Like a Phoenix, I Rice!
WARNING: This is kind of a repeat recipe. Why? Because, as I stated in the original recipe, I've never had so much difficulty figuring out a recipe as much as I did with Mexican rice. This was until about a year ago. My two main problems were that I either ended up with over-cooked and watery rice that had a really good flavor, or perfectly cooked bland rice. The way I ended up with those two problems was that if I added too much of the tomato pure, which adds the flavor, it was too much liquid. My solution was to stick with the 1:2 rice rule, but then I was not able to add much of the tomato puree and it was bland.
After a lot of testing and failing miserably, I found out the secret! go to the recipe to find out!
Mexican Rice
Serves 6-8
Ingredients
2 cups of uncooked white long grain rice
4 large tomatoes, roughly diced (should make about 4 cups when roughly diced)
1/4 large onion
1 large garlic clove (or 3 small cloves)
1 small garlic clove, smashed
3 cups of chicken stock or 3 cups of water + 3 teaspoons chicken bullion (I prefer that to be honest. Judge all you want)
Salt & Pepper
1 tbs oil
3 tbs unsalted butter, divided
Directions
In a blender, combine the tomatoes, 1 garlic clove and onion, puree until smooth.
Heat oil and 2 tbs butter in a large high-sided saute pan (this is important, you want a shallow pan) over medium heat. Add 1 garlic clove and saute for 2 minutes. Add the rice and saute until rice begins to toast and turn golden. Remove the garlic clove. Add the tomato mixture to the pot and let cook for about 5 minutes, stirring frequently. The tomato mixture should change color from a light pink to a red orange, and the rice will absorb about 1/4 of the liquid. Add chicken stock or water. If you are using the water+bullion combo, add the bullion once the liquid comes to a simmer. Bring the liquid to a simmer, about 5 minutes, add the last tablespoon of butter, salt and pepper to taste. You want the broth to be just a little too salty, remember that the rice will adsorb the flavor and tone down the saltiness. Bring down the heat to medium-low and let simmer for about five minutes (uncovered, THIS IS PART OF THE SECRET). Give it all a good, but gentle, stir until the rice and tomato pure are evenly distributed. Now you can cover the pot and lower the heat. After about 10 minutes, turn off the heat and leave the pot alone. Do not be tempted to open the lid. Let the rice rest for 5 minutes. Open the lid (watch out for steam!) and fluff the rice with a fork.
Before toasting the rice -
When you toast the rice, you want to end up with a gold color and a very nutty scent.
This is the part when you add the tomato puree to the toasted rice.
After letting the mixture simmer, you give it a good gentle stir before adding the water/broth.
