Breakfast looks so different all over the world. I love reading articles about how people dine in other countries, like this one and this one, and one thing always sticks out to me: Latin countries have the breakfast I want to eat.
Sure, I love pancakes and bacon and grits as much as the next person, but I think it’s kind of fun to bring other countries and cultures to the breakfast table. We do it at lunch and dinner, so why not for breakfast?
This Maple Calentado is a great way to bring a little Latin culture to your morning meal.
Cooks in Latin cultures will often warm up dinner leftovers for breakfast, which explains the name — in Spanish, calentado means ‘heated.’
The only leftovers Americans seem to eat for breakfast is cold pizza, so I think that calentado should be more prominent on our tables.
Many years ago, I spent the night at my aunt and uncle’s house a few weeks after they had taken a trip to Central America.
I woke up to the smell of beans and rice, which are both extremely high on my favorite foods list.
I eat beans and rice for dinner any time I’m cooking dinner for one, and I love to get this pair on the side when I eat out at Mexican restaurants.
But beans and rice for breakfast? Maybe it’s a little breakfast-for-dinner-like, but it’s pretty ingenious.
I decided to try it for this week’s breakfast collaboration, with a little maple syrup. You could also use honey if you like.
My Maple Calentado, made with syrup from Maple Valley, combines traditional beans and rice with spicy chorizo (Mexican sausage), a fried egg, slices of fresh avocado and baked maple-cinnamon plantains.
You can add more fixings if you prefer. The best part is always making it up as you go along! // susannah
Maple Calentado
A savory, Latin breakfast dish made with dinner leftovers.
Ingredients
- 2 cups cooked rice
- 1 can (16 ounces) black beans, cooked
- 1 can (16 ounces) pinto beans, cooked
- 2 ripe plantains
- 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
- 1/4 cup Maple Valley Grade B Maple Syrup
- 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
- 2 chorizo sausages
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 2 eggs
- 1 avocado, sliced
- sea salt
- freshly-ground black pepper
Instructions
- Prepare rice and beans. Cook or re-heat rice and beans. Add spices to the beans if you prefer.
- Bake plantains. Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees. Peel and cut plantains diagonally into 1-inch pieces. Grease a baking dish with 1 tablespoon of olive oil and arrange plantain slices in the dish. Sprinkle cinnamon on top. Drizzle with maple syrup. Bake for 15-20 minutes, turning the plantains once.
- Cook chorizo. In a frying pan, heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Empty the sausages from their casings and cook, stirring often, until cooked through.
- Cook eggs. In a frying pan, heat butter. Cook eggs in butter until the white is set and the yolk is cooked to your liking.
- Prepare calentado. Layer rice, beans, plantains, chorizo, eggs and avocado. Season with sea salt and black pepper. Serve immediately.
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Nutrition Information:
Yield: 4 Serving Size: 1/2 cupAmount Per Serving: Calories: 874Total Fat: 31gSaturated Fat: 9gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 20gCholesterol: 123mgSodium: 532mgCarbohydrates: 122gFiber: 27gSugar: 18gProtein: 33g
Be sure to check out my partners and their amazing recipes. We’ll be using the hashtag #hotforbreakfast on social media.
Jess at 104 Homestead // Jami at An Oregon Cottage // Chris at Joybilee Farm
Kathie at Homespun Seasonal Living // Tessa at Homestead Lady
Sheila at Life, Love, and Good Food // Lynda at Me & My Pink Mixer
Annie at Montana Homesteader // Angi at Schneiderpeeps
Also, the following companies generously sponsored many of the Hot For Breakfast recipes. This project is in no small part thanks to them and their incredible contributions:
Bee Raw // Bob’s Red Mill // Made in Nature // Maple Valley Syrup Cooperative
Now Foods // Pacific Foods // Vela Farms // Woodstock
Amy | Club Narwhal says
Okay, I’m just drooling over my keyboard over here 🙂 This sounds SO awesome! I love hearing about how other cultures eat and I can’t believe I’ve never tried this calentado before. Can’t wait to try it!
Susannah says
I do too! One thing I left out of my post is that calentado is really just leftovers of whatever! You can make it vegetarian or add whatever you have. I think that’s amazing. Why don’t we do this everywhere?!
Tanya @ Mom's Small Victories says
Oh my word, that looks divine! We love chorizo and egg tacos and plantains but never thought to combine them in this way for breakfast! I hope you will linkup with our Small Victories Sunday Linkup and add 3 posts!
http://momssmallvictories.com/small-victories-sunday-linkup-35/
i’m pinning this one!
Susannah says
Oh yes Tanya, you need to try it! It’s an awesome and hearty breakfast. I will definitely check out the link up! Thank you for the heads up, and thank you for stopping by my blog also.
LEE @ Modern Granola says
This looks amazing! I love a good Latin breakfast dish!
Susannah says
I do too! I don’t eat enough of them. Thanks for reading, Lee!
Bryan Robert Thompson says
Hi Susannah,
I have been looking to connect with other bloggers as I’ve just started my new one up. And OMG, I was not expecting a food blog with the awesomeness I’ve just seen here. Definitely trying this tomorrow!
I never cooked anything in my life until I was 30. My wife had started back to school and I knew I’d be having to cook some. I had been scared to death of the kitchen, but I remembered growing up and being grossed out when my dad had to cook. I knew I didn’t want to be THAT guy. So, I learned to do a few things.
But I don’t do ANYTHING like I can do breakfast. I’m the breakfast king of my house and tomorrow, I will rule supreme. 🙂 Have a wonderful day.
Susannah says
Thanks so much for your comment, Breakfast King! I really appreciate you sharing your cooking story. There is no better time to learn how to cook than breakfast, is there? I’m so glad you commented so I could come across your blog. You have a ton of great content in there that I can’t wait to delve into!
tessa says
Yes, yes to all of this! We’re not big meat eaters in the morning but this would keep you going all day. Going to try it – thanks!
Susannah says
Then make it vegetarian/vegan! You can cut the chorizo and have tofu or whatever really. That’s the best part — this dish is so versatile! Thanks so much for your comment, Tessa. It’s so great to be working together on this project!
katie says
That looks amazing! Come make that for me and I’ll love you forever!
Susannah says
OK! You got it, dude. 🙂