This hearty rice combination, a variation of Puerto Rico’s signature dish, offers more nutrition than either rice or peas alone.  

It can be a party rice, with sofrito boosting the flavor profile. Sofrito — an aromatic herb mix — is used in Caribbean bean dishes, stews and soups.   
 
Puerto Rican sofrito uses both cilantro and culantro. Culantro, known by a number of names, including ngo gai, is not as delicate as cilantro and has a bolder flavor, which becomes milder when cooked. You may recognize culantro as the long leaf with serrated edges presented with a plate of herbs for Vietnamese pho.

The less-common ingredients can be found at Chinatown green grocers (culantro), and at Mercado de la Raza and Don Quijote stores (Goya products). Achiote powder is available in most supermarkets in the Mexican food aisle.

Rice and Peas
Ingredients:
• 1 (15-ounce) can green pigeon peas
• 2 tablespoons neutral oil
• 1 tablespoon achiote powder
• 1/4 cup sofrito (recipe follows)
• 2 tablespoons tomato paste
• 2 teaspoons Goya brand sazonador total seasoning
• 2 teaspoons Goya brand adobo seasoning
• 1/2 cup green olives, halved
• 2 cups uncooked rice, washed
• 1 cup frozen green peas

Ingredients for sofrito:
• 1 large bulb garlic (10 large cloves)
• 1 medium white onion 
• 1 small bell pepper (red, orange or yellow)
• 2 cups cilantro, lightly packed
• 2 cups culantro, lightly packed

Directions:
Strain pigeon peas, reserving liquid in a measuring cup. Add enough water to make 2 cups of liquid (for white rice). Set aside.

Heat oil in a pot on medium. Add achiote powder and sofrito; cook till fragrant, about 3-5 minutes, stirring to prevent burning. Add tomato paste and both Goya seasonings; mix well. Cook 2 minutes; stir. Add pigeon peas, olives and rice to pot; mix. Cook 3 minutes.

Add liquid from measuring cup; stir and increase heat to high. Cook until no liquid remains, about 15 minutes. Stir once lightly to mix; reduce heat to low. Cover pot with foil; place lid over foil and press down firmly. Let rice steam 10 more minutes. Remove from heat and let sit, covered, 5 minutes. Mix in frozen peas.
Serves 12-14.

To make sofrito:
Roughly chop all ingredients and arrange in individual piles.

Add garlic, onion and bell pepper to a food processor and pulse to a rough consistency. Add 1/3 of cilantro and culantro and pulse, scraping sides to mix. Add remaining herbs, working in batches until all the herbs are processed and sofrito resembles a pesto.

Makes about 2 1/2 cups. Put aside 1/4 cup to make rice and peas. Freeze remainder in ice cube tray, about 1 tablespoon per cube. Frozen cubes may be stored in a freezer-safe bag or container.

Approximate nutrient analysis per serving for rice and peas (based on 12 servings): 200 calories, 3.5 g fat, 0 g saturated fat, 0 mg cholesterol, 300 mg sodium, 37 g carbohydrate, 2 g fiber, 1 g sugar, 5 g protein.

Approximate nutrient analysis per serving for sofrito (based on 2 tablespoons): 15 calories, 0 g fat, 0 g saturated fat, 0 mg cholesterol, 0 mg sodium, 3 g carbohydrate, 1 g fiber, 1 g sugar, 1 g protein.

Nutritional analysis provided by Joannie Dobbs, Ph.D., C.N.S.