Without fail, every time I go to a Mexican restaurant I fill up on the chips and Mexican rice. More times than not I can’t eat my dinner. Is anybody else with me? The chips are addicting and the rice I can’t resist because I never get it at home. Until now! Continuing with our Cinco de Mayo recipes, we decided to go with a classic and an all-time Mexican favorite!
I spent a long time scouring the internet looking for a recipe that would replicate the rice I had in mind. I knew it’d be hard to find a recipe that would live up to the delish rice served in restaurants. Finally I found one, and turns out…we loved it! Even better…we ended up with an enormous pot of rice! I ate a big bowl of this rice alongside the tacos Kara posted yesterday and it was a fantastic lunch.
This past weekend I was in Miami on a business trip. I got super burnt the first day but was disappointed with steady rain the rest of the trip. There’s nothing I want more this weekend than clear skies and a relaxing time with friends. Cinco de Mayo is only a few days away and I’m pretty sure the weather is going to be great in Chicago. What a perfect time to make a fun Cinco de Mayo inspired meal, drink margaritas and have fun with friends! Ole!
Here's what you'll need
Use a food processor to pulse the tomatoes and onion until smooth
Finely dice the jalapeno and set aside
Light fry the rice, 6-8 minutes
Just like this…
Add the jalapeno and garlic and cook until fragrent
Stir in tomatoes and onion, tomato paste, salt and chicken broth. Bring to a boil, cover and pop in the oven
Stir halfway through and add the rest of the chicken broth
Garnish with cilantro and lime wedges. Restaurant quality rice!
Ingredients
2-3 ripe tomatoes, cored and quartered
1 white onion, peeled, trimmed and quartered
1 jalapeño, seeds and ribs removed, finely diced
2 cups long grain white rice
1/3 cup canola oil
4 cloves garlic, minced
4 cups low-sodium chicken broth
1 tablespoon tomato paste
1½ teaspoons salt
½ cup fresh cilantro, minced
1 lime, cut into wedges for serving
Directions
Adjust oven rack to middle position and preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Pulse tomatoes and onion in a food processor until smooth and thoroughly pureed. Transfer mixture to a liquid measuring cup; you should have 2 cups.
Remove ribs and seeds from the jalapeño. Mince and set aside.
Over medium heat, heat canola oil in a heavy-bottomed, ovensafe Dutch oven with a tight-fitting lid for 1-2 minutes. Drop 3 or 4 grains of rice in the oil; if grains sizzle then the oil is ready. Add rice and fry for 6-8 minutes, stirring frequently, until rice is light golden and translucent. Add garlic and minced jalapeño. Cook, stirring constantly, until fragrant, about 1½ minutes. Stir in pureed tomatoes and onions, ½ the chicken broth, tomato paste, and salt; increase heat to medium-high and bring to boil. Cover pot and transfer to oven; bake until liquid is absorbed and rice is tender, 30 to 35 minutes. After 15 minutes, stir the rice well and add the remaining liquid if the first ½ has absorbed.
Stir in cilantro and serve immediately with lime wedges.
Source: adapted from Dinner & Dessert
