A Spoonful of Sofrito: Happy Holidays/Arroz con Gandules!

A Spoonful of Sofrito: A Pinch of advice that will add a lot of flavor to your life!

Happy Holidays Sofrito Lovers!

Sofrito Lovers,

I wish you all an amazing holiday season!  Cook, eat, and have an incredible time!  My gift to you is my personal recipe for Arroz con Gandules (Puerto Rican style Rice with Pigeon Peas)!  I pieced this priceless recipe together from friends, cookbooks, cooking tutorials, and input from fellow foodies/cooks.

Cook, taste, and share with everyone you love! ¡Buen provecho! ¡Felicidades! Happy Holidays!

Arroz con Gandules

Ingredients:

1 Tbsp of canola or olive oil

1 cup of Jamon de cocinar (hamsteak)

1/2 cup of Green bell pepper or light green Cubanelle pepper

1/2 cup chopped yellow Onion

1 Tbsp of Sazon

1 Tbsp of Sofrito

2 minced Garlic cloves

1/2 cup of chopped Cilantro

1 Tsp of Oregano

1 1/2 cups of rice

1 15 ounces can of Gandules

1/2 cup of Tomato Sauce

1/4 cup of olives

1 1/2 cups of water

Salt to taste

Directions:

1. Heat oil in a medium Caldero over medium-high heat.  Add the jamon/hamsteak and cook until it's brown and has released some oil.  Then add the onions and peppers and saute them until the onions are translucent.

2.  Add the Sazon, garlic, cilantro, and oregano and cook until fragrant (usually about 1 minute).

3. Add the rice to the Caldero.  Mix and coat the rice for a minute.  Stir in the gandules, tomato sauce, olives, 1 1/2 cups of water, and mix.  Taste the broth for salt, if necessary, add to your taste.

4. Cook uncovered until the water evaporates.  Once evaporated, gently stir the rice from the bottom up.

5. Lower the heat to medium low, cover, and cook for 15-20 minutes. Gently mix the rice to make sure it's tender and cooked through.  Remove the caldero from the stove top and let cool.

ENJOY!