Casado, the married man's meal

Ingredients

For the beans

• 130 g dried black beans
• 1500 ml water for soaking
• 7500 ml water for cooking
• 30 ml oil
• 1 medium onion (150 g)
• 1 medium carrot (100 g)
• 1 pepper (150 g)
• 1 celery stalk (50 g)
• 2 garlic cloves
• 5 g ground cumin
• 2 g dried thyme
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon ground pepper
• 15 g fresh cilantro
• 1 teaspoon salt

For the rice

• 130 g rice
• 15 ml oil
• 1 red pepper (150 g)
• 1 medium onion (150 g)
• 2 garlic cloves
• 1 g dried thyme
• 360 ml broth or water
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon ground pepper

For the chicken

• 260 g raw chicken breast
• 120 ml orange juice
• 1 g dried thyme
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon ground pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
• 15 ml oil

For the plantain and fries

• 2 ripe plantains
• 400 g frozen fries
• 750 ml oil for frying

For the salad

• 2 medium tomatoes (240 g)
• 1/2 medium onion (75 g)
• 1/2 pepper (75 g)
• 1/2 cucumber (150 g)
• 100 g cabbage
• 15 ml oil
• 15 ml vinegar
• 1/4 teaspoon salt

Preparation

1. Soak the beans in 1500 ml water for 8 hours, from evening until the next day. 2. Drain the beans and boil them in 1500 ml fresh water for 10 minutes. Drain and change the water three more times, using 1500 ml each time and boiling for 10 minutes each time. After the fourth boil, drain the beans, add the last 1500 ml water and simmer for 60 minutes, until the beans are tender. 3. Finely chop the onion, carrot, pepper and celery, then mince the garlic. Sauté them in 30 ml oil for 10 minutes, until softened. Add the vegetables to the beans, add the cumin, thyme, sugar and pepper, and simmer everything for another 10 minutes. Add the cilantro and salt near the end. 4. Rinse the rice. Cut the red pepper into strips and sauté it for 5 minutes in 15 ml oil in the bowl of the Arozera rice cooker, until it releases its color. I leave it in the rice. Add the chopped onion and cook for 5 minutes, until translucent. Add the garlic and thyme, then the drained rice, 360 ml broth or water, the salt and pepper. Cover the bowl and cook in the rice cooker for 17 minutes, until the rice is tender. 5. Toss the chicken breast with the orange juice and thyme and leave to marinate for 10 minutes. Pat off the excess liquid, season with salt and pepper, then cook in a pan with 15 ml oil or on the grill for 4 minutes per side. Once browned, sprinkle with smoked paprika. 6. Peel the plantain and cut it lengthwise. Heat 750 ml oil in a deep pan and fry the plantain for 4 minutes per side, until browned. Fry the frozen fries in the same oil for 5 minutes, until golden. 7. Chop the tomatoes, onion, pepper and cucumber for the salad. Toss with the cabbage, 15 ml oil, vinegar and salt.