Arroz con gandules y pernil

The plate that tells everyone it's a holiday — rice with pigeon peas, and pork roasted low until it falls apart.

Arroz con gandules is a traditional Puerto Rican dish that is served for special occasions and holidays – especially Christmas. You will definitely find it partnered with pernil (roasted pork) tostones and a salad for a completely delicious meal. This is by far my daughter's favorite rice and mine too. It took a compilation of cooks to create my version! My mom always made it with traditional small-grain rice. She fried tocino (fatback), removed it and then created a sauté of sofrito. My mother-in-law used long-grain rice and, mixed all her ingredients in one pot and cooked them together all at once. I took ingredients from both, added my adopted Jasmine rice, introduced it to me by my daughter, and cooked the ingredients in stages. Arroz con gandules are not only delicious but also nutritious, as pigeon peas are high in protein and fiber, making them deliciously healthy!

§ Ingredients

Yields 8–10 servings

• 1 tablespoon oil or Crisco
• 2 heaping tablespoons of sofrito
• 1 medium onion finely diced +
• ½ red pepper +
• ¼ green pepper finely diced +
• 2 cloves of garlic minced +
• 2 cups water
• 1 packet of Sazón con achiote y culantro
• 1 small can of tomato sauce (8 oz)
• 2 tablespoons of salt
• 1 cilantro leaf, chopped or 1 teaspoon of dried cilantro +
• 1 Culantro leaf, if available +
• 2 tablespoons pimento stuffed olives
• 15-ounce can of Goya Pigeon Peas (Gandules), drained and rinsed.
• 2 cups rice, rinsed (Basmati or Jasmine rice for additional flavor)
• 10-pound pork shoulder bone-in, skin-on
• 8 cloves of garlic, peeled and mashed in a mortar and pestle (we call it a pilon)
• 2 tablespoons of salt
• ½ tablespoon of pepper
• ¼ tablespoon of oregano
• 1 packet of Sazon con culantro y achiote
• Adobo seasoning
• 1 tablespoon of olive oil
• ¼ cup of mojo Goya®

§ Instructions · Let's get cooking

1. 01Heat your Dutch oven to medium heat.
2. 02Heat the oil (or Crisco) for about 2 minutes.
3. 03Add the onions, diced garlic, diced green pepper, Sofrito, and ½ red pepper and sauté until golden.
4. 04Stir in the sauce and let it thicken – about 4 minutes.
5. 05Add the salt and Sazon and stir.
6. 06Add the gandules and olives and stir.
7. 07Cook at medium heat for about 2-3 minutes until the sauce thickens slightly.
8. 08Add the water (about 2 cups, typically the same amount as the rice) and stir – taste it to determine if it needs more salt – it should be well seasoned.
9. 09Add the rice and stir - maintain your heat at medium.
10. 10The water should be slightly above the level of the rice.
11. 11Cover and allow the rice to absorb all the visible liquid.
12. 12Once most of the visible surface liquid is absorbed (you'll notice small air pockets), stir the rice and cover.
13. 13Lower the heat, cover, and cook for 15 to 20 minutes.
14. 14Check the rice and turn it evenly.
15. 15Cook another 15 to 20 minutes and stir once more.
16. 16The rice is done when all the liquid is absorbed, and the grains are fluffy and fully cooked. (The rice grain splits!) Please note that cooking times may vary depending on your stove!
17. 17Rinse the pork and lightly scrape the skin with a sharp knife.
18. 18Use a sharp knife to cut 1" slits through the skin approximately ½ inch deep.
19. 19Flip the roast over and make a few slits in the bottom of it as well.
20. 20Using a mortar and pestle (we call it pilon), combine the garlic with the salt, pepper, sazón, and oregano and mash it until it has a paste-like texture.
21. 21Sprinkle some of the adobo onto the skin and rub it in
22. 22Pour the mojo onto the pork and rub it in.
23. 23Lay out a large piece of heavy-duty aluminum foil sufficient to wrap the entire roast.
24. 24Lay out three sheets of plastic wrap on top of the foil.
25. 25Place the seasoned pork shoulder in the center of the wrapping film and wrap it tightly in the plastic first, then wrap it tightly in the foil.
26. 26Set the wrapped pork on a baking pan and let it marinate in the refrigerator for at least 2 days.
27. 27When you're ready to roast, unwrap the pernil and bring it to room temperature before you put it in the oven – usually about 30 minutes.
28. 28In the meantime, preheat the oven to 350°.
29. 29Place the pernil, skin side up, on a roasting rack inside of a roasting pan if you don't have a roasting rack, double line a baking pan with heavy-duty foil and spray with Pam.
30. 30Roast the pernil at 350°F for 2 to 3 hours.
31. 31When roasting is complete, allow the pernil to rest a few minutes, remove the chicharrón, and shred (or slice) the meat from the bone.

Serves 8-10 ¡Buen provecho!