Now that we have a homebase in Costa Rica, we’re not traveling quite as much as we used to. We love the new balance we have, but that doesn’t mean some nights the wanderlust doesn’t strike! When we can’t hop on a plane and go somewhere right away, we opt to bring the world to us. And our favorite way to do that is by cooking up a new dish from wherever it is we wish we could be!

We thought we would share this with you today by bringing you all some recipes from Costa Rica that you can try from the comfort of your home.

Today we’ve got two delicious and easy recipes straight from the kitchen of Blue Osa. These recipes are absolutely delicious. We hope you enjoy!

 

Blue Osa Kitchen

Mouthwatering Recipes From Costa Rica

The Osa Peninsula is located in southwestern Costa Rica. It very much remains remote and undeveloped, an idyllic tropical rainforest that has yet to see the burdens of over-tourism.

Blue Osa beach

Tucked away on the eastern coast of the Osa Peninsula is Blue Osa. We’ve shared extensively about our ongoing stays at Blue Osa. But before we share these recipes, it’s fitting to explain the inspiration behind the local recipes:

First, you’ve got to meet Marie. Marie is the mother of the Blue Osa property; she was the initial owner of the grounds, and in a rather humorous anecdote, the first person Aaron and Adam (the Blue Osa visionaries we’ll introduce later this week) would meet. Aaron and Adam insisted that Marie had to come with the property. She did. A self-taught chef with French and Italian roots, Marie and her husband operated a French bistro in San Francisco, and later a French restaurant in Cartagena, Colombia.  Now she splits her time at Blue Osa amongst various other places, but her guidance and recipes still influence the kitchen staff. We had the opportunity to sit down with Marie for a few meals, and let us tell you—she is one energetic woman, full of wit and humor, often speaking a fabulous mixture of French, English and Spanish in the same sentence.

P.S. You can buy Marie’s awesome new cookbook here! (This isn’t an affiliate link, we just love Marie and her cuisine so much we wanted to share.)

While Marie is the mother of the kitchen, we can’t mention the cuisine without also talking about the rest of the cook staff. Specifically, there’s Jose, the kitchen manager. Jose first came to Blue Osa as part of the construction team, but he would stay on after the retreat center was finished to blend, cut, boil and create alongside Marie. Jose brings his creativity and knowledge of local cuisine to meet Marie’s French and Italian background; the result is a unique fusion only available at Blue Osa.

 

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So it should go without saying that we are excited to bring you these special recipes today. Just typing them out makes our mouths water! We encourage you to give them a try and then let us know what you thought!

 

Spicy Passion Fruit Cocktail Recipe

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I had one of these almost every night during our stay; I just couldn’t resist! They’re not too sweet, with just the right amount of kick. If you’re entertaining anytime soon, these are guaranteed to impress!

Note: Dan doesn’t do spicy, and he still loved these! However, the drink is also delicious if you omit the red pepper.

 

Ingredients:

 

Pinch of red pepper

2 oz. fresh lemon juice

1 tsp. sugar

1 lime, cut into wedges

1 basil leaf, cut into strips

2 oz. passion fruit infused Cacique*

1 oz. club soda

Ice

 

Preparation:

Combine red pepper, lemon juice and sugar; mix well and set aside. Muddle 4 lime wedges and basil leaf. Top lime and basil with ice, Cacique, club soda and red pepper mixture. Shake well and serve immediately. Enjoy!

 

*Cacique is local Costa Rican liquor. Substitute any passion fruit infused liquor, or try making your own!

 

Gallo Pinto

 

Gallo Pinto is a signature Tico (Costa Rican) dish. It’s commonly served for breakfast in Costa Rica, but try it any time of the day at home!

 

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Ingredients:

 

2 cups of cooked white short grain rice

1 cup of cooked red beans

1/2 cup of Salsa Lizano*

1/3 red pepper (chopped)

1/3 white onion (chopped)

1/2 tablespoon of finely chopped garlic

1/3 cup of chopped cilantro

 

Preparation:

 

1. Sauté the onions, pepper, and garlic in a large pan

2. Add the cooked beans and the Salsa Lizano

3. Simmer over medium heat, stirring occasionally for 5 minutes

4. Stir in the cooked rice

5. Simmer on very low heat for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally until all excess liquid is absorbed

6. Fold in the fresh cut cilantro

7. Serve warm

 

*Salsa Lizano is a signature sauce of Costa Rica. If it is unavailable at specialty shops, try substituting a blend of Worchester Sauce and Red Picante (Spicy) Sauce. If you’re really ambitious, you can also try this substitute.

 

What’s your favorite recipe you’ve learned to cook on your travels? Have you ever tried Gallo Pinto? What international cuisine would you like to know how to cook?

 

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