Adapted from the recipe given to me by my grandmother: Mami Nena, easy to make
INGREDIENTS
SOFRITO
1 onion
1 red bell pepper
1 green bell pepper
2 tbsp achiote powder
salt and pepper to taste
oregano
1/4 cup sliced ham
2 or 3 strips of bacon
(cut up into small pieces)
cup of chopped cilantro
2 garlic cloves
1 can (8 oz.) sliced tomatos
OTHER INGREDIENTS
1 16 oz can of Gandules
2 cups of medium grain rice
3 cups water, including the liquid from the can of the gandules
PREPARATION
- Cut the bacon into small squares and fry at medium heat in the pan where you will be cooking the rice.
- When the bottom of the pan is covered with the lard from the bacon add the SOFRITO ingredients, starting with the onions and green peppers to cook on the bacon drippings instead of the usual olive oil.
- Drain the gandules and reserve the water that came with it .
- Add the gandules to the onions and green peppers and stir so that they get the flavor of the sofrito ingredients in the pan. Add the sliced tomato, and the oregano stirring so that everything is mixed well.
- Rinse and drain the 2 cups of rice. Add them to the pan, stirring so the rice get the flavor of the sofrito.
- Measure the water reserved from the gandules, and add water so that it totals 3 cups.
- Add the 3 cups to the pan. Add the salt and taste to make sure it has enough salt.
- Bring the temperature to high until the water has boiled enough to let the rice show above the liquids.
- Turn the rice in the pan to bring the rice at the bottom to the top.
- Lower the temperature to low heat.
- Cover and let it cook for at 25 minutes.
Bon Appetit!!
