Easy Spanish Rice

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A heavy bottom, non-reactive, 2-1/2-quart clad pan with a 7 to 8-inch diameter and a tight fitting lid is an ideal pan for cooking rice.

The quality of rice that is available, in the states, is very good therefore soaking the rice is not necessary. However, I usually give the rice a quick rinse before I add it to the pot. In the case of risotto, Spanish rice, and pilaf I omit the rinsing step because I want to toast the rice. If you rinse it first, then you need to allow it to air dry.

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Authentic Spanish Rice

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Ingredients for Spanish rice: medium grain white rice, tomato puree, chicken stock, onions, and garlic.

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Cilantro for Spanish rice.

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Uncover the pot and place a clean lint free towel over the pot. Replace the lid and let stand for 30-minutes.

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Delicious Authentic Easy Spanish Rice

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• Yield: 2 cups rice
• Prep Time: 25 minutes
• Cook Time: 20 minutes
• Rest Time: 30 minutes

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Equipment

• 3-quart saucepan with a tight fitting lid

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Ingredients

• 1-1/2 cups chicken stock
• 1/2 cup tomato puree, recipe follows
• 1-1/2 tablespoons peanut oil
• 1 small onion, diced
• 1 clove garlic, minced 
• 1 cup white rice, medium or long grain
• Kosher salt, to taste
• 10 sprigs cilantro, washed and picked, rough chopped

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Method

1. Combine the stock and tomato puree and add the liquid to a small saucepan, cover, and bring to a boil. Remove from heat and let stand.
2. Preheat a 3-quart pot over medium heat. Add the oil and the onions and cook until the edges of the onion begin to brown, while stirring to prevent burning. Add the garlic and cook another 2-3 minutes, while stirring.
3. Add the rice to the pot and stir to evenly coat the grains with the oil. Cook until the rice is toasted.
4. Add the stock and tomato mixture, stir, and bring to a low boil.
5. Cover the rice and reduce the heat to medium-low. Allow to cook for 10 minutes.
6. Uncover the pot and place a clean lint free towel over the pot. Replace the lid and let stand until the rice has absorbed all of the liquid, about 30 minutes.
7. Before serving, add the cilantro to the rice and fluff the rice with a fork mixing the cilantro into the rice.

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Tomato Puree

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Ingredients for tomato puree: whole peeled tomatoes, onions, garlic, and jalapeno peppers.

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Grape tomatoes for tomato puree.

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Sautéing the onion, peppers, and garlic.

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Add the tomatoes and grape tomatoes to the pot. Season with salt and stir to combine. Bring to a low boil and cook for 2 to 3 minutes. Remove from heat and let stand 20 minutes.

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• Yield: about 2 cups
• Prep Time: 10 minutes
• Cook Time: 40 minutes

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Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons peanut oil, divided
• 1/2 medium onion. julienned
• 1 jalapeno, seed and pith removed, julienned 
• 3 cloves garlic, rough chopped
• 475 grams whole peeled tomatoes
• 100 grams grape tomatoes
• Kosher salt, to taste

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Method

1. Preheat a 3-quart saucepan over medium heat. Add one tablespoon of the peanut oil to the pot. 
2. Add the onion and jalapeño to the pot and cook until the onion has browned. Add the garlic and continue cooking another 2 minutes.
3. Add the tomatoes and grape tomatoes to the pot. Season with salt and stir to combine. Bring to a low boil and cook for 2 to 3 minutes. Remove from heat and let stand 20 minutes.  
4. Add the mixture to the bowl of a food processor and pulse until you have a smooth puree. Season to taste with kosher salt. Pass the sauce through a fine mesh strainer into a clean bowl.
5. Wipe out the saucepan that you used, and place back on the burner. Get the pan smoking hot. Add the remaining tablespoon of oil to the pot and immediately add the tomato puree. (It’s immediately going to start bubbling and spurting and you’ll see a lot of smoke. It’s ok, this will subside in about 10 seconds.) Once all the sauce is in the pot bring it to a low boil, about 2 minutes, reduce the heat and allow the sauce to simmer for 30 minutes over a very low flame. Taste and adjust the seasoning.

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Notes

1. Cooking oil for Spanish rice can be almost any oil suitable for high temperature cooking such as lard, corn oil or peanut oil. 
2. Spanish rice is made pilaf-style, that is, raw rice that is fried. This step is just like the step in the risotto recipe where you are toasting the rice to make risotto. The difference is here you are lightly browning the rice, whereas, with risotto you are not browning anything.
3. To serve Spanish rice as a traditional side dish omit the cilantro and add 1/2 cup fresh, or frozen, peas and 1 medium carrot, peeled, cut into 1/4-inch dice, and blanched.

Tags: easy spanish rice, how to make spanish rice, quick spanish rice recipe, authentic spanish rice

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