Daily Bite: Puerto Rican Habichuelas Rosadas

Ingredients:

1 lb. dried pink beans
9 cups water, divided
1 tbsp. olive oil
1 tsp. salt or to taste
1 packet of Sazón with achiote
4 oz. tomato sauce
1/4 tsp. ground pepper
2 tbsp. frozen recaíto (chopped cilantro, green peppers, onions)1/2 lb. cooking smoked ham, diced
1 potato, peeled and cubed

Preparation:

Cook beans in 8 cups of the water for 45 minutes to 1 hour over medium heat. After 20 minutes, add 1 cup of water. When beans are tender, turn off heat and set aside.

In a frying pan, heat olive oil, then add remaining ingredients, except potato, to make the sofrito. Turn down heat and simmer for 5 minutes. Add sofrito mixture and diced potato to beans. Turn on heat again to medium and cook additional 20 minutes or until mixture thickens and potatoes are fork-tender. Makes 4 servings