González Women’s Mexican Rice

If you want to give your rice a taste of Mexico, this recipe has been a staple in Express-News food editor Emily Spicer’s family for years.

1 1⁄2 cups water

1 cube Knorr Chicken Flavor Bouillon

2 tablespoons olive oil

1/4 of a yellow onion, thinly sliced 1 cup uncooked white rice

1 garlic clove, smashed

1 (8-ounce) can tomato sauce

1⁄2 cup frozen corn and peas, mixed

(optional)

Instructions: Heat water to boiling either in a kettle or in the microwave. In a bowl or large Pyrex measuring cup, add the water and Knorr cube. With a fork, pierce and break up the cube, mixing to get it mostly dissolved. Set aside.

In a nonstick pan over medium-low heat, heat the olive oil. Add onion and cook, stirring, until the onions turn translucent, about 2 minutes. Add the rice and spread it out on the pan so most grains make contact with the pan. Cook, stirring and respreading until the rice grains are toasted a golden, light brown color, 3-5 minutes. The onions may start to brown, too, and that’s OK.

Add the garlic clove and cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 40 seconds.

Add the tomato sauce and be prepared for it to spatter. Pour some of the hot water with Knorr into the can to loosen all the remaining tomato sauce in the can and pour that into the pan, followed by the rest of the water. If you are using the corn and peas, add those now. Stir, bring rice to a boil, and then cover the pan and reduce the heat to low. Cook for 20-25 minutes, leaving the pan alone, until the liquid is absorbed and rice is cooked through and soft. Stir again off heat before serving.

Makes 4 servings

Paul Stephen / Staff file photo