A version said to be based on the Spanish rice dish arroz a la valenciana includes chicken, rabbit and a variety of seafood cooked in sherry wine.
The chicken version (asopao de pollo) is usually served with plantain dumplings. It is a common holiday dish for Christmas, and during Octavitas and Los Tres Reyes Magos celebrations.[6] Asopao de pollo can also include beer, smoked ham, ham hock, corn on the cob with more smoky seasoning, cumin, annatto and coriander seeds.
Asopao de marisco includes clams, shrimp, squid, octopus, fish, lobster, crab, scallops, and mussels.
Asopao de gandules replaces rice with pigeon peas.[7] The meat is usually a mix of longaniza, oxtail, and smoked meats; when done, roasted pork is placed on top of the soup. Squash and plantain dumplings are often included in the soup.
The plantain dumplings that are popular with asopao de pollo and asopao de gandules are made from root vegetables, breadfruit, green banana, plantains, milk, eggs and rice flour or cornmeal. The dumplings are made into golf-sized balls and often seasoned with spices and herbs. They can be prepared a day in advance and fried.[8][9]
Asopao is typically flavored with wine, broth, bay leaf and oregano, along with sofrito, olives, and capers; rice is the most important part. The stew is garnished with sweet peas and served with mojito isleño, bread, tostones and avocado.
