Ingredients Beans + Legumes Black Bean Gallo Pinto (Black Beans & Rice) Be the first to rate & review! “In Nicaragua, gallo pinto is the great social equalizer,” Cordúa says. “It’s part of almost every meal, whether you are rich, poor, white, black or native.” He serves this black beans and rice dish to his family for breakfast or a late-night snack, adding crispy bits of fried onions. Slideshow: More Bean RecipesRecipe from Food & Wine Best New Chefs All-Star Cookbook By Michael Cordúa Michael Cordúa F&W Star Chef » See All F&W Chef Superstars Restaurants: Churrascos, Américas, Amazón Grill, Artista (Houston) Before opening his Houston restaurant Churrascos in 1988, chef-restaurateur Michael Cordúa’s sole experience was as a pot washer. The Nicaraguan native has since became an ambassador of Latin American cuisine. Cordúa, who also holds a BS in economics and finance from Texas A&M and an MBA from Rice University, has opened six additional restaurants. Working with his son David, a graduate of Le Cordon Bleu in the coming year Cordúa is set to open a new Churrascos, multiple Amazón Grills and a new seafood restaurant; plus, he is working on a cookbook to celebrate his 25th anniversary in the business. What dish are you famous for? My churrascos, which use tenderloin, cut to resemble skirt steak. It’s important to carve the steak evenly, about a half-inch thick. And of course, what makes it taste most like a food of the Americas is the wonderful chimichurri. Also tres leches cake. Most people connect its introduction into this country with our version. It grew out of a simple recipe on condensed milk cans that was circulated throughout Central America. We’ve added a few of our touches, making both the cake and the meringue lighter. We also left off the canned fruit salad that was such a traditional element. What’s the first dish you ever cooked yourself?Gallo pinto, a Nicaraguan version of stir-fried small red beans and rice that we ate three times a day. Favorite cookbook of all time?50 Años en la Cocina, by Angélica de Vivas. I dated a granddaughter of hers while in college, and she gave me her book. It was instrumental in exposing me to the cuisine I had growing up in Nicaragua. I still have that copy. Who are your mentors? Teresa Ocampo, a Peruvian single mom who went to Le Cordon Bleu in Paris and returned to Lima, becoming the Julia Child of Peru in television and in print. She taught me about the depth of Peruvian cuisine, in the late ’80s. The other is Gumaro Lopez, who was just 20 when I met him. He is from San Luis Potosi in Mexico, but had worked for six years at a local French restaurant and taught me some fundamental European techniques. He became the first and youngest chef de cuisine at Churrascos. Best-bang-for-the-buck ingredient? Butter. For $3 a pound, nothing does so much for so many foods. You can reduce the amount of butter you use in some recipes, but you should always, always use the real thing. I especially enjoy browned butter, since it has even more flavor. It’s a kind of secret weapon, whether it’s over grilled fish or chicken or mixed into something like gallo pinto. You won’t know where all this amazing taste is coming from. Best-bang-for-the-buck food trip? Madrid. I love the feel and charm of the small tapas bars like Platero, where the croquetas were like crispy custard, the percebes (barnacles) were tender and sweet, and the section on ginebra (gin) reads like a wine list. If you were going to take Tony Bourdain out to eat, where would you go? Back to Nicaragua. He was not escorted well. You are going to have your best meals there not at a restaurant, but at someone’s home. The country is a tropical paradise and not very developed. Private homes are where the really good and safe eating takes place. Best new store-bought ingredient? Sucanat from Wholesome Sweeteners. It’s simply evaporated sugar cane, and when I have it, I can taste my childhood. What do you eat straight out of the container, standing up? It usually involves Häagen-Dazs ice cream. My son David says I eat ice cream like a stoned college kid. Based on the mood I’m in and what I can find around the house, every serving of my favorite dulce de leche ice cream becomes a big, once-only production, with things like peanut butter or candy or jelly.1994 Best New Chef Bio Won Best New Chef at: Churrascos, Houston Food & Wine's Editorial Guidelines Published on January 5, 2016 Print Rate It Share Share Tweet Pin Email Photo: © Chris Court Active Time: 30 mins Total Time: 1 hrs 30 mins Yield: 8 Ingredients 1 pound dried black beans, picked over and rinsed 2 garlic cloves, crushed 1 cup Carolina or other long-grain white rice 1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons canola oil 1 small white onion, diced (1 cup) Kosher salt Chopped cilantro, for garnish Lime wedges and chopped red onion, for serving Directions In a large saucepan, combine the black beans, garlic and enough water to cover by 3 inches. Bring to a boil and simmer over moderate heat, adding more water as necessary, until the beans are tender, about 1 hour. Drain. Meanwhile, in a medium saucepan, combine the rice and 1 3/4 cups of water and bring to a boil. Cover and simmer gently over moderately low heat until the water has been absorbed and the rice is tender, about 20 minutes. Transfer the rice to a rimmed baking sheet and refrigerate until cool. (You should have about 4 cups of rice.) In a large skillet, heat 1/2 cup of the oil. Add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until golden, about 5 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the onion to a small bowl. Add 3 cups of the beans to the skillet and cook over moderately high heat, stirring frequently, until crispy, about 20 minutes. Stir in another 2 cups of the beans, the cooled rice, the sautéed onion and the remaining 2 tablespoons of oil. Stir to incorporate and season with salt. (Reserve the remaining 1 cup of beans for another use.) Transfer the beans and rice to a serving bowl and garnish with cilantro. Serve with lime wedges and chopped red onion. Make Ahead The cooked beans can be refrigerated for up to 3 days. Rate it Print