Arroz con Gandules

Name: Arroz con Gandules
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 45 min
Total time: 60 min
Yield: 8 servings
Cuisine: Puerto Rico
Ingredients: 3 cups medium-grain rice; 1 can pigeon peas (gandules), drained; 1/4 cup sofrito; 2 tbsp tomato paste; 1/4 cup diced ham or salt pork; 2 tbsp olives with a little brine; 1 packet sazón; 3 cups chicken broth; 2 tbsp oil; salt, to taste

8 servings15 min prep45 min cookEasy Puerto Rico

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The Story Behind It

The Tale of Arroz con Gandules

Considered Puerto Rico's national dish, arroz con gandules combines rice with pigeon peas, a crop of African origin brought to the Caribbean via the transatlantic slave trade. It has anchored Puerto Rican holiday tables, especially Christmas, for generations.

Ingredients

Scale:· 8 servings

3 cups medium-grain rice
1 can pigeon peas (gandules), drained
1/4 cup sofrito
2 tbsp tomato paste
1/4 cup diced ham or salt pork
2 tbsp olives with a little brine
1 packet sazón
3 cups chicken broth
2 tbsp oil
salt, to taste

Instructions

1Heat oil in a caldero (heavy pot) and sauté sofrito and ham until fragrant.
2Stir in tomato paste and sazón, cooking a minute to deepen color.
3Add gandules and olives, stirring to coat in the sofrito mixture.
4Add rice, stirring to coat every grain, then pour in chicken broth and season with salt.
5Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low, cover tightly, and cook 20-25 minutes without lifting the lid.
6Turn off heat and let rest, covered, 10 minutes.
7Fluff with a fork before serving, scraping up the crispy bottom layer (pegao) as a treat.

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