Happy New Year!  Here at CPM we are crazy for Mexican food.  And what better way to make your Mexican dishes feel like a whole feast than the addition of Spanish rice.  Colorful and flavorful, this rice takes about an hour to make.  And leftovers freeze very well.

Spanish Rice

2 cups rice
2 cups water – plus more for rinsing
¼ cup vegetable oil
1 teaspoon achiote rojo paste, dissolved in 2 tablespoons hot water
1 tablespoon chicken bouillon
1 tablespoon tomato bouillon
¼ cup diced onion
½ cup diced bell pepper

In a medium sized bowl, put rice and cover the rice with water.  Swish rice around in the water and between your hands to rinse it.  Drain water and repeat until the water runs clear.  Let rice soak in the clear water for 15 min.  Drain rice in a strainer and let stand to drain 15 minutes.

In a small bowl, mix together 2 cups water, achiote rojo, chicken and tomato bouillon.

In a pan or pot with a fitting lid, heat oil to medium heat.  Sautee bell pepper and onion in the oil until the onions turn translucent.  Add drained rice to the pan and saute, stirring occasionally until rice starts to become opaque.

Add water mixture to the pan, turn heat up to high.  Once simmering, reduce heat to low, stir and put lid on the pan.

Allow rice to steam for 15 minutes.  Once done, shut off the heat but don’t remove pan from the burner.  Allow rice to set 10 minutes, fluff and serve.

Eat Well!

~Trish