All right, the final entry on sides for the chipotle chicken! This rice is not the traditional tomato-based Spanish rice served with Mexican food. It's lighter, with a fresh lime taste. It's actually a variation on the rice recipe from Chipotle grill, if anyone has ever eaten there.
3/4 c. medium-grained rice. Not Uncle Ben's, Minute Rice, or anything like that. Just plain white rice.
1 c. chicken stock.
Juice of 1 lime
1 tablespoon butter
1 tsp. salt
2 tblsp. finely chopped cilantro.
Put a 2-quart pot on low heat until the butter is melted. Be sure the heat is low, otherwise the butter will burn. Once the butter is melted, add the juice from the lime and the rice. Turn the heat up to medium-high and toast the rice for 2-3 minutes.
Add the chicken stock and salt, and bring the whole thing to a boil. Cover the pot and turn the heat to low. Simmer it on low heat for 20-25 minutes, until the rice is tender and the liquid absorbed. Fluff the rice with a fork and add the chopped cilantro.
Okay, tortillas. Homemade flour tortillas are awesome. I don't know what it is, but something about a tortilla fresh off the griddle is like heaven.
Tortillas themselves pretty fast and simple to make. The part that can take practice is rolling them out so that they're nice and round. I can't remember how many weird amoeba-shaped things I made until my skills improved. One thing I learned: it doesn't matter if your tortillas look like something from a Rorschach test. Trust me, they will be eaten. Homemade tortillas are just THAT good. This recipe makes about 8 good-sized tortillas.
2 c. flour
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. baking powder
2 tlbsp. lard. You can also use shortening, or a mix of shortening and butter, but that's less authentic. But I do admit that the addition of butter gives it a nice flavor
3/4 c. water
Mix the flour, salt and baking powder in a bowl. Rub the lard in with your fingertips until the mix feels like crumbly meal. Add the water and mix until combined. Turn it out on a lightly floured countertop and knead a few times, until well-mixed. Let it rest for about 5 minutes.
Here's how you make round tortillas with a rolling pin. Take a small wad of the dough, about twice the size of a walnut, and roll it into a ball. Put the ball on your surface and squash it flat with your hand. Then, take your rolling pin and start rolling. Roll in only one direction, front to back. After a few rolls, give the dough a little less than a quarter turn clockwise (or counterclockwise, doesn't matter), and roll again. Keep turning and rolling. Be sure to flip the dough over on occasion, so both sides get rolled. With practice, you can whip out a tortilla in a matter of moments.
Heat your pan over medium heat. I use a comal, the traditional tortilla-cooking pan. You can also use a dry skillet. Cast iron is best. Put the tortilla on the pan. Give it a few moments, then flip it over. Tortillas should cook very quickly. We're talking a matter of 10-20 seconds on each side, max. If your pan leaves black spots, it's too hot. Turn the heat down. Unless you're my father, who loves his tortillas with burnt spots.
Now put it all together with the salsa, beans, rice and chicken, and you have an awesome meal.
No comments:
Post a Comment