Puerto Rico / Main
Arroz con Gandules (Puerto Rican Rice and Pigeon Peas)
Arroz con gandules is a Puerto Rican dish of rice, pigeon peas, smoked meat, and sofrito.
Ingredients
- medium yellow onions, medium, cut into large chunks2
- Italian frying peppers, also known as cubanelle peppers3–4
- cloves garlic, peeled16–20 clove
- cilantro macho or common cilantro, large; washed (with roots if possible but just the leaves and stems are fine)1 bunch
- ají dulce chile peppers, seeded (e.g. ají cachucha, quechucha, ajicito, or ají gustoso)10–12
- culantro (recao) leaves, or another handful of cilantro10 leaf
- ripe plum tomatoes, ripe; seeded, cored and cut into chunks or roasted then skin and seeds removed3–4
- red bell pepper, large; cored, seeded and cut into large chunks or roasted first then seeds and some skin removed1
- extra-virgin olive oil1/2 cup
- achiote (annatto) seeds1 tbsp
- sofrito, recipe above3 cup
- alcaparrado, coarsely chopped (manzanilla olives, pimiento, and capers)1/2 cup
- salt3 tbsp
- fresh cracked black pepper, fresh cracked1 tbsp
- cumin seeds or ground cumin, or ground cumin, or more to taste1 tbsp
- coriander seeds or ground coriander, or ground coriander, or more to taste2 tsp
- chopped Mexican mint, ⅓ cup; chopped (optional)5 tbsp
- green plantains or green bananas, or 3 green bananas, grated2
- smoked ham hock or smoked turkey, whole pieces; depending how big, just for flavor1–2 piece
- Puerto Rican salami (salchichón), ham, or chorizo, diced1 1/2 pound
- medium grain rice, do not rinse6 cup
- pigeon peas, frozen; or 1 can (15 ounces) of pigeon peas1 bag (13 ounces)
- beef, chicken, turkey, or vegetable brothAbout 7 cup
- bay leaves or avocado leaves, or avocado leaves6
- banana leaf or plantain leaf, optional1
Quantities are auto-calculated from the original recipe as a guide. Items without numbers (e.g. “to taste”) are not changed.
Method 11 steps
Add chopped onions to blender, and blend until liquefied.
With the motor running, add the remaining sofrito ingredients one at a time and process until smooth.
Remove and reserve 3 cups of sofrito for rice.
Heat the oil and annatto seeds in a small skillet over medium heat just until the seeds give off a lively, steady sizzle. Don't overheat the mixture or the seeds will turn black and the oil green. Once they're sizzling, pull the pan from the heat and let stand until the sizzling stops. Strain as much of the oil as you can into a heavy 5-quart pot or Dutch oven and let it stand for at least 5 minutes.
Lightly toast the cumin and coriander seeds in a small skillet over low heat for a few minutes before grinding them releases flavor and aroma. Keep an eye on them, they turn dark fast. Grind in a little spice grinder, coffee mill, or mortar and pestle.
If using frozen pigeon peas, boil them for 10 minutes before using. If using from a can, drain the liquid and rinse the peas.
Re-heat oil over high heat until rippling. Stir in ham hock and salami and brown. Add sofrito, alcaparrado, grated plantain, and salt. Cook until sofrito stops boiling and sizzles, about 5 minutes.
Add cumin, coriander, orégano brujo, bay leaves or avocado leaves, and black pepper. Cook, stirring in the sofrito for an additional 30–45 seconds until the aroma release from spices.
Stir in the rice and peas until everything is mixed together and rice is coated with oil all over. Stir in enough broth or water to cover the rice by the width of two fingers. Top with banana leaf (or pan lid), folding it up as necessary to fit over rice or can cut what ever sticks out pot.
Bring to a boil, then boil without stirring until the level of liquid meets the rice. Remove the banana leaf, give the rice a big stir, and put leaf back on top.
Reduce the heat to low, cover the pot with lid, and cook until the water has been absorbed and the rice is tender (about 20 minutes).