Recipes

Rice with Plantains

Rice with Plantains

Arroz con Plátano Machos
Plantains are cooking bananas, a species that are bigger, firmer, and less sweet than bananas, that are grown in Mexico and Central America. Ripe plantains have nearly black skins and give slightly when pressed lightly with your fingers. This is a very common way to serve rice, especially along the Gulf coast of Mexico, and it's among my favorite rice dishes. The rice presentation is a little more elaborate here, but you can simply spoon the rice onto a dish, if you prefer.
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Ingredients

Makes 4 servings

  • Basic White Rice
  • 1 tablespoon minced fresh parsley
  • ½ teaspoon salt or to taste
  • 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
  • 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
  • 1 large ripe plantain peeled and cut crosswise, about ¼ inch thick

Instructions

  • 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.
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Course; Rice
Cuisine; Mexican

Rice with Chickpeas

Rice with Chickpeas

Arroz con Garbanzos
Chickpeas, also called garbanzo beans, are used in soups and salads, and in this case added to rice for a hearty side dish. It's a full-flavored combination that goes well with grilled meats and fresh salsa. This calls for the convenience of canned chickpeas but you can also use freshly cooked—see Basic Chickpeas.
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Ingredients

Makes 4 servings

Instructions

  • 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.

Notes & Wine Advice

Serve hot.
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Course; Rice
Cuisine; Mexican

Yellow Rice with Peas

Yellow Rice with Peas

Arroz Amarillo
Achiote (annatto) seeds' color infuse into the cooking oil to give this Mexican rice its typical yellow hue, elusive aroma, and subtle flavor that's typical in Yucatán and along the Gulf coast of Mexico. The red-orange seeds can be found in Latin-American food stores, or in the Mexican section of most supermarkets. Achiote is used all over Mexico for this popular variation on rice, and it often contains fresh mint (but omit it if you like).
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Ingredients

Makes 4 servings

Instructions

  • 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.

Notes & Wine Advice

Serve hot.
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Course; Rice
Cuisine; Mexican

Rice with Pine Nuts

Rice with Pine Nuts

Arroz con Piñones
Rice dishes such as this are called dry soups (sopas secas) because they feature an ingredient that is cooked in liquid, like a soup; but the rice is then cooked until the liquid is completely absorbed, or until "dry." Dry soups are usually served as a separate course. In the United States, we often eat rice as a side dish with the main course; serve it the way you prefer. Toasted pine nuts give the rice a rich flavor.
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Ingredients

Makes 4 servings

Instructions

  • 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
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Course; Nuts / Rice
Cuisine; Mexican

Green Rice

Green Rice

Arroz Verde
Green rice gets its color and much of its flavor from puréed green chiles, parsley, and cilantro. The rice is very good with grilled fish fillets or chicken. For color and flavor accent on the plate, add a spicy fresh tomato salsa.
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Ingredients

Makes 4 servings

Instructions

  • Prepare the chile.
  • Chop the chile and put into a blender.
  • Add the cilantro, parsley, oregano, garlic, and the chicken broth.
  • Blend until smooth.
  • Reserve in the blender.
  • Heat the oil in a 2-quart saucepan over medium heat.
  • Add the onion and rice.
  • Stir to coat with oil and cook, stirring, until the rice and onion are fragrant and begin to color, 3 to 4 minutes.
  • Add the puréed chile mixture all at once.
  • Stir to incorporate evenly into the rice.
  • Bring to a boil.
  • Reduce the heat to low, cover and cook 18 minutes, or until the rice is tender, but still moist, and the liquid is absorbed.
  • Add the salt and pepper.
  • Stir gently with a fork, cover, and let sit 5 minutes before serving.
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Course; Rice
Cuisine; Mexican

Rice with Corn

Rice with Corn

Tomatillo-Cilantro Rice
Arroz de Tomatillo y CilantroCilantro takes on a different, mild taste when cooked. The intriguing subtle flavor of this rice has made it a favorite at my house. Patricia Amtmann, owner of an import business in Mexico City, told me how to prepare this dish, and I worked out the recipe. The rice pairs nicely with a main course of Shrimp with Tomatoes and Cheese.
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Ingredients

Makes 4 servings

Instructions

  • Put the tomatillos, cilantro, and 1 cup of the chicken broth into a blender and blend until smooth.
  • Pour into a 2-cup liquid measuring cup and add enough of the remaining chicken broth to total 2 cups liquid.
  • Reserve.
  • In a wide 2-quart saucepan, heat the oil over medium heat until hot.
  • Add the rice and cook, stirring, until the rice coloris opaque and starts to change color, but doesn’t brown, 4 to 5 minutes.
  • Add the scallions and salt.
  • Cook 1 minute.
  • Pour in the reserved 2 cups puréed cilantro–chicken broth mixture.
  • Bring to a boil.
  • Reduce heat to low, cover, and cook 18 to 20 minutes, or until the liquid is absorbed and the rice is tender.
  • Remove from the heat, cover, and let sit 5 minutes.
  • Stick a fork into the bottom of the pan to check for remaining moisture.
  • If just dry, fluff with a fork and serve.
  • If not, cover and let stand 5 more minutes.
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Course; Rice
Cuisine; Mexican

