In a 2-quart, wide saucepan, heat the oil over medium heat and cook the onion until translucent, 3 to 4 minutes.

Add the cabbage and cook, stirring, until wilted, 2 to 3 minutes.

Add the tomatoes, oregano, and salt.

Cook, stirring frequently until the tomato juices cook away and the mixture is nearly dry, 3 to 4 minutes.

Add the rice and broth.

Bring to a boil, uncovered.

Stir to level the rice, reduce the heat to low, cover, and cook 18 to 20 minutes or until the liquid is absorbed and the rice is tender.

Turn off the heat and let the rice stand 5 minutes.

Meanwhile, in a medium nonstick skillet, cook the sausage rounds until completely cooked and lightly browned, about 5 minutes.

When the rice is cooked, fluff with a fork and transfer to a serving platter or shallow bowl.

Arrange the sausage on top.

Sprinkle with parsley.

Prepare rice.

Then, prepare picadillo with ground pork or beef.

When the rice is cool, gently mix in the cooked picadillo.

Transfer the mixture to an ovenproof earthenware casserole dish or glass baking dish.

The dish may be made ahead to this point, covered and refrigerated for up to 1 day.

Shortly before serving, preheat the oven to 350°.

Warm the casserole until hot all the way through, 20 to 25 minutes.

Sprinkle with parsley.

Soak the chile in a bowl of hot water about 20 minutes; then put it in a blender jar with the garlic, onion, tomatoes, and water.

Blend until smooth.

Reserve in the blender.

In a large, wide pan, heat the oil until it shimmers, and stir-fry the chicken until no longer pink inside, about 2 to 3 minutes.

Remove the chicken to a plate.

In the same pan, add the blended chile sauce, and cook, stirring, 2 minutes.

Pour in the hot water; then add the rice, oregano, capers, and salt.

Stir to mix, and bring to a boil.

Reduce heat to low, cover and simmer 15 minutes.

The rice should be almost tender and still moist.

Put the chicken pieces on top of the rice.

Cover and continue cooking 5 more minutes.

Remove from heat and let the rice stand 6 to 8 minutes.

Transfer the rice to a shallow serving bowl or platter.

Sprinkle the top with cheese and parsley.

In a wide 2-quart saucepan heat the oil over medium heat and cook the onion, stirring, until translucent, 3 to 4 minutes.

Add the garlic, mushrooms, and poblano.

Cook, stirring frequently, until the mushrooms give up their moisture and start to brown.

Add the rice and cook, stirring, 3 minutes.

Add the broth all at once.

Stir briefly to level the rice.

Bring to a boil; then reduce the heat to low, cover and simmer until the rice is tender and the liquid is absorbed, about 20 minutes.

Turn off the heat.

Add the salt, pepper, and parsley.

Fluff gently with a fork.

Cover and let stand 8 to 10 minutes.

To prepare the blossoms, cut off the stems and remove the green petals at the base of the flowers.

Pinch off the stamen inside the blossoms.

Rinse gently and gently shake off excess water.

Chop crosswise about ½ inch thick and then lengthwise the same.

Reserve.

In a wide 2-quart saucepan, heat the oil over medium heat and cook the onion, stirring, until the onion softens, about 3 minutes.

Add the rice and cook, stirring, until the rice is opaque and starts to change color, but doesn’t brown, about 3 minutes.

Add the broth.

Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to low, cover, and simmer until the liquid is absorbed and the rice is tender, about 18 to 20 minutes.

Remove pan from heat and let rice stand 5 minutes.

Then fluff with a fork.

While the rice cooks, melt the butter in a skillet until it foams.

Add the reserved squash blossoms and salt.

Cook, stirring, over medium heat, until the blossoms are tender and the juices are absorbed, 6 to 8 minutes.

When the rice is cooked, gently fold the cooked blossoms into the rice.

In a 2-quart saucepan, heat 1 tablespoon of the oil over medium heat.

