Arroz Poblano Recipes

GREEN POBLANO RICE (ARROZ VERDE AL POBLANO)

Steps:

• The flavoring: In a 2-quart saucepan, combine the broth and chiles, bring to a boil, then partially cover and simmer gently over medium to medium-low heat for about 10 minutes, until the chiles are very soft. Pour the chile mixture into a food processor, add the cilantro (stems and all), and process to a smooth puree. Press through a medium-mesh strainer into a bowl and stir in the salt.
• The rice: Wipe the pan clean, add the oil and heat over medium. Add the rice and onion, and cook, stirring regularly, until the rice is chalky looking and the onion is soft, about 5 minutes. Stir in the garlic and cook a minute longer.
• Add the warm (or reheated) chile liquid to the hot rice pan, stir once, scrape down any rice kernels clinging to the side of the pan, cover, and cook over medium-low heat for 15 minutes. Uncover and check a grain of rice: It should be nearly cooked through. If the rice is just about ready, turn off the heat, re-cover and let stand for 5 to 10 minutes longer to complete the cooking. If the rice seems far from done, continue cooking for 5 minutes or so, retest, then turn off the heat and let stand a few minutes longer. Fluff with a fork, scoop into a warm serving dish, decorate with cilantro sprigs and it's ready to serve.
• Advance preparation: The rice can be made several days ahead; turn out the fluffed rice onto a baking sheet to cool, transfer to a storage container, then cover and refrigerate. Reheat the rice in a steamer basket set over boiling water.
• Variations and improvisations: An obvious variation is to use 3 or 4 long green (Anaheim) chiles, or to mix poblanos and long greens with hotter chiles like jalapeño, manzano or habanero. Grilled corn cut from 1 cob or 1 large grilled zucchini (cubed) are tasty vegetable add-ins. About 1 cup coarsely shredded roast (or barbecued) pork or smoked salmon, mixed in toward the end of cooking, will make green rice a full meal.

POBLANO RICE

Steps:

• Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a medium, heavy nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add the onions and saute until translucent, about 3 minutes. Add the poblano chiles and saute, about 8 minutes. Mix in the garlic and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Season with the salt and pepper. Add 1 cup broth and bring to a boil. Turn off the heat and let cool.
• Transfer the mixture to a blender and process until smooth, about 1 minute. Measure the liquid yield from the blender, adding more chicken broth if necessary to yield 2 total cups of poblano liquid. Adjust seasoning to taste.
• Meanwhile, clean the skillet, place over medium heat and add the remaining 1 tablespoon oil. Fry the rice until slightly golden. Pour the poblano puree into the skillet and bring to a simmer. Turn down the heat to medium-low and cover tightly. Cook for 30 minutes, turn off the heat and let rest for 10 minutes. Fluff with a fork before serving.

ARROZ CON POLLO

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
• Heat vegetable oil in a Dutch oven over medium heat; cook and stir chicken pieces until browned, 5 to 10 minutes. Remove chicken with a slotted spoon and place on a plate. Cook and stir onion, green bell pepper, minced garlic, and whole garlic cloves in the same Dutch oven until onion is softened, about 5 minutes.
• Return chicken to the onion mixture. Add tomatoes, rice, salt, oregano, black pepper, and bay leaf. Pour in enough chicken stock to cover all the ingredients.
• Bake chicken-rice mixture in the preheated oven until rice is tender and chicken is no longer pink in the center and the juices run clear, about 1 hour and 30 minutes. An instant-read thermometer inserted near the bone should read 165 degrees F (74 degrees C).
• Stir peas, olives, raisins, and pimento peppers into the chicken-rice mixture. Bake until warmed through, an additional 15 minutes.

ARROZ CON POLLO

Steps:

• Heat the fat in a large heavy pot over medium-high heat. Add the thighs, skin-side down, and cook until browned on both sides and their fat has rendered, 8 to 10 minutes. Transfer to a plate.
• Add the carrots, corn, onion, poblano, serrano, garlic and salt and cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables just begin to brown, 5 to 6 minutes. Add the rice and cumin and cook, stirring frequently, until the rice grains are opaque and the vegetables are very tender, about 5 minutes.
• Stir in the tomatoes and 2 1/2 cups water and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to low, cover the pot and simmer until all the water has been absorbed, about 20 minutes. You can check by
• opening the lid, taking a fork and clearing a spot so you can see the bottom of the pot; if there is any liquid, cover and check in another 5 minutes.
• Remove from the heat and let sit, covered, for 20 minutes to evenly distribute the moisture.
• Serve topped with cilantro and a squeeze of lime.

RAJAS CON CREMA, ELOTE, Y QUESO (CREAMY POBLANO PEPPERS AND SWEET CORN)

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 500 degrees F (260 degrees C). Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil and add poblano peppers. Brush peppers with 1 tablespoon vegetable oil.
• Roast poblano peppers in the preheated oven for 20 minutes; flip and continue roasting until skin is charred and flesh is soft, about 20 minutes more.
• Place roasted peppers in a bowl and cover with plastic wrap; let steam for 10 to 15 minutes. Carefully remove plastic wrap and peel the skins from the peppers and remove seeds and stems. Cut peppers into strips.
• Bring a pot of water to a boil; cook corn kernels until soft, about 10 minutes. Drain.
• Heat 1 tablespoon vegetable oil and butter in a saucepan over medium heat; cook and stir onion until soft, 5 to 10 minutes. Add poblano pepper strips and corn; season with chicken bouillon granules and cook for 3 minutes. Reduce heat to medium-low and stir in cream and manchego cheese; simmer until cheese melts, about 5 minutes.