SPANISH RICE

Ingredienser

¼ cup plus 2 tablespoons pure olive oil

½ medium white onion, diced

3 garlic cloves, minced

1½ teaspoons kosher salt, plus extra to taste

2 cups basmati rice (preferably organic)

1 cup canned diced tomatoes, with their juices

1 dried chile de árbol

1 dried bay leaf

Vejledning

In a large saucepan, heat ¼ cup of the oil over medium heat until it is shimmering, about 3 minutes. Add the onion and garlic and cook, stirring occasionally, until the onion is translucent, about 5 minutes. Stir in the salt, and then add the basmati rice and toast it, stirring occasionally, until the rice is fragrant, about 5 minutes.

Add 2 cups of water, the tomatoes, the chile de árbol, and the bay leaf and raise the heat to high. Bring the liquid to a boil, then reduce the heat to low. Cover the saucepan and cook the rice for 20 minutes. Turn off the heat and set the pan aside, covered, for 5 minutes.

Uncover the pan, add the remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil, and fluff the rice with a fork. Remove chile and bay leaf. Taste and add more salt if needed.

Notater

Spanish rice, stained yellowish-pink by tomatoes, is a standard side dish in Mexican restaurants across the country. No Combo Platter #3 would be complete without this rice sitting next to some refried beans and whatever else you ordered. We step it up a bit with chile de árbol and organic basmati rice. It’s a great burrito filling and a satisfying side to any of the proteins in this book.