Today's Recipe:Mexican Rice

Here we go again. It's newsletter time again and as usual I'm gonna start out by taking some cheap shots at all those self-acclaimed culinary geniuses you see on TV. They're all talkin, about how wonderful risotto is and how you have to stir it diligently for 30-40 minutes and how it is best when you use a rice called 'Vialone Nona', or 'Carnaroli', but they tell you that 'Arborio' will work too. They tell you it should be creamy, but not soupy.

What a bunch of bullshit!

We're cooking rice here, not doing astrophysics. I can guarantee you that not one of these jerks has stood in front of a stove stirring anything for 30-40 minutes in a LONG, LONG time. When they need something stirred for that long they hand a big wooden spoon to one of the illegal aliens they have in the kitchen and tell 'em "stir till I tell you to stop". They just don't have the time to stir---too busy patting themselves on the back and complicating simple, tasty recipes so we'll think they really know a lot.

Well, I have some news for you.

You know that reddish colored rice you get in every single Mexican restaurant? Well my friends, that is RISOTTO Mexican-style and you don't have to stir hardly at all. You can make it while your on the phone talking to mom or while your mowing the lawn or having a beer. It's a no-brainer and you don't need to mail-order some outrageously expensive rice from some food nazi in Taos, New Mexico - any old rice will do. Short grained is probably the best for Mexican rice or for Risotto, but the food police will not arrest you for using as long-grain Texas Patina or any other rice you like. (Hell, I thought Vialone Nona, was an opera star and that Carnaroli, was a sexually transmitted disease and I ain't never heard of Arborio!)

Iâm gonna give you a quick easy recipe for Mexican rice. This rice will turn out dry the way Mexican rice should. If you want to make an Italian style creamy risotto just add more stock near the end of the cooking process. You can use any risotto recipe you like, but if you follow my cooking instructions, you won't have to stand there like an idiot stirring for 40 minutes.

MEXICAN RICE

I actually had planned to do something different this issue but I got a letter from a reader named Nina who really wants to know how to make Mexican rice. She can't seem to get the rice the right color and she wants it to fork a little at the end like in Mexican restaurants.

This recipe is for two cups of rice (which should be 6-8 servings). I'm not sure but I think the rice only forks at the ends because it is over cooked. I have no secret recipe but I'm happy to tell you the traditional Mexican way to cook rice. This recipe calls for a cup and a half of rice (I use long grain, but short grain will probably fork at the ends quicker).

Mexican cooks wash the rice--probably not that important, but if you do wash it -- make sure to drain it well before proceeding.

Heat some neutral tasting oil (corn-peanut-sunflower or safflower will work. Olive oil will NOT (unless you want it to taste Italian).

Add the now dry rice to the pan, and stir it around until all the grains are well coated (It's not traditional but I add a tablespoon or two of butter to the oil.)

Now fry the rice, stirring occasionally until it is a nice light golden color (about ten minutes - more or less).

Now you need to put ripe, tomatoes into the blender and make a puree (about one cup). Super market tomatoes are usually so bad that I recommend you used canned -- toss about half a medium onion and a couple of cloves of garlic into the blender with the tomatoes.

Take this puree mix and pour it into the rice.

Stir the rice tomato mix constantly - over a hot flame until it is almost dry (just a couple of minutes should do the trick...don't burn it). Now you're gonna stir in 3 1/2 cups of chicken broth or water---- it's a lot better with the broth and you can use canned. Then do not stir again. Cook uncovered over a medium flame until most of the liquid has been absorbed (holes will start to appear in the surface).

Now cover the pan and turn the flame way down low and cook for about 5 more minutes. Then move the pan, still covered to a warm place and let it sit for about half an hour. It will continue to cook and soften in its own steam.

This rice freezes very well and can be reheated in an aluminum foil pouch in a 350 degree oven.

Okay, that's the traditional way.

Personally, I like to saute some onions and red & green bell peppers -- pretty finely diced -- and add that mix to the rice at the last minute, along with some chopped parsley or cilantro.

For many years Mexican rice almost always had peas in it. If that sounds good to you, toss about half a cup of cooked peas in right at the end of the cooking process. I like to garnish the rice with a slice of avocado.

So there!

Let me know how it turns out.

Spencer

Good morning, Felix Since we can't get any solid information concerning Cabo and the hurricane that went through there a couple of weeks ago, I thought I'd go to the 'source' and find out from you how much damage was done by Ignacio. Being time share owners there, we are interested. Can you enlighten us? Also, my husband is a 'sea bass' nut. Do you have a good recipe that I could fix until we get back to Cabo next year? If there is a recipe on your web site, let me know. Looking forward to visiting your 'place' next May.

Thank you,

Frances Watts

Frances,

The hurricane veered off at the last minute and did virtually no damage. No damage at all........ So then, for a great salsa to serve with sea bass go to my web site (www.felixcabosanlucas.com) click on 'recipes' and then on 'Salsa Veracruzana'. Prepare your sea bass any way you like and top it with this tasty sauce for a real traditional Mexican dish.... pretty and tasty! See you in May.

Spencer Moore

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Spencer,

We are obsessed with Cabo, it's the funnest vacation we've ever been on, and we've been 6 times now. Felix's is one of the highlights of each trip. The rest of my family is so tired of hearing me talk about you, we've decided to bring the whole family. We will be there from 12/8/03-12/15/03. Please tell me Felix's will be open during that time.

Allison Tolson

Las Vegas

Allison,

Yep, we'll be open, the Good Lord willin', and the creeks don't rise.

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Hello!

My husband and I just got back from our honeymoon in Cabo and were delighted to have found your restaurant! We can't wait to make the Pozole. My husband hasn't stopped talking about it. I was wondering if you could post the recipe for the shrimp with the chipotle and cilantro? It was amazing! We can't wait to see you again for our first anniversary in Cabo! Thanks for everything!

Tracy and Elliot Wagner

Thanks for the kind words. The Pozole recipe is on the web site but the chipotle shrimp is not. It's such a popular dish at the restaurant (an original recipe that we call 'Shrimp Los Cabos') that I think I'll do it in the next newsletter.

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Spencer,

I just received my first newsletter -- thanks!!! Regarding the last question from reader: how to store peppers. I grow half a dozen or more different varieties in my garden each year. Those that aren't consumed, I pop in a "ziplock" bag and throw in the freezer. I can take out and thaw just what I need for various recipes.

Robb Lang

Thanks Robert, I'll pass your advice along, but I'll remind the readers that while frozen peppers work well in recipes calling for cooked peppers they don't work in salsa recipes calling for uncooked peppers----the texture gets a little funky.