Mexican Rice (aka Spanish Rice)

Happy Cinco de Mayo - Here's an easy recipe for Mexican Rice (aka Spanish Rice).  It's cooked right in a rice cooker, which happens to be my new favorite kitchen toy.  It's a rice cooker, a grain cooker, a steamer, and a slow cooker - can't believe I waited so long to get one.  But hey, don't worry if you don't have a slow cooker - I'll share my easy stove top directions too.

Mexican Rice (aka Spanish Rice)

serves 4

Printable Recipe

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons olive oil

• 1 clove garlic, minced

• 1/2 cup finely chopped scallion whites (reserve green tops for garnish)

• 1 cup long-grain white rice, rinsed and drained

• 3/4 cup diced tomatoes

• 1/2 teaspoon fine salt

• pinch of oregano

• 1 1/2 cups chicken broth

• 2 teaspoons tomato paste

• reserved green scallion tops

• 2 tablespoons finely chopped parsley

Directions

1. Turn your rice cooker on the quick cook or regular cycle.

2. Saute the garlic and scallions in the oil when the bottom of the bowl gets hot; cook for about 3 minutes or until very fragrant.

3. Stir in all of the remaining ingredients except the reserved green scallion tops and chopped parsley.

4. Close the rice cooker lid and reset the regular cycle.

5. Let stand for 10 minutes after the cycle finishes.

6. Stir in reserved scallion tops and chopped parsley; serve right away or keep warm until needed.

Alternate stove top directions:

In a 4-quart heavy-bottomed sauce pan, saute garlic and scallions in oil until fragrant.  Add all of the remaining ingredients except the reserved green scallion tops and chopped parsley. Bring to a boil; reduce heat to low, cover and simmer for 18-20 minutes until all the liquid is absorbed.  Stir in reserved scallion tops and chopped parsley.

adapted from 300 Best Rice Cooker Recipes

Freezer Brown Rice

Did you know you can freeze cooked rice?  Yep, you can.  Brown rice is so healthy, but it take about 45 minute to cook once the liquid comes to a boil so I love having a precooked supply on hand.  Makes it so easy to pull a quick meal together on a busy weeknight.  

Freezer Brown Rice

makes 14 cups

Printable Recipe

Ingredients

• 2 pounds (4 cups) brown rice, uncooked and rinsed

• 10 cups water or flavorful chicken stock (try my homemade chicken stock)

• 4 tablespoons butter

• 4 teaspoons salt (omit if using flavorful chicken stock)

Directions

1. In a 6-quart stock pot, bring water or stock to a boil and add butter and salt; stir to melt butter and dissolve salt.

2. Add brown rice and stir once; cover, reduce heat to low and simmer for 45 minutes or until all the liquid is absorbed.

3. Cool for an hour or so before dividing up into family-friendly portions in freezer safe containers - here I put 2 cups of cooked brown rice in zip-top freezer bags.

4. To use, thaw overnight in the fridge and reheat in a skillet or the microwave with a pat of butter or drizzle of oil. Add to soups or stews, use in stir fry dishes, or whatever you feel like.

Notes

• You can do the same with white rice, only you'll want to reduce the cooking time from 45 minutes to approximately 18-20 minutes.

• Frozen rice can be stored for up to 3 months in freezer bags or up to 6 months in sturdier freezer-safe containers.