Note: This recipe comes from the late Margarita Wolleben. A native of Saltillo, Mexico, she had some wonderful regional recipes, but this is the only one we have left. We were honored to learn to cook with her when she and her husband, a Sul Ross geologist, lived in Alpine.
Ingredients
1 cup white rice (we prefer Jasmine rice, but any long-grained rice works)
1 ½ cups liquid (read the rice cooking instructions to make sure this is the correct amount); for a richer rice, use chicken broth instead of water
We drain the liquid from the diced tomatoes and green chilies into a measuring cup and finish out the liquid with chicken or vegetable stock.
1 can diced tomatoes
1 can diced green chilies (we prefer the mild, but you can jack up the heat all you want)
1 jalapeño, diced (optional)
1 small onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic diced
1 teaspoon cumin seed, ground in a mortar and pestle (you can use the powder, but the seed gives it richer, smoky flavor
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoon butter
Directions
- Dice onions and garlic and set aside
- Heat olive oil and butter over medium high heat
- Add rice to oil and stir constantly until it begins to clear; watch carefully as you can burn it
- When rice starts to clear, add onion and stir for a minute or two
- Add garlic, stir briefly
- Add tomatoes and green chilies and stir into the mix
- Add liquid
- Bring to a boil, reduce heat to low, cover and let simmer for 20 minutes
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