ARROZ ROJO

I am heading to Oaxaca this coming weekend for my friends wedding, and have been laying low on the carbs for a while (you know, a girls gotta fit in her dress). So I must admit that I was extra excited when Paola and I decided to remake this all time favorite rice recipe of mine. Arroz rojo is a staple in Mexican cooking and there are several variations, but Paola and I decided to keep it traditional this time around and share an all time classic with you all. I hope you love and devour it as much as we did. We'll be sharing other rice recipes in the future. Her mom told me over the phone today of a cilantro and lime recipe I cannot wait to try!

This arroz rojo recipe keeps super well, so if you decide to only have a small portion as a side dish and save the rest for a latter occasion, please do so. But just in case you want to go all out and have it as your main dish (as I did), I recommend you top it off with a fried egg and accompany it with a few chipotle peppers and of course, a few tortillas and a cold beer. I mean, after spending sometime in the kitchen making dinner, a gals gotta reward herself with a cold one right?

Provecho

Ingredients

1 15 oz can tomatoes in juice, drained

1/2 white onion, chopped

2 cloves garlic, peeled, halved

1 3/4 cups chicken broth

Salt to taste

1 1/2 tablespoons vegetable oil

1 1/2 cups jasmine rice

1/4 cups peas

1/4 cups diced carrots

2 serranos, cut a slit down the center of one side

1/4 cup flat leaf parsley, chopped

Preparation

Place the rice into a mixing bowl and cover with cool water. Swirl the rice in the water, pour off and repeat 2 to 3 times or until the water is clear. Drain rice and reserve.

In a blender puree the tomatoes, onion, and garlic. In a measuring pot, heat the chicken broth until steaming. Keep warm.

In a large sauté pan with a tight fitting lid, heat the oil over medium heat. When hot, add the raw rice and stir regularly until the grains become translucent and some start to turn brown. This takes about 5-6 minutes. Add the pureed tomato mixture. Stir. Cook until liquid is reduced and the mixture is somewhat dry-looking, about 2-3 minutes.

Add the warm broth, chiles, peas and carrots, and parsley. Stir thoroughly. Cover and cook over the lowest heat for 15 minutes. Remove from heat, and let stand for about 5 minutes.

Uncover and test a grain of rice. If it is still a little hard, re-cover the pan and set back over the low heat for another 5 minutes. (If all of the liquid is absorbed, add 2 Tbsp of water before returning it to the heat.)

As soon as the rice is done, fluff it with a fork and turn off the heat, allowing it to rest until it releases all the steam to finish cooking. Use the two serranos for decoration when serving or eating.

Posted on March 12, 2014 by Bricia Lopez and filed under recipes and tagged Red Rice Sides 1-30.

COSTILLITAS EN SALSA VERDE CON COLORADITO

In lieu of my endless supply of Guelaguetza's mole paste ;) Paola and I decided to get creative with mole this week and modify this classic Pork en salsa verde recipe by substituting the chiles chipotles (found in the original recipe) with a bit of Guelaguetza's Mole Coloradito Paste. It was incredible! For those of you who are like me and always ask "for something spicier" at restaurants, we recommend you take our advise on adding the serrano peppers for garnish, it gives it that perfect kick at the end.

Enjoy!

oh, and don't forget to tag us on your cooking posts. We LOVE going through all the posts!

Bricia: @BriciaLopez | Paola: @PaolaPVR

Ingredients:

1 pound tomatillos, husked and rinsed

1/4 cup Guelaguetza Mole Rojo paste

2 cups cilantro leaves

4 whole cloves garlic, peeled, plus 6 cloves, roughly chopped

1 tsp. sugar

1 tsp kosher salt

2 lbs. baby back pork ribs, cut into individual ribs

4 cups of chicken stock

1 tsp. dried Mexican oregano

1 large white onion, cut lengthwise into 8 wedges

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Warm tortillas, for serving

Garnish:

2 Serrano peppers

1 Avocado

Preparation:

Bring water to a boil in a small saucepan, enough to cover your tomatillos. Place tomatillos in the saucepan, and cover with water. Bring to a boil over high heat; cook until slightly soft, about 5 minutes.

