From patacones to empanadas and from ceviche to arroz con pollo, Latin food has a very distinct flavor. A dollop of that flavor is on staff at Maple Grove Hospital.
Costa Rican Rolando Diaz of Maple Grove has spiced it up as a cook there for two years. Before that, he was the executive chef at The Front Café in Minneapolis, where he was know for his one-of-a-kind hamburger.
So regarded, in fact, that a new mother, who had devoured it in Minneapolis, requested it again after giving birth at the hospital in December.
That story and more of the beans on Diaz will be spilled in the March issue of Maple Grove Magazine or on maplegrovemag.com starting March 1.
Until then, let this recipe to Diaz’s
Arroz Con Pollo
(Rice with chicken)
Ingredients: Rice, whole chicken, celery, onion, garlic, red pepper, lima beans, corn, peas, green beans, diced carrots, cilantro, lizano sauce (a Costa Rican sauce). Homemade stock includes: celery, carrots, onion, garlic, chicken, bay leaves and let simmer for 4 hours.
Chicken: Remove bones and set aside.
Rice: Cook with stock and save some of the stock.
Directions: Sauté onions, garlic, peppers, celery, chicken. Then add left over stock, salsa lizano, corn, lima beans, green beans and corn. Let simmer for 10 minutes and combine it well with rice. Let simmer on low for five minutes.
Listo! (Ready!)
