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CocinaKitchenHolidays

Rice with pigeon peas

Orange, savory rice with pigeon peas, olives and a little pork, cooked in a caldero until the bottom crisps into pegao.

Arroz con gandules
TiempoTime1 hr
TrabajoHands-on15 min
NivelLevelMedium
PorcionesServes8

This is the rice at every Christmas, every birthday and every pernil. It's made in a caldero, a heavy cast aluminum pot, and the best part is the pegao: the crisp layer stuck to the bottom that people fight over.

The rule is to taste the liquid before the rice goes in. It should taste a little too salty, like a good soup, because the rice will absorb it.

De dónde viene:Where it comes from: Rice and pork came with Spain, pigeon peas with Africa, and achiote color from the Taíno. All three roots in one pot.

IngredientesIngredients

UtensiliosTools

  • Caldero or heavy 5-quart pot with a tight lid
  • Wide spoon

PasosSteps

  1. Heat the oil in a caldero or heavy pot over medium heat. Brown the ham, if using, for 2 to 3 minutes.

  2. Add the sofrito and cook until it smells sweet and most of the liquid is gone, about 3 minutes. Stir in the tomato sauce, alcaparrado and sazón.

  3. Add the pigeon peas with their liquid and the water or broth. Bring to a boil and taste. Add salt until it tastes slightly too salty.

  4. Stir in the rice once and spread it level. Boil uncovered, without stirring, until the liquid drops just below the surface of the rice and you see little craters, 8 to 10 minutes.

  5. Fold the rice over once from bottom to top. Cover tightly (a sheet of foil under the lid helps), turn the heat to low and cook for 20 minutes.

  6. Fold once more, cover and cook 10 to 15 minutes more, until the rice is tender. For pegao, leave it alone over medium-low for the last 5 minutes and listen for a light crackle.

Bueno saberGood to know

Why not keep stirring
Stirring breaks the grains and makes the rice gummy. Two folds is plenty.
Plantain leaf
Many families lay a piece of plantain leaf over the rice before covering. It adds a faint green, tea-like smell.
Long-grain rice
It works but comes out drier. Use a little more liquid.

Pregúntale a Mami (o a tu abuela)Ask Mami (or your abuela)

  1. Who in your family makes the best pegao?
  2. Did your family use ham, pork or nothing at all?