Arroz con Gandules

Cooking Instructions

Chop the onion and cubanelle or Italian peppers in the work bowl of a food processor until coarsely chopped. With the motor running, add the remaining ingredients one at a time and process until smooth. Remove ½ cup of sofrito for rice. The sofrito will keep in the refrigerator for up to 3 days or freeze in ice trays and well last a month.

Heat the oil and annatto seeds in a small skillet over medium heat just until the seeds give off a lively, steady sizzle. Don't overheat the mixture or the seeds will turn black and the oil a nasty green. Once they're sizzling away, pull the pan from the heat and let stand until the sizzling stops. Strain as much of the oil as you can into a heavy 5 - quart pot or Dutch and let it stand for 5 minutes.

Lightly toast the cumin seeds in a small skillet over low heat for a few minutes before grinding them releases flavor & aroma. Keep an eye on them then turn dark fast. Grind seeded in a little spiced grinder or coffee mill.

If using frozen pigeon peas boil on high heat for 10 minutes before using. Then drain before adding to rice

Re-heat oil over high heat until rippling. Stir in pork and brown. Add sofrito, alcaparrado, salt, bay leaves, cumin, & pepper. Cook until sofrito stops boiling & sizzles, about 5 minutes.

Stir in the rice and peas until everything is mixed together & rice is coated with oil all over. Stir in enough broth or water to cover the rice by the width of two fingers. Top with banana leaf, folding it up as necessary to fit over rice or can cut what ever sticks out pot. Bring to a boil & boil without stirring until the level of liquid meets the rice. Remove the banana leaf, give the rice a big stir, & put leaf back on top. Reduce the heat to low, cover the pot with led, & cook until the water has been absorbed & the rice is tender. About 20 minutes.

Remove the banana leaf, give the rice a big stir, & fluff with a fork. Sever hot.