. This is the smell of the Dominican Republic, friends, said Rosenny. When the whole thing gets together, it’s going to be something out of this world.
This was mindful cooking. We drank in the colors, smells and traditions, spicing everything with smiles and laughter. The magic ingredient that makes these beans like no other is sofrito, a pungent blend of Cubanelle pepper, garlic, onion, cilantro, fresh thyme and spices. Click here for the complete recipe as we made it. The results? A low cost, nutrition-packed menu that easily served us all, of Texmati brown rice, black beans Dominican style, and a gorgeous fresh salad that smelled like sunlight, with a simple lemon and olive oil dressing.
The slides show the step-by-step, and the happy faces of our friends. Mmmmmmmm….! Even the dishwashers were cheerful.
Bon voyage!
ps– what are some of your favorite big flavor, low cost, feed-a-crowd, nutritious meals?
