Mexican Rice Recipe

When I taught school in Chicago it was in a mostly Mexican community. Karl used to tease me that I would come home with a Mexican accent. Every Friday the faculty would have breakfast and different teachers would sign up to bring a dish. I think that is where I developed my love for authentic Mexican food. Elisa, my mentor teacher, and great friend, taught me how to make a few Mexican dishes. This rice is one of the things she taught me. My recipe has changed over time and I mostly blame it on my bad memory, but I always think of her when I make it.

Mexican Rice

Ingredients:

• 2 cups long grain white rice (I recently used brown. If you do, add more water and more time)
• 2 T. canola oil (or whatever oil your arteries prefer)
• 2 large tomatoes (or three medium, or 4 Roma, or... you get the point)
• Enough chicken bullion powder or cubes to make 4 cups liquid (it depends on what brand you use)
• 2 cloves garlic- crushed (I use the diced stuff in a bottle. I apologize to the garlic purists out there)
• 1 t. Adobo (A seasoning that is in the spice aisle with a yellow label and blue lid, I use it for anything I want to taste Mexican)

Blanch the tomatoes in boiling water for about 3 minutes (I seriously don't know why but I made this step easier by sticking the in my Pyrex measuring cup, adding water up to 4 cups and putting it in the microwave for 3 minutes). Add the tomatoes and the water your boiled them in to a blender or food processor. The total amount should measure 4 cups. Add the bullion, garlic and Adobo. Blend until the tomato is no longer chunky. Follow all the blending hot stuff in a blender precautions please.

Heat the oil in a frying pan that has fitted lid. Heat the rice in the oil on medium high until it starts to brown but not burn. Carefully add the tomato liquid. It may spatter (is that a word?). Bring to boil, stir, cover, and reduce heat to low or medium low. Wait about 10-15 minutes until the liquid is gone. Check. If rice is still hard, pile it into a mountain type shape and cover again. Add more water if necessary.

This makes a lot, so you can freeze it, share it, or just eat it all week like we do. Brown rice works but I didn't like it as much. I just do it so I can feel better about all the other crap I eat.