Easter-time Dominican recipes

While Americans hunt for eggs filled with candy at Easter, Dominicans are scouting their neighborhood for whomever is making their favorite Easter-time dessert, all Lenten season.  Habichuelas con dulce is one of two very popular Easter-time Dominican recipes that use beans or corn, and a combination of evaporated and condensed milk, sweet potatoes and sugar. You are in for a treat with the following habichuelas con dulce recipe. If you’re looking to make maíz con dulce or chacá, click here.

Source: Dominican Cooking

Habichuelas con Dulce is one of Dominican Republic’s most cherished traditions. It is prepared for Easter in large quantities and shared with relatives and neighbors.

Time: 60 Mins
Difficulty: Advanced
Serve: 6 people

Before starting to cook: Cut the sweet potatoes into small cubes. Boil with a teaspoon of salt until tender. Put the beans and the water through the blender. Strain the beans to get rid of the skin.

Ingredients:

• 1/4 cup of raisins
• 2 teaspoons of butter
• 2 cinnamon sticks
• 2 cups of boiled red kidney beans
• 2 cup of water from boiling the beans
• 1/2 cup of sugar
• 1 cup of coconut milk
• 3 cups of evaporated milk
• 1/2 teaspoon of salt
• Cassava bread (may be omitted)
• 1/2 lb of sweet potatoes
• 10 cloves
• 1 cup of milk cookies (may be omitted)

Preparation:

1. Put the beans, the coconut milk and half the milk in a pot and bring to a boil. Add the rest of the milk, sugar, raisins and sweet potatoes and let boil medium heat for 10 minutes. Stir regularly to avoid sticking. Add the rest of the ingredients and boil to the desired consistency.
2. Spread butter on the cassava bread, sprinkle with salt and put in the oven until it turns golden brown.
3. Serve the beans chilled with the cassava on the side. Put cookies on top of the beans.

Easter-time Dominican desserts.