Venezuelean Arepas - With Special Sauce. ~ Rancho Gordo

Venezuelean Arepas With Special Sauce 

 Loaded with herbs, sweet peppers, and mango, and just the right amount of heat and vinegar, you’ll want to make the full batch: it goes great with beans and rice, roasted potatoes, tortilla chips, fish, chicken, and just about anything else.  Which beans to use? We're keeping it classic with Negro beans  Servings: 6 arepas  Time: 1 hour.

Cookware: large skillet, high-powered blender or food processor, bean cooking vessel of your choice, medium mixing bowl.
Ingredients:
The beans (Rancho Gordo)1 lb beans (makes ~7 cups cooked),
flavored with 1 tbsp neutral oil
1-½ tsp salt
2 tbsp neutral oil1 onion, chopped
1 red bell pepper, finely chopped
Salt to taste
4 cloves garlic, minced
1-½ tsp cumin
½ cup cilantro (leaves and tender stems), chopped

Secret sauce
½ cup cilantro, leaves and tender stems
½ cup parsley, leaves and tender stems
½ cup white vinegar
1-½ cups coarsely chopped yellow bell peppers
½ jalapeño (flesh and seeds).
1 juicy mango (preferably Ataulfo), peeled and cut
4 cloves garlic
½ tsp pepper
2 tsp cumin
1 tsp mayo
1 tbsp dried oregano
Salt to taste
1 cup extra-virgin olive oil

Maduros
2 large very ripe plantains (should be black!), sliced diagonally into 1" pieces
Neutral oil (for frying)
Arepas
2 cups warm water
1 tsp sea salt
2 cups yellow or white arepa corn flour, such as areparina or masarepa (not cornmeal or masa harina)
1 tbsp neutral oil
The rest
Fresh cheese such as queso fresco
Avocado slices

Directions

Prepare the beans: Cook beans according to our guide in the cooking vessel of your choice. Once cooked, strain and set aside to cool. Meanwhile, make the sofrito: In a large skillet, heat oil over medium heat. Add onion, bell peppers, and a pinch of salt. Cook until vegetables are soft and fragrant. Stir in garlic and cumin, cook for 2 minutes. Stir in cilantro and remove from heat. Once beans are done cooking, stir them in the sofrito and bring to a simmer. Cook on low for 15 minutes or longer to meld the flavors. Season with salt to taste and set aside.

Make the sauce: Add all ingredients except olive oil in a high-powered blender or food processor. Add ½ tsp salt. Once pureed, with the motor running, gradually drizzle in olive oil until creamy and smooth. Add more salt to taste.

Prepare the maduros: In a large skillet, heat ~⅛ inch vegetable oil over medium-high. When the oil shimmers, working in batches fry plantains until golden brown, turning once, 2-3 minutes per side. The plantains should be caramelized and slightly crisp at the edges but still tender in the middle. Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate.

Make the arepas: Preheat the oven to 350 F. In a medium mixing bowl, mix together water and salt and add the areparina or masarepa a little at a time, mixing with your hands. Stop adding when you have a dough that doesn’t easily stick to your hands and is moldable, yet still moist. Cover with a towel for 5 minutes. Divide dough into pieces, rolling each into a ball and then pressing into a ½ -inch thick disk with your palms. If cracking becomes a problem, add a little more water to the dough. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add arepas in batches, cooking for 2-3 minutes on each side until deep golden brown. Transfer to a baking sheet and bake for ~15 minutes or until slightly puffed. Let cool slightly.

Assemble: Cut the arepa ¾ of the way around, leaving a seam so you can stuff it like a pita. Stuff with the fillings and enjoy with plenty of sauce.

Arepa technique inspired by Minimalist Baker and Serious Eats. Fillings and sauce inspired by Caracas Arepas Bar.