Carefully strain the tomatillos and place them in a blender or food processor along with the mole coloradito, cilantro, sugar, and 4 whole cloves of garlic. Pulse until puréed; set salsa aside. Season with salt.

Bring pork and broth to a boil in a 6-qt. dutch oven or saucepan over medium-high heat. Cook, stirring occasionally, until all liquid evaporates, about 1 hour. Continue cooking pork, stirring often, until it begins to caramelize on the outside, about 10 minutes.

Add chopped garlic, oregano, and onion. Cook, stirring, until soft and lightly browned, about 10 minutes. Add sauce, and fry, stirring constantly, until slightly reduced, about 5 minutes. Add 4 cups water, bring to a boil, and then reduce heat to medium-low; cook, stirring occasionally, until pork is tender and sauce is thickened, about 30 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.

Divide pork and sauce among serving bowls and garnish with chopped Serrano chiles, avocado, red onion and lime. Serve with tortillas.

Posted on February 27, 2014 by Bricia Lopez and filed under recipes and tagged Costillitas en Salsa Verde Entrees 1-30.

CALDO DE POLLO

In lieu of my month old cold and chilly LA weather, my girl Paola and I decided to share with all of you the perfect Caldo de Pollo recipe. We tweaked her original recipe a bit by substituting a couple of the herbs with my favorite hierba santa plant, native of Oaxaca. Chances are you won't find this herb at your local grocery store, but I assure you that any one of your Oaxaca native friends can help you score a couple of leaves. If not, you can always stop by my restaurant and steal couple from our plant outside ;)

This was soup was a real miracle worker. I've had this lingering cough for a month and this soup me quedo como anillo al dedo.

Happy cooking y'all!

Working Ahead: You can prepare the broth and chicken a day ahead or so. Refrigerate the broth and chicken pieces separately. (It’ll be easier to degrease the broth if you chill it). Flavoring the broth and finishing the soup should be done shortly before serving.

Ingredients:

One 3—4 pound chicken, cut up (into thighs, wings, breasts, and back)

Kosher salt

4 garlic cloves, peeled and finely chopped

1 medium white onion, finely chopped

5 bay leaves

3 Hierba Santa Leaves (can be substituted for: 1/2 teaspoon of Marjoram, 1/2 teaspoon of thyme and 2 springs fresh mint)

1 pound tomatoes, cut into 1/2-inch cubes

2 medium carrots, peeled and sliced into 1/2-inch rounds

8 small (about 1 pound) waxy potatoes (such as white, yukon or red), scrubbed and sliced into quarters

3 to 4 fresh jalapeño chiles, stemmed, seeded and finely chopped

1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro

2 limes, cut into wedges for serving

Preparation:

1. Measure 4 quarts of water into a large soup pot (an 8-quart pot works best here). Add the chicken back, neck and wings along with 2 teaspoons salt. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to maintain a gentle simmer. Skim off the grayish foam that rises during the next couple of minutes. Add the garlic, half of the onion, the bay leaves, hierba santa (or marjoram and thyme) and simmer gently, uncovered, for about 1 hour. Add the legs and thighs and simmer for 10 minutes, then add the breast pieces. When the broth returns to a simmer, cover the pot and turn off the heat. Let stand for 30 minutes.

2. Add the tomatoes to the pot along with the mint (if used), carrots and potatoes. Partially cover and simmer for 20-25 minutes, until the potatoes are tender but firm. Taste the soup and season it with salt if needed, usually about a teaspoon.

3. Serve in large wide soup bowls and place 1 or 2 pieces of chicken and a piece of each vegetable. Serve soup with the remaining onion in a small bowl and set on the table along with the chopped chiles, chopped cilantro, and lime wedges, for guests to sprinkle on or squeeze in to their liking. Guests will need a knife and fork for the chicken.

Posted on January 31, 2014 by Bricia Lopez and filed under recipes and tagged Caldo de Pollo Entrees 1-30.