Mexican Rice

Did you know that there are rules to cooking rice?  Not set in stone rules with potentially catastrophic consequences like disobeying the rules of the road. 🛑More like guidelines to follow to ensure that your rice is the most tasty and delicious that it can possibly be.  Fortunately, the rules for making great rice are relatively easy to learn and to follow - and you don't need a license to do it.  

These are my simple rules to follow when cooking rice:
1. Always toast your rice in a skillet with a little bit of oil prior to adding other liquids. 
2.  After adding liquid, bring the rice to a full boil before reducing the heat.  
3.  Cover the pan with a tight fitting lid and DO NOT OPEN IT - no matter how good it smells while it's cooking. 
4.  When the cooking time is up, leave the lid on the pan for 5 full minutes.  
5.  After removing the lid, let the rice rest for 20 minutes before fluffing it with a fork.  

These rules for rice can be applied to almost any long grain rice recipe.  (The exception would be sushi rice or arborio rice used in risotto which come with their own set of cooking rules.)  I've used this method for so long now that it's just become part of my rice routine.  Using these little tricks ensures that my rice dishes are truly special.  

Rice is a staple to Mexican food.  It's almost absurd to think of eating a burrito or an enchilada without a side of rice and beans.  It just wouldn't be right.  Like going to a Mexican restaurant and NOT eating a basket of salty corn chips and salsa.  That would be crazy.  

Fortunately, making great, fluffy rice to accompany all of your Mexican meals at home is easier than you might think.  AND if you follow my rice rules, you're almost guaranteed to have the most delicious, flavorful rice you've ever tasted.  

Mexican Rice
1 1/2 cups long grain rice
1 tomato, quartered
1 jalapeno, halved and seeded
1 garlic clove, chopped
1-1 3/4 cups chicken broth
3 Tablespoons olive oil
1 Tablespoon tomato paste
2 Tablespoons chopped cilantro

Place rice in strainer and rinse under cold water for 1-2 minutes.  

Process tomato, jalapeno, 1 1/2 t. salt, garlic and 1/4 t. pepper in food processor until smooth.  

Transfer to liquid measuring cup and add enough broth to equal 2 1/2 cups. 

Heat oil in skillet.  Add rice and cook 2 minutes.

Add tomato paste and cook, stirring constantly, for 1 minute.  

Add tomato mixture and bring to a boil.  

Stir rice.  Cover and reduce heat to low.  Cook 20 minutes.  

Let stand, covered, off heat for 10 minutes.  Stir in cilantro and season with salt and pepper. 

This is a very basic Mexican rice recipe.  There are a lot of things that you can add to add some more flair and finesse.  As for me, I like to add a squeeze a lime and a half teaspoon of cumin to my Mexican rice.  I want to know what you add to your rice though.  Avocado, rice, taco seasoning, onion, salsa?  What have you tried?  

Ciao!

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