Annato Rice Food

ACHIOTE RED RICE PILAF

Steps:

• Rinse the rice well. Place in a bowl and cover with water. Let soak 10 minutes. Rinse again. Allow the rice to drain in the strainer.
• Mix the achiote paste in the vegetable broth, pushing with the back of the spoon until the paste is completely dissolved. Set aside.
• Heat the oil in a heavy saucepan over medium flame. Add the onions and cook and stir a few minutes. Stir in the rinsed rice and diced carrot. Cook, stirring frequently, about 10 minutes, until the rice is coated with oil and turns light golden brown.
• Add the achiote broth and the vegetable juice.
• Bring the rice to a boil, cover, and lower the heat to the lowest setting possible. Cook without stirring, 35 to 45 minutes. (To check if the liquid has been absorbed or not, tilt the pan to the side.) Remove from heat and let stand 5 minutes before serving.

CRISPY ANNATTO CHICKEN WITH RICE & PEAS

Steps:

• Cook bacon in large skillet on medium-high heat 5 min. or until crisp. Remove bacon from skillet, reserving 1 Tbsp. of the drippings in skillet. Drain bacon on paper towels; set aside. Place tomatoes in blender. Add water; blend until tomatoes are smooth. Cook reserved drippings until heated through; stir in tomato sauce. Add rice and pigeon peas; stir. Bring to boil; cover. Reduce heat to low; simmer 20 min. or until rice is tender.
• Meanwhile, add chicken, skin-sides up, to large nonstick skillet; cover. Cook 5 min.; turn chicken. Cook, uncovered, an additional 7 to 9 min. or until chicken is cooked through and skins are golden brown. Mix annatto paste, mayo and garlic.
• Stir bacon into rice mixture; spoon onto serving plate. Top with chicken and annatto sauce.

RED ACHIOTE MEXICAN RICE

Steps:

• Rinse rice and drain well.
• Set apart.
• Process in blender the onion, garlic and achiote in some of the chicken broth (about a cup).
• Heat oil in a skillet and fry rice on medium heat until lightly brown.
• Add the processed liquid and let it reach boiling point.
• At this point add half of the broth (hot) Simmer covered until broth is consumed.
• Fluff rice with a fork from the edges to the center.
• Add the other half of the hot broth, the lime juice, and season with salt or powdered bouillon.
• Lower heat, cover and cook for about 15 more minutes.
• Fluff it again from the edges to the center.
• Uncover just to add the cilantro sprig.
• Cover again and let it stand to finish steaming and absorb the cilantro's flavor.
• Garnish with poblano strips.

ANNATTO RICE WITH SAUSAGE AND TOMATO

Steps:

• In a medium saute pan, heat the oil and annatto seeds over medium heat until sizzling. Lower the temperature and cook until the oil turns yellow, about 5 minutes. Turn off the heat. Using a slotted spoon, remove annatto seeds and discard.
• Reheat the annatto oil over medium-high heat. Saute chile and garlic, stir, and cook for 30 seconds. Add sausage, tomato, and bay leaves; cook and stir until heated through.
• Stir in cooked rice. Remove and discard bay leaves. Season with salt and pepper. Serve warm.

ANNATO RICE

Steps:

• Boil water.
• Add bouillon cubes to dissolve, then stir in converted rice and onion flakes.
• Cover and simmer for 20 minutes.
• While rice is cooking, melt butter in small saucepan and add annato seeds.
• Simmer on low for 10 minutes.
• When rice is done, pour annato mixture through a strainer and into the rice.
• Add parsley and stir well until color is mixed evenly.
• Serve and enjoy!

