The name comes from the way the food looks on the plate: the white rice and red beans sit side by side, echoing the red and white on the Dominican flag. It is a simple, honest and beautiful idea - the national flag represented by the national meal.
The beans are stewed slowly with sofrito - a fragrant mixture of garlic, onion, peppers and herbs - until the sauce is deep red and the beans are perfectly tender. Pouring a spoonful of this rich bean sauce over white rice is one of the great pleasures of Dominican cooking.
The meat portion can be chicken, beef, pork or fish depending on the family's preference and budget. It is usually sautéed or braised with garlic, oregano and lime juice - simple seasonings that bring out the natural flavour of whatever is being cooked.
La Bandera is eaten for lunch in homes, schools and restaurants across the country every single day. It is deeply nourishing - the combination of rice and beans together provides all the amino acids (the building blocks of protein) that the body needs, even without meat.