Serves 6
INGREDIENTS
Sofrito
- 1 Roma tomato, seedless
- 5 garlic cloves
- ½ Spanish onion
- ¼ red onion
- ½ green pepper
- ½ red pepper
- 4 sweet cooking peppers (ají)
- 3 culantro leaves
- 4 cilantro leaves
Rice
- 3 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 1 pound ham hock, cut in ½-inch squares
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 1 teaspoon achiote powder (annatto)
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 2 15-ounce cans pigeon peas (reserve liquid)
- 3 cups short grain rice
- 2 cups hot water, plus liquid from pigeon peas cans
- ¼ cup stuffed olives, halved
- 1 plantain leaf
See also: Tlalpeño Soup.
DIRECTIONS
- In a blender, grind all the sofrito ingredients thoroughly and set aside.
- In a large saucepan, heat 1 tablespoon oil and add ham cubes, reserving some for final cooking steps. Brown ham at medium-high heat for 3–4 minutes. Set aside.
- Add 2 tablespoons of oil to the same pan. Add sofrito and cook for 3–4 minutes. Add tomato paste and achiote. Stir and cook for 3–4 additional minutes.
- Add pigeon peas and cook for 1 minute at high heat. Add rice and mix well. Add 2 cups of water, liquid from pigeon peas cans, and salt and pepper to taste. Cook at medium-high heat until water evaporates. Lower heat, place plantain leaf over rice and cover with a lid. Cook for approximately 10–15 minutes or until rice is tender.
- Add reserved ham cubes and olives to the rice 5 minutes before it is ready to be served. Mix well.
You may also like: Diabetes-friendly holiday recipes.
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