Add the rice, and stir frequently until the rice is opaque and aromatic, about 5 minutes.

Add ½ teaspoon salt and the water.

Stir once to settle the rice and bring to a boil.

Reduce heat to low, cover and simmer until the liquid is absorbed and the rice is tender, 18 to 20 minutes.

Turn off the heat, fluff the rice with a fork, cover and let stand 85 minutes.

Stick a fork into the bottom of the pan to check for remaining moisture.

If just dry on the bottom, fluff the rice with the fork.

Meanwhile, in a large nonstick skillet, heat the remaining tablespoon of oil over medium heat.

Add the onion and cook, stirring, until the onion is translucent, about 3 minutes.

Add the garlic, zucchini, corn, oregano, cumin, red chile, and ¼ cup of water.

Cook, stirring, until the liquid has boiled away, and the vegetables are crisptender, 4 to 5 minutes.

Mound the rice in the center of a warm round serving platter.

Spoon the vegetables around the rice.

Drizzle thinned crema or sour cream over the rice and sprinkle with chopped cilantro.

Preheat the oven to 200°.

In a medium bowl, mix the hot cooked rice, parsley, and ¼ teaspoon of the salt.

Pack the rice into a round-bottomed 2-cup capacity bowl, then.

Invert the rice onto the center of a large serving plate.

Keep warm in the oven.

In a medium skillet, heat the butter and oil over medium heat.

Cook the plantain rounds until golden brown on both sides, about 5 minutes total.

Sprinkle with the remaining ¼ teaspoon of salt.

Arrange the plantain pieces around the rice dome, and serve hot.

Put a paper towel in a small bowl and add the chickpeas to drain them of all moisture.

Reserve.

In a wide 2-quart saucepan, heat the oil over medium heat.

Add the rice, onion, garlic, and salt.

Cook, stirring frequently, until the rice is opaque and starts to change color, but doesn’t brown and onion start to brown, 4 to 5 minutes.

Add the remaining ingredients and the reserved chickpeas.

Stir once or twice to mix.

Bring to a boil, reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer until the rice is tender and the liquid is absorbed, 18 to 20 minutes.

Remove from the heat and let the rice stand 5 minutes.

If just dry, fluff rice with a fork and stir gently to mix.

In a small saucepan, heat the oil over medium heat.

Add the achiote seeds and cook until the seeds sizzle and the oil is a rich gold color, about 1 minute.

Remove the pan from the heat.

Strain the yellow oil into a large saucepan and discard the seeds.

Heat the achiote oil over medium heat.

Add the onion and garlic.

Cook, stirring, until softened, about 2 minutes.

Add the rice and cook, stirring, until the grains are yellow and aromatic, about 3 minutes.

Stir in the chicken broth, salt, and pepper.

Bring the rice to a boil.

Reduce heat to low, cover, and cook 18 to 20 minutes, or until the rice is tender and the liquid is absorbed.

Remove pan from heat.

Scatter the peas and mint over the top, but do not stir.

Cover and let the rice stand 5 minutes.

If just dry, fluff the rice with a fork then gently stir the peas and mint, if using, into the rice.

Heat 1 teaspoon of the oil in a small skillet, and toast the pine nuts, stirring, until pale golden brown, about 1 minute.

Immediately remove the toasted nuts to a plate to stop the toasting.

(Pay close attention: the nuts can burn quickly.

)

Heat the remaining tablespoon of oil in a large pan over medium-high heat, and cook the rice and the onion, stirring, until aromatic, about 3 minutes.

Add the broth and salt.

Bring to a boil.

Reduce the heat to low, cover and simmer the rice until the liquid is absorbed and the rice is tender, 18 to 20 minutes.

Remove the pan from the heat and let the rice stand 5 minutes.

Stick a fork into the bottom of the pan to check for moisture.

If just dry on the bottom, fluff the rice with the fork.

If not dry, cover and stand 5 more minutes.

Stir in the pine nuts a