Cuban Dish #1 - CHICHAROS

Chicharos, also known as split pea soup, has always been one of my favorite Cuban dishes. It is probably one of the few meals I could eat over and over again. Typically, Cubans cook with a pressure cooker, but to be honest, they scare me. If you're brave enough, it's one of the fastest means of cooking beans. In any event, all my recipes and dishes will be made using my slow cooker or pots. Without further ado, my recipe and the result:

Slow Cooker Recipe
- 1 bag of chicharos/ split peas
- 1 chopped onion
- 2 tbsp of minced garlic
- 2 bay leaves
- 2 chopped carrots
- 1 chopped chorizo
- 6 cups of chicken broth

I put all the ingredients in the slow cooker, turned it up to high, and let it cook all day, stirring occasionally. Then, I added salt and seasonings to taste. The recipe I had said it would take 6 hours to cook completely, but in reality it took closer to 9 to get the chicharos to the consistency I like. Soaking the beans prior to cooking them or using a pot that could cook with more heat, might have made the cooking process faster.

I served the chicharos with white rice and steak topped with onions. All in all, it was delicious. My fiance loved it as well.