Habichuela con Dulce

Habichuela con dulce is a sweet creamed bean soup that is eaten during Lent and Easter in the Dominican Republic.  Its typically served chilled and is enjoyed as a dessert, but if you love it as much as I do, you can eat it for breakfast, lunch, or dinner.  It even tastes better as a leftover!

Now I know what you're thinking..  BEANS!?  As a dessert?!  But trust me, there are so many sweet and yummy ingredients thrown in that you barely even notice them!

Filling the supermarket endcaps.. 

Typical ingredients: red pinto beans. condensed or evaporated milk. coconut milk. butter. sugar. raisins. cinnamon. nutmeg. cooked pieces of sweet potato.  Perhaps a spoon of vanilla.  And to top it off?  Small sweet crackers known as galletas de leche. 

This article says that the ingredients stem from 3 distinct cultures that have historically shaped the island: sweet potato from the Indians, beans and spices from the Spanish, and coconut milk from the African slaves.  I've asked about a dozen people why it is that this food is always prepared for Easter, and never at other times of the year, but everyone says its simply tradition!  My love handles are thankful that I can only find this delicacy once a year.  :)

For breakfast: thick with extra raisins

Here is a good recipe.

Bon appetit!