Try this from the Simply Cooking blog.
http://www.elise.com/recipes/archive...anish_rice.php
Spanish Rice
Can be prepared in 40 minutes or less. One of my mother's signature dishes is her Spanish rice, a delicious accompaniment to steak, chicken, and Mexican entrees such as tacos or enchiladas. Spanish rice is prepared by browning the rice first with onions and garlic, before cooking it in chicken broth with added tomato. The browning is essential to the nutty, almost toasty flavor of the rice. And although bouillon can be substituted for the chicken stock, nothing beats homemade chicken stock, the rich flavor of which is absorbed by the rice.
2 tablespoons olive oil (can use up to 1/4 cup)
1 onion, chopped fine
1 garlic clove, minced
2 cups of medium or long-grain white rice
3 cups chicken stock (or vegetable stock if vegetarian)
1 heaping tablespoon tomato paste or 1 cup of diced fresh or cooked tomatoes
Pinch of oregano
1 teaspoon salt
In a large skillet brown rice in olive oil, medium/high heat. Add onion and garlic. Cook onion rice mixture, stirring frequently, about 4 minutes, or until onions are softened.
In a separate sauce pan bring stock to a simmer. Add tomato sauce, oregano, and salt. Add rice to broth. Bring to a simmer. Cover. Lower heat and cook 15-25 minutes, depending on the type of rice and the instructions on the rice package. Turn off heat and let sit for 5 minutes.
Serves 4 to 6.
Posted by elise on Nov 12, 2004 to All Seasons, Mexican, Side Dish, Vegetarian, Wheat-free
Comments
Fabulous - I have been looking for a decent easy looking recipe for this for ages. Guess what we will be having for dinner tonight?
Posted by: Carol at November 14, 2004 06:39 AM
This looks absolutely delicious. I've tried several of your recipes, with great success - I really love your website! Which of the three do you recommend, the tomato paste, fresh tomato, or cooked tomato?
Posted by: Sheeijan at November 14, 2004 06:11 PM
Hi Sheeijan - I'm so glad you like the recipes! Okay, of the three options listed, I prefer the cooked tomato. Usually it comes down to what do I have available and ready to use up.
Posted by: elise at November 14, 2004 11:40 PM
Could this be converted to use *brown rice*?
Posted by: sean at November 18, 2004 04:58 PM
Hi Sean, you can use brown rice (adjust the cooking time accordingly) in place of long grain white rice. It will have a different flavor as brown rice has its own distinctive flavor.
Posted by: elise at November 21, 2004 01:05 PM
Our family's Mexican rice is something I have been trying to get exactly right for quite a while. The recipe is a little different than yours -- I finally got it right when my grandmother gave up two secrets that she had left me without for months ... 1) brown the rice uncomfortably long - until it's about to burn and 2) add a squeeze of lemon at the end.
Interesting how families do things just a little differently when it comes to recipes. I am sure there could be an entire book with various family Spanish rice recipes. How about those people that add peas to their rice???
Posted by: jen at December 6, 2004 09:03 AM
Now, I realize this is a stupid question, but I've seen Spanish rice recipes that use cooked rice and I've seen Spanish rice recipes that use uncooked rice. In reading this recipe (and your response about the brown rice) I'm thinking that you're using uncooked rice? Sorry to be so dense, but this could make a huge difference! If I were just messing around and making a Spanish rice recipe, I'd probably start with cooked rice, but . . . ??? Please ease my pitiful little mind! I'm anxious to try this recipe!
Posted by: Kristi at September 5, 2005 09:35 AM
This is what we call, "Hoosier" Spanish Rice. Been making this for my family for over 50 years. In a Large Cast Iron skillet. I brown, Kalbaska Sausage, cut in small pieces, with chopped onion, chopped bell pepper, red and green, a bit of Garlic, salt and pepper to taste. Cook until onions and peppers are tender and saugsage partially done. Then I add fresh, small cubed, tomatoes, lightly saute'ed. Then I add my uncooked rice, about two cups, browning ever so slightly. After all cooked together, I then add water, about three cups and simmer until rice gets fluffy. Stirring occassionally. When water boils down and rice is tender, I continue cooking a little, in order to dry up most of liquid ( needs to be fairly dry ).Make sure all ingredients are throughly mixed. It is oh! so good. Served with toasted bread or even heated Taco shells. Maybe a salad and glass of cold sweet tea. It is very filling. Make sure and make a lot, as it is better the next day. To warm up, just pop in Microwave for a minute or two. They will all come back for more. Enjoy this very inexpensive dish. Just judge for yourself as to the amount of each ingredient, in order to feed your family.
Posted by: Barbara Driggers at September 12, 2005 04:42 AM
For color and flavor grind a pinch of saffron into the recipe while cooking
Posted by: K at September 17, 2005 07:29 PM
This sounds yummy. Just one question. The ingredient list calls for tomato paste but the directions say add tomato sauce. Which should it be? Thank you.
Posted by: T at October 19, 2005 08:18 AM
Hi T - the ingredient list lists paste OR diced tomatoes OR cooked tomatoes. We use what we have on hand. Consider any of those as fulfilling the requirements for the directions calling for tomato sauce.
Posted by: elise at October 19, 2005 10:59 AM