Best Spanish Rice With Olives Recipes

ARROZ CON GANDULES (PUERTO RICAN RICE AND PIGEON PEAS)

Steps:

• 1. Heat a large heavy bottomed pot, or a caldero if you have one, over medium heat. If using ham or bacon, slowly cook the meat until crispy, remove meat from pot and set aside leaving the drippings. If not using meat, add olive oil before continuing with the next step. 2. Then, add the gandules, tomato sauce, green olives, sofrito, salt, adobo seasoning, sazon, ground black pepper and ground cumin. Stir to fully combine. 3. Once the mixture becomes fragrant, pour in the water and bring it to a boil over high heat. Bring the mixture to a boil and then add the rice. Stir until rice is submerged and pigeon peas are distributed evenly. 4. Reduce the heat to medium-low, cover, and cook for about 25 minutes. You can add your ham or bacon back in now if you want, or wait to add it in again before serving. Traditionally the rice would be covered with a banana or plantain leaf. However, a tight fitting pot lid will work just fine! 5. About half way through cooking, remove the lid and stir, making sure to scrape up any rice stuck at the bottom of the pan. This is a very touchy subject - some Puerto Ricans insist that you don't stir the rice while cooking. That the crispy bottom bites are the best part! While others would prefer more evenly cooked rice. Whatever you do, if you do stir the rice, make sure you only do it once or the rice can become sticky. 6. After simmering for 25 minutes, remove the arroz con gandules from the heat and let it sit for an additional 30 minutes before serving. This is called letting the rice "steam". The rice is done once all the liquid is absorbed. 7. After letting the rice rest for about a half hour, remove the lid. Fluff and stir the rice, then serve warm with fresh cilantro, if desired.

CHICKEN AND RICE WITH OLIVES

Steps:

• Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the onion, celery and a pinch of salt and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, 5 minutes. Stir in 3 minced garlic cloves and 1 tablespoon oregano; cook 30 seconds.
• Add the rice, olives, lemon quarters, 1 1/2 cups water and 1 teaspoon salt to the pan. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to low and stir. Cover and simmer until the liquid is absorbed and the rice is tender, about 17 minutes.
• Meanwhile, heat the remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Season the chicken with salt and pepper, add to the skillet and cook, turning once, until browned, about 8 minutes. Add the remaining 2 minced garlic cloves and 1 tablespoon oregano and cook, stirring, until the garlic is softened, about 10 seconds. Add the lemon juice and scrape up any browned bits with a wooden spoon. Add the chicken broth, bring to a simmer and cook until reduced by about half and the chicken is cooked through, about 5 minutes.
• Fluff the rice with a fork. Divide among plates, top with the chicken and pan juices and sprinkle with the chives.

ABUELITA'S SPANISH RICE

Steps:

• 1. In a large saucepan, cook bacon until fat is rendered. Use a bit of olive oil if necessary to crisp up the bacon or salt pork.
• 2. Stir in oregano, garlic, salt, pepper, and vinegar, and cook a couple of minutes over medium heat until fragrant. Add in tomatoes and cook until their liquid is released.
• 3. Stir in the rice mix until rice is well coated, then stir in the chicken stock or water. Bring to a boil.
• 4. Stir well. Reduce heat to a simmer, cover pot, and cook very slowly without lifting lid for 20 minutes. Then, remove lid, stir well, and allow to cook uncovered until rice dries out slightly, stirring occasionally.
• 5. Top with sliced green olives, if desired. Another option is to stir in 1 cup peas, or chickpeas, or pigeon peas and heat through.
• 6. NOTE: My mother-in-law used to make this with plain rice and real saffron. But the cost of real saffron has skyrocketed, and she is OK with using the rice mix. She sometimes also adds 1 packet of the Goya Sazon Azafran. I usually leave that out because it is mostly MSG.

BEST SPANISH RICE

Steps:

• Heat oil in a large, heavy skillet over medium heat. Stir in onion, and cook until tender, about 5 minutes.
• Mix rice into skillet, stirring often. When rice begins to brown, stir in chicken broth and salsa. Reduce heat, cover and simmer 20 minutes, until liquid has been absorbed.

SPANISH CHICKEN WITH RICE AND OLIVES

Steps:

• Season the chicken pieces with salt and pepper.
• Heat oil in a large heavy skillet over medium-high heat until hot but not smoking.
• Brown the chicken well on both sides; transfer to a plate.
• Add in onion, red bell pepper and dryed chili flakes; saute for 5 minutes.
• Add in garlic, paprika and rice and saute for 3 minutes, stirring with a wooden spoon.
• Add in wine and bring to a boil; simmer uncovered for 3 minutes.
• Add in tomatoes with juice, chicken broth, saffron and bay leaf; simmer for about 6-7 minutes.
• Return the chicken along with any juices from the bowl or plate back to the skillet and nestle into the rice .
• Cook covered over low heat until the chicken is cooked through and the rice is tender and most of the liquid is absorbed (about 20-25 minutes, it might take more or less time).
• Add in the peas and olives, season with salt and pepper to taste.
• Cover the skillet and let stand for 10 minutes before serving.