Mexican Rice

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             FOOD FUNNY
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Here's a good one from Rosemary Zwick:

Every morning during our coffee break, my colleagues and I listened to
the culinary disasters of a newly-married co-worker, who had never
really cooked before and was now struggling to meet the demands of
cooking for two. We always tried to share helpful hints and tips. One
day she asked us for step-by-step instructions on cooking sweet
potatoes, one of her new husband's favorite dishes. "I need your help,"
she explained, "because I've finally been able to make them sweet, but
how do you make them orange?"

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             TODAY'S RECIPE
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The stuff piled next to the refried beans on nearly every plate served
by Mexican restaurants in the USA bears little resemblance to anything
you'll find in Mexico. Here's the genuine article.

Mexican Rice (Arroz a la Mexicana)

2 cups (500 ml) long-grain rice
1 large onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, crushed
4 cups (1 L) chicken or beef stock
1 1/2 cups (375 ml) tomatoes, peeled, seeded, and chopped, or 1 1/2 cups (375 ml) canned tomatoes
1/4 cup (60 ml) olive oil
1/2 cup (125 ml) frozen or fresh green peas, cooked
Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
Optional garnishes:
Chile "flowers" (fresh hot chiles sliced from the tip to the stem into 4 or 5 sections and immersed in cold water until they curl back to form "flowers")
Fresh coriander or parsley sprigs
1 large avocado, peeled and sliced

Puree the tomatoes, onion, garlic, and 1/2 cup of the stock in an
electric blender or food processor. Heat the oil in a saucepan and saute
the rice until it turns golden. Add the tomato puree, remaining stock,
and salt and pepper to taste. Bring to a boil, lower the heat to a
simmer, and cover until almost all of the liquid has been absorbed
(about 15 minutes). Mix in the peas and continue cooking until all the
liquid has been absorbed. Garnish with the optional garnishes.
Serves 6.
Received on Tue Apr 7 20:53:39 2009