THE PEREZ FAMILY ARROZ CON HABICHUELAS

Homemade sofrito ingredients

½ cup onion, chopped

½ green pepper, chopped

2 cloves of garlic minced ( whole if using pilon) Cilantro, chopped to taste ( optional)

¼ tsp. oregano fresh or dried

Alternative: Use 2 tablespoons of storebought sofrito. Goya brand can be found at most grocery stores. Select the green jar that says recaito instead of sofrito. If using the sofrito jar decrease the amount of tomato sauce in recipe by half.

Arroz Con Habichuelas ingredients

2 tbsps. olive oil

½ cup of diced ham or bacon, cooked and crumbled

¾ cup water

2 15- ounce cans pinto beans

1 8- ounce can of tomato sauce

1 packet Sazon Goya Con cilantro y Achiote ( optional but makes a difference)

1 tsp. adobo Ground black pepper, to taste Salt, to taste Garlic powder, to taste

2 tbsps. of spanish pimento stuffed olives

2 cups cooked white rice

Directions

Start by pounding the first five ingredients, the sofrito, in your pilon ( unless using storebought). You can use a regular bowl if you don’t have a pilon. Prepare rice, then set aside. In a medium pot, saute sofrito and ham for 3 minutes, or until aromatic, making sure not to burn the garlic. Add tomato sauce, beans, water and sazon packet. Season with pepper, adobo, and a little garlic powder. Stir, taste and adjust spices to your liking. Sylvia says to throw in a little sugar when no one is looking. Add olives and bring to boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer for about 10 minutes. Serve over or alongside white rice. Serves about 4. Enjoy!