Spanish Rice
Different every time and always delicious, this thrifty recipe uses broth created when making pasta and sauce. You automatically get the flavors of tomato, oregano, garlic, and basil. Delicious with Mexican dishes such as burritos or with most bean recipes.
Active time: 10 minutes. Total time: about 30 minutes for white rice or 40 minutes for brown rice. Makes 8 servings, 1/2 cup each.
Ingredients
4 cups broth collected when draining pasta or rinsing out sauce pans (see step 1 under Method below)
2 teaspoons olive oil
1 onion, chopped
2 cups long-grained rice
salt to taste
Method
- When you drain pasta or vegetables such as green beans, save the water in a heat-proof container such as a canning jar. Use that water to rinse out the containers for tomato or basil sauce too and then pour back into the jar. Cover and refrigerate until needed, for up to four days.
- In a medium pot, heat olive oil over medium heat. Meanwhile, peel and chop onion. Cook onion in oil until soft, about five minutes, stirring from time to time.
- Add broth to pot and taste. (If you don't have enough broth, add water.) If bland, add a little salt. Cover and bring broth to a boil over high heat. Meanwhile, rinse rice unless manufacturer says not to rinse. When broth is boiling, add rice, cover, and reduce heat to low. Cook without lifting cover until rice is nearly done, usually 15 minutes for white rice and 25 minute for brown rice. Turn off heat but leave rice covered on hot burner for 5 more minutes. No peeking or you'll let the heat and steam out! Taste and adjust seasonings.
- Serve hot. Refrigerate or freeze any extra.
Tips and notes
- You may want to add an extra 1/2 cup of liquid, either broth or water, when making brown rice. I'd rather have it dry than sticky, but it depends on the type of rice you use.
- If your broth is bland, add a few dashes of hot sauce or a pinch of oregano.
- If you cook pasta with very little water, as described in the Cook for Good Basics ebook, the broth will be worth saving. Traditional pasta recipes use too much water and fuel. I often use the same broth two or three times for pasta before making rice. It just keeps getting better!
