Puerto Rican Rice And Beans (Arroz Con Habichuelas)

Ingredients

• 4 cups water
• 8 ounces smoked ham hock
• 1 cup dried pinto bean
• 1 cup uncooked long grain white rice
• 1 teaspoon olive oil
• 1 dash sesame oil
• 1/2 onion, peeled and diced
• 2 cloves garlic, smash and chop
• 1 large red bell pepper, seeded and diced
• 2 jalapeno peppers, seeded and diced
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh oregano

• 1 (15 ounce) can peeled plum tomatoes, drain reserve juice
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon ground pepper
• 3 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
• 2 tablespoons capers

Directions

1. 1

   Place the water and ham hock in a pressure cooker, check to make sure the steam release holes are clear and cook for 5 minutes.

2. 2

   Add the pinto beans and cook 20 minutes more.

3. 3

   Add the rice, and when the pressure cooker"hisses," cook for another 5 minutes.

4. 4

   While the rice and beans cook, heat the oil in a large skillet and saute the onion and garlic until the onion becomes translucent.

5. 5

   Add the red pepper, jalapeno peppers, oregano and tomatoes, stirring and chopping as you go.

6. 6

   Add 1/4 cup of the reserved tomato juice, half of the salt and half of the pepper.

7. 7

   Lower the heat and simmer 15 minutes.

8. 8

   After the rice and beans have cooked, remove the ham hock, slice off 2 ounces of lean meat and reserve.

9. 9

   Add the cooked rice and beans to the pepper-tomato mixture in the skillet.

10. 10

    Stir in the reserved ham hock meat, 2 Tbs of the cilantro, the capers and the remaining salt and pepper.

11. 11

    To serve: Spoon into bowls and garnish with the remaining cilantro.