Classic Red Rice Recipes

MEXICAN RED RICE (ARROZ ROJO)

Steps:

• In a large heavy saucepan, heat the vegetable oil on medium-high heat. Add the rice, onions and garlic. Saute until the rice has an opaque color and is fragrant, about 2 minutes. Add the chicken broth, tomato paste and salt. Mix well to incorporate evenly. Then add in the chile and cilantro sprig. Cover, reduce the heat to low, and simmer until rice is ready, about 30 minutes. Fluff with a fork and serve immediately.

CLASSIC RED RICE

Steps:

• Puree tomatoes, onion, and garlic in blender until smooth.
• Heat oil in heavy medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Add rice; stir until rice is pale golden, about 1 minute. Stir in tomato puree, then 1 cup hot water, carrot, peas, corn, cilantro sprigs, chiles, and salt. Bring to boil. Reduce heat to low, cover, and cook until almost all liquid is absorbed, about 12 minutes. Uncover and cook until rice is tender and all liquid is absorbed, about 10 minutes longer. Remove from heat, cover, and let stand 5 minutes. Discard cilantro and chiles. Fluff rice with fork.

CLASSIC RED BEANS N RICE

Steps:

• Sort beans and rinse with cold water. Place beans in a Dutch oven; add water to cover by 2 in. Bring to a boil; boil for 2 minutes. Remove from the heat; cover and let stand until beans are softened, 1-4 hours., Drain and rinse beans, discarding liquid. Return to Dutch oven. Add the water, ham hock, bay leaves and onion powder. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 1 hour., In a large cast-iron or other heavy skillet, cook the beef, onion, salt and pepper over medium heat until meat is no longer pink. Add garlic; cook 1 minute longer. Drain. Add to bean mixture. Simmer, uncovered, 1 hour. Discard bay leaves., Remove ham hock; allow to cool. Remove meat from bone; discard bone. Cut meat into bite-sized pieces and return to broth. Heat through. Serve with rice and, if desired, top with chopped fresh parsley.

RED RICE

Steps:

• Melt the butter with the annatto oil in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the Scotch bonnet and garlic, stir, and cook for 15 seconds. Add the onion, carrot, celery, and bay leaves and stir well. Allow the vegetables to cook, stirring frequently, until well-glazed, about 10 minutes.
• Stir in the rice, salt and pepper. Add the chicken stock, stir once and bring to a simmer, the immediately turn the heat down to very low. Cover and cook until the rice has absorbed the stock, 12 to 15 minutes. Cover and let stand for 5 minutes, then serve.
• Toast the annatto seeds in a heavy saucepan until they just start to smoke. Add the olive oil. When the oil begins to simmer, remove from the heat and allow to cool. Strain the oil and store in an airtight container in a cool, dark place for several months.
• Preparation time: 5 minutes
• Cooking time: 10 minutes
• Ease of preparation: Easy

EASY RED RICE

Steps:

• Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Cook the onions in the heated oil until clear, but not brown. Add tomatoes, chicken broth, and basil; bring to a boil. Stir in rice and return to a boil. Cover and reduce heat to low. Simmer until the liquid is completely absorbed into the rice, about 20 minutes.

CHARLESTON RED RICE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C). Grease a 2-quart baking dish.
• Bring the rice, water, and salt to a boil in a saucepan. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer until the rice is tender and most of the liquid has been absorbed, 20 to 25 minutes.
• While the rice is cooking, cook the bacon in a large, deep skillet over medium-high heat until evenly browned, about 10 minutes. Reserve about 1 tablespoon of bacon drippings in the pan. Reduce heat to medium. Drain the bacon on a plate lined with paper towels; crumble the bacon once cooled enough to handle.
• Cook and stir the onions in the reserved bacon drippings until translucent, 5 to 8 minutes. Stir in the crumbled bacon, tomato sauce, tomato paste, sugar, Worcestershire sauce, and hot sauce; bring the mixture to a simmer, reduce heat, and simmer for 10 minutes. Spoon the cooked rice into the prepared baking dish and stir the tomato-bacon mixture into the rice until evenly combined.
• Cover the dish and bake in the preheated oven for 45 minutes.

CLASSIC RED BEANS AND RICE

Steps:

• Rinse the beans under cold water in a colander. Throw away any broken beans or pebbles. Put the beans into a large bowl and add enough water to cover them by about 2 inches. Soak overnight or for at least 8 hours. (Quick method = bring the beans and enough water to cover them by 2 inches to a boil in a large pot over high heat and cook for 2 minutes, then remove from the heat and cover tightly, let stand for 1 hour.).
• Heat up the oil in a big, heavy stockpot over med-high heat. Add the onions, bell peppers and garlic - cook, stirring, for about 4 minutes or until softened. Add the sausage, salt, Creole seasoning, cayenne, black pepper, thyme and the bay leaves. Cook, stirring, for about 4-5 minutes or until the sausage is browned. Add the ham hock and cook for 3 minutes.
• Drain the beans and add them to the pot. pour in enough stock to cover the whole mixture by about 1 inch. Bring this to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat to med-low and simmer, uncovered, until the beans are tender, stirring occasionally - approx 2 hours. Remove and throw away the bay leaves.
• Mash up about 1/4 of the bean mixture. This will thicken the juices. Remove the ham hock and let cool slightly. Slice the meat from the bone, throwing away the skin and bones. Return the meat to the pot and heat it through.
• Spoon the rice into bowls and top with the beans. Relax and enjoy!

CLASSIC RED BEANS AND RICE

Steps:

• Sort beans and rinse in cold water. Place beans in stockpots; add water to cover by 2 in. Bring to a boil; boil for 2 minutes. Remove from heat. Cover and let stand for 1 hour. , Drain and discard liquid. To beans, add 9 qts. water, garlic, bay leaves and browning sauce if desired. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer 1-1/2 to 2 hours or until beans are tender., Meanwhile, in large skillets, cook bacon until crisp. Remove with a slotted spoon to paper towels. In the drippings, cook the sausage and ham until lightly browned. Remove and set aside. , Add oil to drippings in skillets. Stir in flour until smooth; cook and stir over medium heat until reddish brown, about 12-14 minutes. Add the onions, celery and green peppers; cook and stir until tender. Stir into bean mixture. , Add the bacon, sausage, ham, parsley, salt and pepper. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 30 minutes. Remove bay leaves. Serve with rice and hot sauce if desired.