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"Arroz con Gandules" a Puerto Rican Staple

The university where I work for is celebrating Hispanic Heritage Month! I was thrilled when I  was asked to bring a Puerto Rican dish, and of course I decided to make Arroz con Gandules (Rice with Pigeon Peas)! 

Arroz con Gandules is a Puerto Rican staple, and the main dish during the holidays, especially Christmas. Of course, making this dish is my favorite "away from home dish", one that I want to pass on to our son.  My Mami taught me how to make this dish, and of course, I make it by eye-balling the ingredients; but for the sake of this post, I wrote down the measurements of everything that I used.  I am by no means a chef, but I can cook! 
Ingredients:
  • 1/4 c. chopped bacon (not pictured) 
  • 1 tbs. olive oil 
  • 1 can of gandules (pigeon peas) 
  • 1 1/2 tbs. sofrito Goya  
  • 1 1/2 tbs. recaito Goya 
  • 1 packet of chicken bouillon 
  • 1/2 packet sazón 
  • 6-8 Spanish olives (not pictured) 
  • 1/2 can tomato sauce 
  • 2 cups of rice 
  • 2 cups of water 
  • Salt to taste 

Pour 1 tbs. olive oil in the "caldero" (iron pot) and put the chopped bacon, and let it brown.  Pour the can of gandules and let it simmer for a while. 

Next add the sofrito, recaito, sazón, chicken bouillon, Spanish olives, and the tomato sauce and let it simmer for a few minutes. 

Then add the rice, and water. Add salt to taste. 

Once the liquid has dried up (as pictured) stir, and let it cook in low heat for 30 minutes. The rice grain should be tender. 

After it has been cooked this is the end result, and I must say it is delicious! 

Of course, as a good Boricua that I am, I can't let the pegao (rice stuck on the bottom of the caldero) go to waste! I scraped it out of the caldero, got me some slice of avocados (straight from Puerto Rico!), and ate it!  This was delicious!!! 

¡Buen provecho!