{"id":45868,"date":"2024-11-17T19:30:51","date_gmt":"2024-11-17T19:30:51","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/familiakitchen.com\/?p=45868"},"modified":"2024-11-18T03:27:27","modified_gmt":"2024-11-18T03:27:27","slug":"chef-julies-arroz-con-gandules-a-puerto-rican-holiday-must-serve","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/familiakitchen.com\/es\/chef-julies-arroz-con-gandules-a-puerto-rican-holiday-must-serve\/","title":{"rendered":"Arroz con Gandules de la chef Julie, una fiesta puertorrique\u00f1a imprescindible"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Arroz con gandules is on the holiday table every year at Julie Carrion\u2019<\/a>s New York City home. The longtime chef and culinary director of Chef\u2019s Dinner Table<\/a> grew up in Florida, but she was born in Puerto Rico and has always been very close to her Boricua side of the family. The island\u2019s dishes and ingredients<\/a> became an early defining influence, adding a counterpoint to her classical French training, she explains.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cA lot of our celebrations are anchored in the foods that are traditionally celebrated around the holidays, like Three Kings Day,\u201d says Julie. Often called plain-old Reyes for short, this festive occasion takes place every January 6 (aka Epiphany in the Christian calendar), and is celebrated in many Latino countries.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In Puerto Rico, the holiday is a major event that involves setting out hay for the Magi\u2019s camels and presents for small children. Reyes also marks the official end of the holiday season, which in Puerto Rico typically starts way back in Thanksgiving. Much sadness ensues after January 6 \u2014 for adults and kids alike. The six-week-long fiesta is over until next year. Just another reason why Three Kings Day is faithfully observed on the island. It’s the last-gasp blowout before the return to everyday normalcy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cGrowing up, I understood the emotional connection that food brings to these celebrations. And those create memories. I think it\u2019s part of what connected me to cooking at a young age. I followed a more traditional path. I went to college and then went to culinary school afterward, but it was those holidays that reminded me of this part of my culture.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n

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\"Pavochon,
Chef Julie Carrion carving the pavochon at the annual Chef\u2019s Dinner Table “Staffsgiving\u201d celebration in New York City. Arroz con gandules is a traditional side to serve with this Puerto Rican-style Thanksgiving main dish.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

Chef Julie usually makes arroz con gandules in two versions: traditional and no-meat. Every holiday, \u201cmy kids and I cook together,\u201d she says. \u201cThey are both vegetarians so I have had to take the pork out and it still works. You just have the have the depth of flavor that comes from a really good sofrito<\/a>, lots of love, and technique.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Speaking of technique, here\u2019s a tip she tells Familia Kitchen she learned when she first started cooking. It\u2019s a simple one that makes all<\/em> the difference in arroz success and can be summarized in four words: Don\u2019t lift the lid. <\/em>Let the arroz cook undisturbed. Sitting in its steam is essential to get that final fluffy rice everyone loves. So whether you\u2019re making arroz con gandules or arroz con pollo<\/a>, she says: \u201cIt all comes down to praying \u2014 and don\u2019t open that top.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Three Kings is just around the corner, as is Chef Julie\u2019s weeklong stint executive cheffing Puerto Rican dishes aboard the Sea Cloud\u2019s cruise line\u2019s inaugural voyage to <\/a>the island in January 2025. She will, of course, be making arroz con gandules for both occasions. \u201cAt the Three Kings Day party, I used to play with the recipes we\u2019d make every year, and now it is the same every year. We don\u2019t mess with it. Because it works!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ready to Make Chef Julie\u2019s Arroz con Gandules?<\/h2>\n\n\n
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Chef Julie\u2019s Arroz con Gandules, a Puerto Rican Holiday Tradition<\/h2>\n\n
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