Page 147 - 2016TOHCookbook

Arroza la Mexicana
Iliana de la Vega
ILIANA DE LA VEGA is a self-taught chef who is the owner of El Naranjo restaurant in Austin, Texas. A native of Mexico, Iliana opened her first restaurant, also named El Naranjo, in Oaxaca in the mid-1990s with virtually no professional experience and no formal culinary education. She is most passionate about Mexican chilies and works with growers to preserve the crop. In addition to operating the restaurant, she teaches at The Culinary Institute of America’s San Antonio campus.
INGREDIENTS
Serves 6 to 8
4 ounces tomatoes, diced
1⁄2 small yellow onion, diced
2 garlic cloves, minced
1⁄2 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons canola oil
1 pound medium-grain rice
2 cups chicken broth
2 small serrano chiles, diced
1 small carrot, peeled and diced 4 ounces peas
2 fresh parsley sprigs
Salt
PREPARATION
1. Place the tomatoes, onion, garlic and salt in a blender. Blend on high until puréed. Set aside.
2. In a medium saucepan, heat the oil over medium heat. Add the rice and sauté until it crackles when stirred, about 3 minutes. Add the tomato mixture and cook until it changes color and dries out, 4 to 6 minutes.
3. Add the chicken broth, raise the heat to high and bring to a full boil. Sprinkle the chiles, carrots, peas and parsley on top and season with salt.
4. Turn heat to low and cover with a tight-fitting lid. Simmer until small holes appear in the rice, about 20 minutes. Remove the parsley sprigs. Fluff the rice with a fork.
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