The Whole Food Blog

This whole food recipe is in honor of Supreme Court nominee, Judge Sotomayor.  It’s based on a traditional Puerto Rican soup that is typically made with pork. However, this vegan dish calls for green plantains molded into shapes resembling meatballs and gandules, a favorite of Sotomayor as well as many other Puerto Ricans.

In a recent speech, Sotomayor proclaimed, “For me, a very special part of my being Latina is the mucho platos de arroz, gandules y pernir — rice, beans and pork — that I have eaten at countless family holidays and special events.”

Gandules, or pigeon peas, and green plantains are a staple in Puerto Rican dishes. This soup is a healthy, whole food that is loaded with plantains and gondules, but avoids the use of animal products.

Sopa de Platanos Verde con Gandules
(Plantain soup with green plantains and pigeon peas)

Gandules:

* 1 lb.gandules (fresh or frozen or canned)
* 2 Qts water
* 2tsp sea salt
* 4 cloves of chopped garlic
* (If using canned you can skip to making the sauce. Otherwise, use the water from the can and add 1 ½ quarts of water.)
* Fresh or frozen-rinse and cook in 2qts of water for about 45 minutes, or until the peas are tender.

Sauce:

* 1 green pepper chopped
* ½ onion chopped
* 2 cloves chopped garlic
* 1 Tablespoon capers
* ½ C green stuffed olives
* 8oz canned tomato sauce
* 2 Tablespoons of olive oil
* 1 Qt vegetable broth
* 2-3 large very green plantains (peel and cut into pieces)
* 1tsp sea salt
* 1/3 Cup water or rice milk

Saute peppers, onions, capers, and olives in olive oil for 5 minutes, place in large soup pot, add broth, then heat to simmer. Add cooked gandules. Cut off the ends of the plantains and score the skin with a sharp knife. This makes it easier to remove the peels. Place plantain pieces in a food processor, add sea salt, and slowly add water to make a soft mixture. Form mixture into round balls, a little smaller than golf ball size. Drop the balls into the heated soup. Simmer for 30-40 minutes.

Makes 6-8 servings