Moors and Christians

For two:

 

Christians:

• 1 tbsp butter
• 2 tbsp chopped white onion
• 1 clove garlic, squeezed
• 100 g risotto rice
• 125 ml white wine
• 125 ml water
• 50 g grated old goat’s cheese
• salt

 

Moors:

• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1 red onion in rings
• 250 g Roma tomatoes
• 1 clove garlic, chopped
• 1 bay leaf
• 1-2 red peppers, chopped
• 1 tin black beans (net weight 250 g)
• salt

 

Garnish:

• cooking banana (plantain)
• butter
• mint leaves

With the following recipe I obviously have a personal tie.

From half March until half April in Spain feasts are organized that remind of the several conquests and losses during the eight centuries that Spain was ruled by the Moors (Muslims from North-Africa). Excitingly  dressed people replay the invasion of the Moors and their definitive expulsion by the Christians  in 1492, when the last Moorish stronghold, Granada, was seized.

Moros y Cristianos  they call the dish that puts these happenings in mind. The name seems to be invented by Spanish colonists in Cuba who saw black beans for the first time in their life over there. They liked food jokes such as ‘old clothes’ for  stewed meat and ‘nun’s belly’ for a pudding. Dutch people were no better with their ‘Moor’s heads’ and ‘Negro’s kisses’!

What you find here is a version from Spain where Moors and Christians live peacefully together and seem to get along very well. Of course not surprising to me!

• Christians: In a small pan sauté the chopped onions in the butter. Add rice, stir until every grain is shining. Then add garlic, wine and water. Cook covered for 20 minutes. Stir in the cheese. Season with salt. Cover and warm through for a moment.
• Moors: In a frying pan sauté the onion rings in the oil. Pour the boiling water over the tomatoes, leave to stand for 10 seconds. Peel and cut in pieces. Simmer covered with garlic and bay until the tomatoes are melting. Add the rinsed and drained beans, heat up briefly.
• In between halve the banana. Heat the butter in a non-stick frying pan and brown the fruit on all sides.
• To serve: surround the beans with rice or the other way round. Garnish with banana and mint leaves.

Wine: White Rioja or Chilean Sauvignon blanc.

 

Menu suggestion

• First course: pieces of tuna from a tin onto tufts of soft salad leaves. On top chopped chives. Spoon some mayonnaise (a Spanish invention) over the dish.
• Dessert: an orange.