Puerto Rican FoodPuerto Rican creamy rice with pork and pumpkin, topped with plantain crisps and culantro
An original Puerto Rican main dish featuring creamy sofrito rice cooked with seasoned pork, tender pumpkin, olives, and fresh culantro, finished with thin baked sweet plantain crisps for a crisp contrast.
Ingredients
- 680 g pork shoulder, cubed (1 inch)
- 8 g Puerto Rican-style seasoning salt (for sazonar the cerdo)
- 1 g dried oregano (for the adobo of the cerdo)
- 18 g garlic, minced (divided)
- 60 ml orange juice (for marinar)
- 45 ml olive oil (divided)
- 220 g ripe plantain (thinly sliced finas)
- 120 g Puerto Rican sofrito (casero or preparado)
- 150 g yellow onion (chopped en cubitos)
- 90 g cubanelle pepper (chopped)
- 30 g tomato paste
- 360 g medium-grain rice (enjuagado)
- 960 ml chicken broth (hot)
- 300 g pumpkin (diced small)
- 45 g green olives (sliced)
- 16 g capers (escurridas)
- 1 g ground cumin
- 1 g black pepper
- 4 g salt (or to taste)
- 12 g fresh culantro (chopped)
- 14 g butter (for dar brillo al final)
Nutrition facts
per serving
Approximate nutritional information. Estimated from the recipe’s ingredients and amounts, using standard reference nutrition values. It may vary with brands, sizes and cooking method. For guidance only; not a substitute for medical or dietary advice.
Allergens
Instructions
- 1
1. In a bowl, combine the cubed pork with the Puerto Rican-style seasoning salt, dried oregano, half of the minced garlic, and the orange juice. Let it marinate for 15 minutes while you prepare the remaining ingredients.
- 2
2. Preheat the oven to 375 °F / 190 °C. Line a small baking sheet with parchment paper or lightly grease it.
- 3
3. Arrange the ripe plantain slices on the tray, brush them with 1 tablespoon of olive oil, and bake for 12 to 15 minutes at 375 °F / 190 °C, turning halfway through, until golden and firm. Set aside for garnish.
- 4
4. In a caldero or deep skillet, heat the remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil over medium-high heat. Brown the marinated pork for 6 to 8 minutes, stirring so it sears well on several sides.
- 5
5. Add the yellow onion, cubanelle pepper, and remaining minced garlic. Cook for 3 minutes until the vegetables soften slightly.
- 6
6. Stir in the Puerto Rican sofrito and tomato paste. Cook for 2 minutes, mixing well, until fragrant and the tomato paste darkens slightly.
- 7
7. Add the medium-grain rice and stir for 1 minute so it is coated with the sofrito and pork drippings.
- 8
8. Pour in the hot chicken broth and add the pumpkin, green olives, capers, ground cumin, black pepper, and salt. Mix well and bring to a gentle boil.
- 9
9. Once boiling, reduce the heat to medium-low, partially cover, and cook for 20 to 25 minutes, stirring every 5 minutes to release the rice starch and create a creamy texture. If needed, add a small splash of hot water to keep the rice creamy rather than dry.
- 10
10. When the rice and pumpkin are tender and the pork is fully cooked, turn off the heat. Stir in the fresh culantro and butter, mixing until the butter melts and gives the rice a glossy finish.
- 11
11. Let rest for 3 minutes. Serve the creamy rice hot and top each portion with the crisp ripe plantain shards.
- 12
12. Adjust salt if needed and serve immediately for the best texture.
Chef tips
For a creamier result, use medium-grain rice and stir gently during cooking. Cut the pumpkin into small cubes so part of it melts into the rice and adds natural creaminess.
Substitutions
You can substitute the pumpkin with butternut squash, culantro with cilantro, and the pork with boneless chicken thighs. If you prefer not to use butter, finish the dish with 1 additional tablespoon of olive oil.
What I used to make it
Generic kitchen tools that work for this recipe. You don’t need to buy anything to make it.
Illustrative imageCosori Pro LE 5 Qt Air Fryer
Browning and baking with little oil
- Browns food with very little oil
- Handy for vegetables, chicken and reheating
- Check the basket capacity
Illustrative imageTempPro TP19H Digital Thermometer
Checking doneness of meat and chicken
- Checks doneness of meat and chicken
- Quick reading
- Clean the probe after each use
Illustrative imageT-fal Ultimate Hard Anodized 12" Non-Stick Pan
Eggs, omelets and stir-fries
- Eggs and omelets that don’t stick
- Comfortable, sturdy handle
- Use wooden or silicone utensils
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