Gandules Guisados Stewed Pigeon Peas Food

[RECIPE + VIDEO] GUANDULES CON COCO (PIGEON PEAS WITH COCONUT)

Steps:

• Soak the guandules in water overnight, or at least a couple of hours.
• Discard the water in which the guandules soaked. Combine the guandules with ½ gallon [2 liters] of water. Boil over medium heat until the guandules are soft, and you can crush one if pinched (40 - 60 mins). Add water if it becomes necessary to prevent them from drying and burning.To reduce cooking time, you can boil in a pressure cooker. Combine with 4 cups of water and boil in the pressure cooker for 20 minutes, or until they become soft.Separate the guandules from the water in which it boiled. Set both aside.
• If you are watching your sodium intake, discard the water in which they came (it already contains sodium, and I have not accounted for it in the nutritional information). If you don't mind the extra sodium, you can use the liquid later when the recipe calls for water to be added after adding coconut milk.
• In a pot heat the oil over medium-low heat. Add onion and cook and stir until it becomes translucent. Add oregano, garlic, ajíes gustosos, and thyme. Cook and stir for a minute.
• Add the pigeon peas. Cook stirring until they are heated through. Change heat to low. Follow the next step only If you are cooking with fresh guandules. Skip the next step if you are using boiled-from-dry or canned guandules.
• Cover and let it cook over low heat, stirring often until the guandules are soft when you pinch them (about 35 minutes). There should be no need to add water, but add a couple of tablespoons if it becomes necessary to prevent it from burning.
• Add the coconut milk and 3 cups of water (this can be the liquid you reserved from boiling, if you used dry guandules ). Once heated through, mash a bit to crush some of the guandules
• Add the auyama and boil over medium heat until it is cooked through and the peas reach a creamy consistency, adding more water as it becomes necessary to maintain the same level. Remove the onion pieces and thyme (if you used fresh sprigs).Season with salt to taste and simmer for another two minutes.
• Remove from the heat and stir in the parsley and serve per suggestions above.

ASOPAO DE GANDULES (PIGEON PEA STEW)

Steps:

• Heat oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add gandules, onion, ají dulce (or bell pepper) and garlic. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are soft, about 3 minutes. Add 1 cup broth, tomato paste and oregano. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the liquid is almost completely evaporated, about 5 minutes. Stir in the remaining 3 cups broth, salt and pepper. Reduce heat to maintain a simmer, cover and cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are very tender, about 15 minutes more. Stir in culantro (or cilantro).

GANDULES CON BOLITAS DE PLáTANO (PIGEON PEAS WITH PLANTAIN DUMPLINGS)

Steps:

• Prepare the gandules: Heat oil in a large pot over medium-high. Add sofrito and sauté 5 to 7 minutes, stirring occasionally, until liquid has evaporated and mixture darkens. Add gandules, vegetable stock, bay leaves and salt, and increase heat to high. Once boiling, lower heat and simmer for 15 minutes.
• While gandules are cooking, prepare the plantain dumplings: Grate or blend plantains in a food processor until smooth or shred them finely on a box grater. Put grated plantains in a medium bowl and add cumin, garlic powder, annatto and salt. Mix well with a fork to incorporate. The mixture will be thick and a little sticky, but the natural starch of the plantain will set up quickly.
• Return the gandules to a rolling simmer. Standing over the pot, scoop out about 1 tablespoon of plantain masa and put directly into the pot. The dumplings will rise immediately to the top. Repeat with the remaining masa, careful to avoid putting fresh dumplings on top of others, until you've used up all of the plantain masa, stirring occasionally to prevent dumplings from sticking to one another.
• Once all the plantain dumplings have been added, lower heat and cook for 2 more minutes, stirring gently a few times. Remove from heat, and adjust salt to taste. Serve as a soup, accompanied by white rice, with avocado slices on the side.

GANDULES GUISADOS (STEWED PIGEON PEAS)

Steps:

• Prep Yellow Onion (1/2), Red Bell Pepper (1/2), and Green Bell Pepper (1/2) by chopping or slicing - you want about ¼ cup of each. For the size, it's really all about your preference.
• In a medium saucepan, add the Corn Oil (2 tablespoon) and heat over medium heat.
• Add Adobo Seasoning (1 tablespoon), Lime Juice (2 tablespoon), Distilled White Vinegar (1 teaspoon), Tomato Sauce (1 can), and Fresh Cilantro (1/4 cup). Stir well. Bring to a slight simmer.
• Once hot, add Garlic (1 tablespoon) and cook for 15 to 30 seconds. Immediately add onions, peppers, Green Olives (2 tablespoon), and stir.
• Add the Pigeon Peas (2 can) and one can full of water. Set heat to high and bring to a boil.
• Once at a boil, lower heat to low. Cover and cook for about 25 minutes.
• If you'd like to have the gandules a bit thicker, once done, crush some of the gandules right in the saucepan with a fork or a strainer making sure you put those crushed gandules right back in the saucepan. Raising the heat will also evaporate more of the liquid and help make it thicker.
• Serve warm with Long Grain White Rice (to taste) - this is the preferred rice for Latin cooking.

PIGEON PEA RICE (ARROZ DE GANDULES)

Steps:

• Put the pigeon peas and bay leaves in a large pot, cover with 3 quarts of cold water, and place over medium heat. Cover and cook the beans until tender, about 1 1/2 hours. Check the water periodically; add more, f necessary, to keep the peas covered. Drain the pigeon peas and reserve 4 cups of the cooking liquid.
• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
• Coat a large Dutch oven or other ovenproof pot with the achiote oil and place over medium heat. When the oil begins to smoke, add the onion, garlic, and peppers. Cook, stirring, for 10 minutes, until the vegetables have softened, without letting them brown. Pour in the chicken broth and continue to cook until the liquid is evaporated. Stir in the cumin, coriander, and cayenne. Mix in the rice and reserved pigeon peas. Pour in the reserved 4 cups of pigeon pea cooking liquid, lime juice, and salt; stir everything together. Cover and bake for 20 to 30 minutes, until the rice is tender and the liquid is absorbed.
• To make the achiote oil, pour the oil and achiote seeds in a pot or skillet. Cook over medium-low heat for 5 to 10 minutes; the oil will be reddish-orange from the achiote. Strain the oil, discard the achiote seeds and set aside to cool.

PIGEON PEAS AND COCONUT (GANDULES CON COCO)

Steps:

• Heat olive oil in a pot. Add the onion, garlic, oregano, thyme, salt, and cilantro. Saute for 1 minute.
• Add the boiled pigeon peas and cook over medium heat for 1 minute.
• Add the chicken bouillon and 3 cups of water. Stir and bring to a boil over medium heat. Mash some of the pigeon peas with a potato masher.
• Allow to boil until water is reduced by half - about 15 minutes.
• Add the coconut milk and simmer over medium low heat until the mixture reaches a creamy consistency - about 20 minutes.
• Serve hot over white rice.