Arroz con Gandules Apastelado

4.50 from 2 votes

If you love a regular Puerto Rican Arroz con Gandules Receta (Pigeon Peas and Rice Recipe), you will fall in love with Arroz con Gandules Apastelado! Made with shredded green plantains, this already amazing rice dish is taken to a whole other level of deliciousness!

Prep Time15

Cook Time40

Total Time55

Course: Dinner

Cuisine: Puerto Rican

Servings:

Calories: 453kcal

Author: Catherine Arena

Ingredients

4 cups medium grain rice rinsed
1 15.5 oz can of pigeon peas reserve liquid from can
4 tablespoon sofrito
1 cup smoked ham hock cubed
1 cup steak ham cubed
½ cup pork fat (tocino) cubed
2 chicken bouillon cubes or packets
2 envelopes sazon with annatto
4 garlic cloves minced
1-2 bay leaves
3 tablespoon pimiento stuffed olives
handful fresh cilantro
4 tablespoon oil
salt to taste I use a tablespoon
2 plantains peeled and shredded
plantain leaves 2-4 pieces

Toppings

additional fresh cilantro chopped
red pepper pimientos strips in brine

Instructions

Cube all the meats and set aside.
Using a pair of scissors, cut a few pieces of leaves to about a 10x10 size.
Cut off "rough" edge of plantain leaves, then rinse and wipe dry. Set aside.
Rinse rice to remove starchiness until water runs clear.
Set aside until ready to use.
In a caldero or dutch oven, heat oil over medium heat.
Add ham, ham hock and pork fat (tocino) cubes and saute for a few minutes until slightly browned.
Add sofrito, olives, sazon, garlic and bay leaves to pot. Stir and saute for 3 minutes.
Add the whole can of gandules including the water they come in to the pot. Stir all ingredients together and let cook for a minute.
Add water, cilantro and salt. Bring to a boil.
While water is boiling, soften plantain leaves by quickly passing over an open flame or electric stove urn.
This will make plantain leaves pliable and easier to top on rice when the time comes.
Cut the ends off of plantains. Using a knife score the plantain lengthwise, careful not to cut into the flesh.
Using the tip of your thumb or the tip of the knife, gently pry the skin to lift the skin a little. Then slip your thumb under skin to peel skin off completely.
Using a grater, shred plantains and add to pot. Stir.
Add rice and stir again.
Bring to a boil and allow water to evaporate from rice. (about 5 minutes)
After water has evaporated, stir rice being careful not to stir so hard as to disturb the "pegao" that has built on the bottom of the pot.
Lower heat to medium low, cover pot immediately with lid and cook rice for 15 minutes. (Do not lift lid during this time or rice will stun and not cook well)
After 15 minutes, lift lid and stir rice.
Using a large spoon, pat rice down to flatten as pictured in post.
Top rice with the plantain leaves and cover pot with lid immediately.
Cook for another 15-20 minutes.
Lift lid and carefully remove leaves with a fork or a pair of tongs.
Stir rice one last time.
Rice is done and ready to serve. Enjoy!

Notes

If you cannot find plantain leaves in your area, you can simply skip this step or use aluminum foil.

Nutrition