Arroz Central Cafe Rice Kathy Veit Food

ARROZ: SPANISH RICE

Steps:

• Open can of tomatoes and chicken broth and set aside. These ingredients have to be added quickly, so have them ready.
• Heat lard or shortening in a saucepan on medium-high. Add rice, stirring constantly. When rice is brown, immediately add the onion and garlic and stir so it is evenly mixed. Quickly add the 2 tomatoes (squish them with your hand). Add 1/4 cup of liquid from the can of tomatoes and 3/4 of the entire amount of chicken broth. Bring to a full boil, cover and reduce heat to medium-low. Let simmer until rice is tender and most of broth has evaporated, about 20 to 30 minutes. (The remaining broth can be added if rice is still a little hard) Remove rice from heat and leave covered until ready to serve.

ARROZ CENTRAL CAFE (CENTRAL CAFE RICE)

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
• Melt the butter in a medium saute pan, add olive oil.
• When oil is warm, add the rice, onion, pepper, and garlic.
• Saute for 2 to 3 minutes or until rice browns slightly.
• Pour in chicken stock, stir and pour into a 1 1/2 quart baking dish that has been sprayed with non-stick cooking spray.
• Cover and bake for 25 to 30 minutes or until water is absorbed and rice is tender.

ARROZ BLANCO (MEXICAN WHITE RICE)

Steps:

• In small saucepan or microwave oven, heat broth or water until steaming.
• Stir in about 3/4 teaspoon salt if using salted broth, 1 1/2 teaspoons if using unsalted broth or water.
• Cover and keep warm.
• In medium (3-quart) saucepan with a tight-fitting lid, heat the oil over medium heat.
• When hot, add raw rice and onion and stir regularly until grains have turned from translucent to milky-white, 4-5 minutes.
• Add garlic and stir for a few seconds, until fragrant. Do not let grains brown.
• Add the warm liquid and lime juice, stir thoroughly, scraping down any grains that are clinging to the side of the pan.
• Cover and cook over the lowest heat for 15 minutes--temperature should be low enough that only the slightest hint of steam escapes lid.
• Remove pan from heat and let stand covered for 5 minutes.
• Uncover and test a grain of rice: if still a little hard, re-cover pan and set over low heat for about 5 min.; if rice has absorbed all liquid and is completely dry, sprinkle on 2 tablespoons water before returning to heat.
• When rice is done, sprinkle on parsley and gently fluff with fork to release steam and stop the cooking.

TRES LECHES CAKE FROM CAFE CENTRAL, EL PASO

Steps:

• Cake:.
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
• Separate egg yolks and whites, keeping whites at room temperature.
• In bowl of an electric mixer, cream sugar and butter together until pale yellow and fluffy.
• Add egg yolks and beat until fluffy again, 2 to 3 minutes on medium-high speed.
• In a separate bowl combine flour and baking powder.
• In a third bowl mix milk and vanilla.
• Alternately add the flour mixture and the milk mixture to the butter mixture (a fourth at a time) until all are combined.
• Beat until smooth after each addition.
• Beat egg whites with cream of tartar until soft peaks form and, using a large spatula, gently but thoroughly fold into flour-and-butter mixture.
• Grease bottom of a 9- by 13-inch metal baking pan.
• Pour in batter and bake for approximately 25 minutes, until golden brown. Allow to cool.
• (May also be baked in an 11.5- by 17.5-inch sheet pan for 20 minutes; this size rises very evenly, helpful for inexperienced cooks.).
• Three Milks:.
• Stir the milks together thoroughly; do not beat.
• Do not refrigerate canned milks before using.
• Cream Icing:.
• Whip cream and sugar together until stiff.
• When cake is cool, slice or peel off the thin top crust.
• Ice sides first, creating a small lip on top to catch milk mixture.
• Pour milk mixture evenly over top of cake (if necessary, poke holes in cake with a knife or toothpick to facilitate soaking; you will probably need only 3/4of mixture).
• Finish icing top.
• Refrigerate.
• (If using an 11.5- by 17.5-inch pan, cut cake in half to make 2 equal pieces. Soak first layer, ice top if desired, and place second layer on top of it. Proceed as above.) Serves 12.