YELLOW RICE

Steps:

• Heat the oil in a medium saucepan, with a tight-fitting lid, over medium-high heat. Add the onion, pepper, and annatto, and cook, stirring, until somewhat soft, about 2 minutes. Add the rice and cook, stirring, until toasted, about 2 minutes more. Add water, salt, and bay leaf and bring to a boil. Wrap the lid tightly with a kitchen towel. Cover the rice, lower the heat to a simmer, cook for 20 minutes.
• Remove the rice from the heat and set aside, covered, for 10 minutes. Remove the lid and fluff the rice with a fork. Serve with the black beans.
• Put the beans in a large saucepan, add the water and bay leaf, and bring to a boil. Set aside, covered, for 1 hour.
• Return the beans to a boil, lower the heat to a simmer, cook uncovered, for 1 1/2 hours.
• Heat the oil in a medium skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onion and peppers and cook, stirring, until soft, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic, cumin, oregano, and coriander and cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 1 minute more. Add the onion mixture to the beans and continue simmering until the beans are very tender and the liquid has thickened, about 1 1/2 hours more.
• If the beans seem too thick, adjust the consistency with a little bit of water. Stir in the vinegar, season with the salt, cayenne, and pepper to taste. Serve.
• Yield: about 4 side dish servings

YELLOW RICE (ARROZ AMARILLO)

Steps:

• Heat annatto seeds and oil in a very small saucepan over low heat, swirling pan frequently, until oil turns bright red-orange and begins to simmer, 1 to 2 minutes. Remove from heat and let stand 10 minutes. Strain through a fine-mesh sieve into a small bowl, discarding seeds.
• Cook onion, bell pepper, garlic, and cilantro in 1 1/2 tablespoons annatto oil in a 2-to 3-quart heavy saucepan over medium heat, stirring, until vegetables are softened, 3 to 5 minutes. Add rice and cook, stirring, until most of grains are opaque, 1 to 2 minutes. Stir in water and 1 teaspoon salt and bring to a boil. Stir rice again, then reduce heat to low and cook, covered, until rice is just tender, about 15 minutes. Remove from heat and let stand, covered, 5 minutes.
• Fluff rice with a fork before serving.

PLANTAIN COATED SEA BASS WITH MANGO WINE SAUCE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F. Dredge the sea bass in flour, shaking off excess. Then, dredge in the egg, and then Plantain Crust. Cook sea bass in an ovenproof, nonstick saute pan in 2 tablespoons of oil for about 1 minute. Turn the fish over and place in the oven until the fish is cooked through, about 8 minutes. In a separate pan mix the rice and beans and cook until just heated through. Keep warm and set aside. Heat the 12 ounces of oil in a saute pan. Slice bananas lengthwise into 1/8 to 1/4-inch thick slices and fry in the oil until golden brown on both sides. Place rice and beans in center of each of 4 plates. Place fish on top of rice. Place fried banana on top of fish. Ladle mango sauce around fish and dollop smoked tomato essence in mango sauce.
• Peel and grate 3 green plantains. Heat the oil in a saucepan. Lightly brown the plantains in the oil. Cook until crispy, and drain on paper towels. When cool, place in food processor and pulse until coarse.
• In a saucepan over medium-low heat, steep the annato seeds in the oil until oil takes on a vibrant red color. Strain the annato out of the oil and return the oil to a saucepan. Add the onions and saute until translucent, about 4 minutes. Add the rice, salt, and pepper, and stir until the rice is coated with oil. Add the lobster stock, cover, and cook for 20 minutes. Don't open the cover until 20 minutes have passed! Fluff with a fork and taste for seasoning.
• Saute onions, garlic, oregano, and bacon until onions are translucent, about 4 minutes. Add the beans and chipotle peppers and stir. Add 4 cups of water and simmer for about 90 minutes, or until the beans are tender. Add more water if necessary. Add balsamic vinegar and season with salt and pepper.
• Peel, pit, and puree mango in a blender or a food processor with as little water as possible. Set aside.
• In a saucepan, combine the white wine, orange juice, star anise, cardamom, shallot, and peppercorns. Cook the mixture is reduced to 1/4 cup. Remove from the heat and slowly whisk in the butter and mango puree until emulsified. Return to the heat as necessary so that the butter melts. Add salt and pepper, to taste.
• In a stove top smoker, lay out wood chips. Cut tomatoes lengthwise, and lay, cut side up, on the wood chips. Smoke tomatoes until fork tender, about 15 minutes. Place the tomatoes in a blender and process until smooth. Slowly drizzle the oil into tomatoes while the blender is running. Add salt and pepper, to taste.