Healthful Recipes
	Side Dishes

	Pigeon Peas With Rice

Canadian bacon, green olives, cubanel pepper, capers and cilantro give this beans and rice dish a fantastic flavor.

1 lb. fresh pigeon peas
8 C. water
very small amount of salt (optional)
2 t. vegetable oil
4 oz. Canadian bacon, diced
1 medium onion, chopped
1 cubanel pepper, seeds removed and chopped
1 green bell pepper, chopped
1 medium tomato, chopped
2 1/4 C. long-grain, white rice
6 stuffed green olives, diced
1 t. capers
6 sprigs cilantro, chopped
1/4 C. tomato sauce

1. Rinse and drain pigeon peas.
2. In large saucepan, combine peas and water. Bring to simmer and cook for 30 minutes.
3. Stir in salt (optional) and cook for 15 more minutes.
4. Drain, reserving 3 cups liquid, and set aside until needed.
5. In large, nonstick saucepan over medium-high heat, warm vegetable oil.
6. Add Canadian bacon, onion, cubanel pepper, bell pepper, tomato.
7. Cook until vegetables are tender, about 8 minutes.
8. Stir rice into bacon and vegetables.
9. Stir in green olives, capers, cilantro, tomato sauce, drained pigeon peas.
10. Cook for 2 to 3 minutes.
11. Stir in 3 cups of reserved liquid. Bring to simmer and cook until almost all water has evaporated.
12. Reduce heat to very low, cover pan and cook for 15 minutes.
13. With large wooden spoon, turn rice and peas very carefully.
14. Cover and cook for 15 more minutes. Serve hot.

Variation:
You may substitute two 16-ounce cans of pigeon peas for 1 pound fresh peas. Drain canned peas and add enough water to their liquid to make 3 cups. Stir canned peas into rice for last 15 minutes of cooking.

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YIELD: 16 servings SERVING SIZE: 1 cup

NUTRITION ANALYSIS PER SERVING: Calories, 324; Total fat, 4 grams; Saturated fat, 1 gram; Cholesterol, 5 milligrams; Sodium, 436 milligrams*; Dietary fiber, 2 grams; Carbohydrates, 60 grams; Protein, 12 grams

Serving Size: 1 1/2 cups

*Sodium content does not include addition of optional amounts of salt mentioned in recipe.

From Healthy Hispanic Recipes by the National Cancer Institute.