Mexican Rice

Mexican Rice

Arroz a la Mexicana
Rice cooked in broth with tomatoes, onion, and garlic is a classic rice dish, with variations, throughout Mexico. It goes well with so many things; try it with Chicken with Black Bean and Avocado Salsa, or Seared Tuna with Oregano and Garlic.
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Equipment

  • 4-quart saucepan

Ingredients

Makes 4 servings

Instructions

  • In a 4-quart saucepan, heat the oil over medium heat.
  • Add the rice and cook, stirring, until golden, about 4 minutes.
  • Add the onion, garlic, cumin, and salt.
  • Cook, stirring, until the onion softens, about 3 minutes.
  • Add the tomatoes and cook until the juices evaporate and the mixture is nearly dry, 3 to 4 minutes.
  • Add the broth all at once and stir to settle the rice.
  • Bring to a boil.
  • Reduce the heat to low, cover, and simmer until the liquid is absorbed and the rice is tender, 18 to 20 minutes.
  • Remove from the heat and let stand 6 to 8 minutes.
  • Fluff the rice and stir in the cilantro.

Notes & Wine Advice

Serve hot.
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Course; Rice
Cuisine; Mexican

Basic White Rice

Basic White Rice

Arroz Blanco To cook a small amount of white rice the Mexican way, I use a heavy, stainless steel 2-quart saucepan with a cover. The raw rice is sautéed in oil, then simmered slowly in hot water or broth, like a pilaf.
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Ingredients

Makes 4 servings

Instructions

  • Heat the oil in a 2-quart wide saucepan or deep skillet.
  • When the oil shimmers, add the rice and cook, stirring, until the rice is opaque and starts to change color, but doesn’t brown, about 5 minutes.
  • Add the liquid all at once, stir 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.
  • 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 remaining moisture.
  • If just dry on the bottom, fluff the rice with the fork and serve.
  • If not, cover and let stand 5 more minutes

Notes & Wine Advice

Serve hot.
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Course; Rice
Cuisine; Mexican

Fresh Fava Beans

Fresh Fava Beans

Fabas
Shelling then peeling fresh fabas (fava beans, or broad beans) is a tedious task, but it improves their texture. Fava beans are added to soups and stews. Mix them with fresh corn and sweet red peppers for a side dish or add them to green salads or white rice.This basic recipe describes how to cook and peel fresh fabas that are available seasonally in some supermarkets and farmer's markets in the United States. In Mexico, when fava beans are in season, great boxes and piles of the beans in their pods appear in public markets everywhere.
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Ingredients

Makes about 1 cup fava beans; serves 4 to 6 as a garnish

  • 1 pound unshelled fresh fava beans
  • ¼ teaspoon salt or to taste
  • 1 tablespoons olive oil
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Course; Side Dish / Vegetables
Cuisine; Mexican
Diets; Vegetarian

Chickpeas with Spinach

Chickpeas with Spinach

Garbanzos con Espinaca
This is a modern side dish with Spanish roots that goes well with grilled fish fillets, pork, or chicken. De arbol chiles are dried and can be easily crumbled into pieces with your fingers.
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Ingredients

Makes 4 servings

  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 medium red onion thinly sliced
  • 2 medium garlic cloves finely chopped
  • 1 teaspoon ground cumin
  • 1 de arbol chile crumbled, or ¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper
  • 2 15-ounce cans chickpeas (garbanzo beans), drained and rinsed, or 3½ cups drained home-cooked chickpeas
  • 1 10-ounce package of fresh spinach leaves
  • 2 tablespoons white wine vinegar
  • ½ teaspoon salt or to taste
  • â…› teaspoon freshly ground pepper or to taste

Instructions

  • In a large nonstick skillet, heat the oil over medium heat and cook the onion until softened, 3 to 4 minutes.
  • Add the garlic, cumin, chile, chickpeas, and â…“ cup water.
  • Bring to a boil; then add the spinach and cook, stirring until the spinach is wilted and tender, 6 to 8 minutes.
  • Add the vinegar, salt, and pepper.
  • Stir to combine.

Notes & Wine Advice

Serve hot.
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Course; Side Dish
Cuisine; Mexican
Diets; Vegetarian