Puerto Rican Arroz con Gandules
Seasoned Puerto Rican rice with pigeon peas, sofrito, tomato, olives, and tender pieces of pork.
Equipment
- Heavy pot with lid
- Wooden spoon
- Chef's knife
- Measuring cups
- Fork
Ingredients
Sofrito Rice
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 4 oz salt pork or bacon diced
- 1/2 cup sofrito
- 1/2 cup tomato sauce
- 2 cups long-grain rice rinsed
- 1 can pigeon peas 15 oz can, drained
- 3 cups chicken stock hot
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- 1/2 tsp ground cumin
- 1 leaf bay leaf
- 1/4 cup pimento-stuffed olives sliced
- salt and black pepper to taste
Instructions
Make the Flavor Base:
- Heat the oil in a heavy pot over medium heat. Cook the salt pork or bacon until lightly browned.
- Add the sofrito and cook for 3 minutes. Stir in the tomato sauce, oregano, cumin, bay leaf, salt, and pepper.
Add the Rice:
- Stir in the rinsed rice and cook for 2 minutes to coat the grains.
- Add the pigeon peas and hot stock. Bring to a full boil, then scrape the bottom once so nothing sticks.
Steam and Finish:
- Cover tightly, reduce the heat to low, and cook for 20 minutes.
- Turn off the heat and rest covered for 10 minutes. Fluff gently with a fork, fold in the olives, and serve.
Notes
- Do not stir the rice during the covered cooking time or it can turn sticky.
- For a vegetarian version, replace the pork with extra olive oil and use vegetable stock.
Nutrition
Calories: 465kcalCarbohydrates: 68gProtein: 13gFat: 15gSaturated Fat: 4gCholesterol: 15mgSodium: 760mgFiber: 6gSugar: 4g