Farro con Gandules (Vegan Farro with Green Pigeon Peas)

Lo prometido es deuda, as we would say in Puerto Rico. Here is the recipe for farro con gandules that I talked about in my very first blog post; one of the recipes I developed for the individual project of the Vegetarian Cuisine course.

The combination of whole grains (farro) and legumes (green pigeon peas) brings all the essential amino acids to this dish. As you’ll notice, this recipe does not contain any salt. One of the parameters for the project was to not exceed 800 milligrams of sodium in the complete meal, composed of jackfruit pernil, farro con gandules, and green cabbage salad. Can you believe that a single teaspoon of salt has 2,325 mg of sodium? That’s almost 2,300 mg, which is the recommended daily intake! To reduce the sodium in a recipe without sacrificing flavor, it is important to incorporate umami-rich ingredients. This recipe is a perfect example of that. (Wait until you try it… You won’t even notice there’s no salt.) The recaíto, tomato sauce, coconut aminos, sazón, and other seasonings work together to develop the unique flavor of the classic Puerto Rican dish, arroz con gandules.

This recipe is simple to make; the preparation is similar to the pilaf method. Prepare a big batch at the beginning of the week and you have a dish that can be served in multiple ways throughout the week, with tostones, maduros, jackfruit pernil, green cabbage salad, vegetarian pasteles, or any other of your favorite side dishes, keeping your daily lunch or dinner interesting.

Let me know what you think and reach out if you have any questions or feedback. ¡Buen provecho!

Farro con Gandules (Vegan Farro with Green Pigeon Peas)

Yield: 2 cups Servings: 4 Number of Servings: 4

Ingredients:

· ½ tablespoon Spanish extra virgin olive oil

· ¼ cup recaíto

· ½ cup tomato sauce

· 2 teaspoons coconut aminos

· 1 ½ teaspoons sazón

· ½ teaspoon granulated onion powder

· ½ teaspoon garlic powder

· ¼ teaspoon dried oregano leaves

· ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper

· 1 cup wheat farro (emmer)

· 2 cups vegetable stock

· ½ 15-ounce can gandules (green pigeon peas)

Preparation:

1. Gather all ingredients and equipment.

2. Heat the olive oil over medium heat, in a medium pot.

3. Add the sofrito and cook, until fragrant (approximately 2 minutes). Stir constantly with a rubber spatula. Then, add the tomato sauce and the coconut aminos.

4. Add the sazón, onion powder, granulated garlic, oregano, and black pepper and stir to combine. Bring the sauce to a simmer.

5. Add the farro and stock. Bring to a boil and then, reduce to a simmer. Cover with aluminum foil.

6. When all the water is evaporated, stir, and cover once again. Reduce heat to low, add the gandules, and let steam for 15 minutes, or until the farro is al dente.

7. Fluff the farro with a fork. Serve right away or cool down and refrigerate for up to 7 days. If needed, add more vegetable stock when reheating, to reach the desired consistency.