Puerto Rican Arroz con Gandules

⏱ 55 min · Serves 6

The one-pot rice that anchors every Puerto Rican table: sofrito-stained grains, smoky pork, sweet pigeon peas and a crisp golden pegao layer at the bottom that everyone fights over.

Per serving: 520 kcal · 14.0g protein · 75.0g carbs · 17.0g fat

Ingredients

• 3 tbsp olive oil
• 120g smoked bacon or salt pork, diced small
• 1 tbsp tomato paste
• 120g sofrito (blitz 1 onion, 1 green pepper, 1 small bunch coriander, 4 garlic cloves, 2 tbsp olive oil)
• 1 tsp dried oregano
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 1 tsp sazón with achiote (or 1/2 tsp turmeric + 1/2 tsp paprika)
• 2 tbsp pitted green olives, sliced
• 1 tbsp capers, drained
• 1 x 400g tin gandules (pigeon peas), drained and rinsed
• 500g medium-grain rice, rinsed until water runs clear
• 750ml chicken stock
• 1 tsp fine salt, plus more to taste
• 1 bay leaf
• Lime wedges and chopped coriander, to serve

Method

1. Heat the oil in a wide heavy pot or caldero over medium heat. Add the bacon and fry 5–6 minutes until the fat has rendered and the pieces are golden.
2. Stir in the tomato paste and sofrito and cook 5 minutes, stirring, until the raw garlic smell is gone and the mixture darkens.
3. Add the oregano, cumin, sazón, olives and capers. Cook 1 minute, then stir in the gandules to coat.
4. Tip in the rinsed rice and stir for 2 minutes so every grain is glossy and orange.
5. Pour in the stock, add the salt and bay leaf, and stir once. Bring to a hard boil and let it bubble uncovered until the liquid sits just level with the rice, about 8–10 minutes.
6. Give it one final stir, lower the heat, cover tightly (foil under the lid helps) and steam 25 minutes without lifting the lid.
7. Uncover, fluff from the edges inwards with a fork. For pegao, turn the heat to medium-high for 3 minutes uncovered — listen for a gentle crackle, then rest off the heat 5 minutes.
8. Scrape up some of the crisp bottom crust as you serve. Finish with coriander and lime wedges.