Here is a recipe that’s found its way into fire fighter favorite recipes from http://www.firelife.com/index.html.

This month’s recipe comes from Craig Hebert (pronounced hey-bear), from Fergus Falls, MN. Craig was introduced to many great meals while working in California at the Vandenberg Air Force Base Fire Department. He talks of tri-tip beef cooked on a wood fire and fresh fish done over the grill. One of the side dishes to accompany these enticing meals was rice and beans. Sadly, Craig never wrote down the recipe but true to firefighter tenacity would not give up on trying to reproduce the original. Through much disheartening trial and error, Craig recently found a recipe that he is happy with.

The Fargo Station 1 “B” shift crew prepared this meal (Dan, Mason, Logan, Jared, and Randy) and felt that it would make a great bed for your main course meat.

Bear’s Beans and Rice

Ingredients:

3 Tbsp. olive oil
1 medium onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 bell pepper, chopped (Substitute other types of sweet peppers if you have them. If you like some heat, try a few jalapenos instead.

1 cup rice, uncooked (Basmati is good because it isn’t sticky. Brown rice will require more liquid and a little more cooking time)

2 cans pinto beans, drained and rinsed
½ to 1 tsp. ground cumin
½ tsp. salt
½ to 1 tsp. oregano
¼ to ½ tsp. crushed red pepper flakes
2½ cups water (Substitute chicken broth for a richer taste; add more liquid as necessary.)

Preparation:

Heat oven to 350 degrees. To make cleanup a one-pot affair, use a Dutch oven
(like a 5½ quart Le Creuset) to sauté and bake the whole dish. Make sure to
grease the sides well. Otherwise, use a large sauté pan or skillet to sauté and a
large, well-greased casserole dish to bake.

Sauté onion, garlic, and peppers in oil until tender. Combine all remaining
ingredients in a large bowl. Add the onion mixture and stir well. If you are using
the Dutch oven, mix everything in there.

Cover and bake until liquid is absorbed and rice is tender – about one hour.

Serve as a side dish with roasted chicken or grilled pork chops. Or, put in a flour
tortilla with some shredded cheese for a great taco filling.

Scores:
Ease: of preparation: Easy, especially with some crew help
Time:  About 1 hour once prepared
Cost:  Around $10.00 (depending on what you already have in the kitchen)
Feeds: Around 5 as a side dish