Green Rice

Cuisine: Mexican

Inspiration: I baked up a huge amount of our favorite enchiladas earlier this week to last us through a busy week preparing for vacation, and I needed a side dish. I love our standards of Mexican rice, guacamole, and refried beans, but this time, I was hoping for something a little bit different. I was happy when B said that this green rice from Bobby Flay stood out to him as what we should make.

What we Loved: This rice definitely has a kick to it, which for some reason I found unexpected. But we love spicy foods, so we really enjoyed the spiciness of this dish. The rice is made using roasted poblanos and jalapenos, so there’s really quite a bit of heat there.  It’s not a subtle rice by any means, but it has character and spice, and we thought that it complimented the enchiladas well.

Helpful Hints: I would consider adding more cilantro to the rice next time, and maybe another ingredient just to kick up the flavor a little bit. As it is, this rice is spicy, but aside from the spiciness, it seems like there’s something missing in terms of flavor. I’m thinking that some tomatillos added to the roasted pepper/cilantro puree would work great, maybe along with a big sprinkle of cumin. If you make the recipe as stated, be sure to use a liberal amount of salt for flavor.

Other Rice Recipes: Mexican rice, cilantro rice

Green Rice
Source: Bobby Flay

1 3/4 cup chicken broth or water
2 poblano peppers, roasted and with the stems, seeds, and skin removed
1 jalpeno pepper, roasted and with the stem, seeds, and skin removed
1/2 cup chopped cilantro
Kosher salt
1 Vidalia onion, diced
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 1/4 cup rice

1. Combine the broth and the peppers in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil, then partially cover the pan and simmer over medium-low heat for approximately 10 minutes.

2. Pour the pepper mixture into a food processor. Add 1/4 cup of the cilantro, and process to a smooth puree. Season liberally with salt.

3. Add a drizzle of olive oil to the saucepan, and heat over medium high heat. Saute the onions until soft. Add the garlic, and cook for an additional minute. Stir in the rice, and cook for another minute. Add the broth mixture, stir, and season with salt. Bring to a boil, cover, and reduce to a simmer. Cook for approximately 15-20 minutes, or until the rice is tender.

4. Remove the pan from the heat, and stir in the remaining cilantro.