If there’s one thing I want to be when I grow up, it’s to be an amazing cook like my grandmother. She used to make the most amazing Puerto Rican food. We never wanted to eat out as kids because grandma’s cooking was far superior. The smells of garlic, onion and cilantro bring back so many tasty memories… memories that I hope my children have of me someday.
While I have tried many of her dishes and they have flopped miserably, there is one that is a no fail. The dish is called Arroz Con Salchichas which simply translates to “rice with little sausages.” It’s GREAT for little ones because what kid doesn’t like little “hot dogs”? I remember inhaling this growing up – I could probably still put down 2 or 3 bowls today! This is a great recipe to have in your back pocket for a quick dinner. I try to always have the ingredients in my pantry to throw this together with no fuss.
One important tip: don’t burn the rice! After the rice has soaked up all the liquid, remove the pot and set it on a cool burner. DO NOT leave it on a hot burner or it will continue to cook and all you will end up with is pegao (crusty rice). Now I say this, but I must admit that sometimes I leave it on a little longer on purpose because I think the pegao is best part of the rice. After dinner my mom and I would put the leftovers away and then take the pegao from the bottom of the pot and take turns spooning it out… no matter how full we were.
For more amazing Puerto Rican recipes, check out The Puerto Rican Cookery! It’s like the Puerto Rican Bible of cookbooks and one I remember my grandmother cooking from all the time.
Click on the recipe below to start cooking!
