Puerto Rican–Style Rice with Pigeon Peas and Ham

Ingredients

• 2 tbsp Extra-virgin olive oil (For sautéing)
• 4 oz Cooked ham (Finely chopped)
• 1 small Yellow onion (Coarsely chopped for processing)
• 1 small Green bell pepper (Stemmed, seeded, and coarsely chopped for processing)
• 4 cloves Garlic (Peeled)
• 0.5 cup Fresh cilantro (Loosely packed; tender stems are fine)
• 1 tsp Dried oregano
• 0.5 cup Tomato sauce
• 2 cups Medium-grain white rice (Rinse thoroughly and drain well; do not substitute long-grain rice)
• 15 oz Canned green pigeon peas (Rinsed and drained; brown pigeon peas or black-eyed peas may be substituted)
• 3 cups Chicken stock (Use low-sodium stock if possible)
• Kosher salt (To taste; adjust according to the saltiness of the ham and stock)
• Black pepper (To taste)

Steps

1. 1

   Rinse the medium-grain rice under cool running water until the water runs mostly clear. Drain it thoroughly so excess water does not dilute the cooking liquid.

2. 2

   In a food processor, combine the onion, bell pepper, garlic, and cilantro. Pulse until the aromatics are very finely chopped and form a moist, sauce-like mixture. Do not hand-chop them; the finely processed texture helps them integrate into the rice.

3. 3

   Heat the olive oil in a large heavy skillet or Dutch oven over medium heat until shimmering.

4. 4

   Add the chopped ham and cook for 3 to 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until lightly browned and fragrant.

5. 5

   Add the processed aromatic mixture and oregano. Cook for about 5 minutes, stirring frequently, until the vegetables soften and the mixture smells aromatic rather than raw.

6. 6

   Add the tomato sauce and cook for 2 to 3 minutes, stirring, until the sauce is slightly reduced and coats the bottom of the pan.

7. 7

   Add the rinsed, drained rice and stir until every grain is coated with the sofrito mixture. Toast the rice for about 2 minutes.

8. 8

   Add the pigeon peas and chicken stock. Season with black pepper and add salt cautiously, keeping in mind that the ham and stock may already be salty. Stir once to distribute the ingredients.

9. 9

   Bring the liquid to a boil over medium-high heat. Cook uncovered until most of the liquid has evaporated and the surface of the rice is visible, about 8 to 12 minutes.

10. 10

    Reduce the heat to low. Cover the pan tightly and cook for about 20 minutes, or until the rice is tender and the liquid has been absorbed. Avoid stirring during this stage so the rice cooks evenly and the bottom can develop pegao.

11. 11

    Remove the pan from the heat and let the rice stand, covered, for 10 minutes. This resting time allows the grains to finish steaming and firm up.

12. 12

    Uncover and gently fluff the rice with a fork. Serve family-style directly from the skillet, scraping up some of the toasted golden rice from the bottom if a pegao crust has formed.

Notes

The visible page excerpt does not include the member-only ingredient list, so quantities and several components were reconstructed from the dish description and standard arroz con gandules technique. The source specifically emphasizes using medium-grain rice, rinsing and draining it, processing rather than hand-chopping the aromatics, using green pigeon peas when available, and serving the rice directly from the skillet. Long-grain rice may become mushy before the pegao develops.

Nutrition per serving

• main
• one-pot
• Caribbean
• Puerto Rican
• rice
• gluten-free
• family-style
• stovetop