- 1 Cubanelle pepper (Italian frying pepper), seeded and chopped
- 5 fresh ají dulce (small sweet chiles), halved and seeded
- 1/2 cup chopped onion
- 2 garlic cloves, chopped
- 1/2 cup coarsely chopped cilantro
- 3 fresh recao leaves (culantro; see cooks' note, below), chopped
- 1 plum tomato, chopped
- 1 (1/4-pound) piece smoked ham, diced
- 1/4 cup annatto oil
- 1/3 cup chopped pimiento-stuffed olives
- 1 tablespoon drained bottled capers
- 2 cups long-grain white rice
- 1 (15-ounce) can pigeon peas, rinsed and drained
- 3 1/2 cups water
- Purée all sofrito ingredients in a food processor.
- Cut out a round of parchment or wax paper slightly larger than diameter of a wide 4- to 5-quart pot.
- Pat ham dry and cook in annatto oil in pot over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally, until starting to crisp, about 4 minutes. Add sofrito, olives, and capers and cook, stirring, until liquid has evaporated, about 5 minutes. Add rice and cook, stirring, until it sizzles, about 2 minutes.
- Stir in peas, water, and 1 1/4 teaspoons salt and bring to a simmer. Simmer, uncovered, over medium-high heat until almost all of liquid is absorbed, about 10 minutes, reducing heat to medium once water is below level of rice.
- Gently stir from bottom to top, then smooth top of rice. Place parchment round directly over rice and cover pot with a tight-fitting lid. Reduce heat to low and cook, undisturbed, 30 minutes.
- Remove from heat, then discard parchment and gently fluff rice with a fork. Cover with lid and let stand 10 minutes.