Rice With Roasted Poblano Spinach And Fresh Cheese Food

RICE WITH ROASTED POBLANO, SPINACH, AND FRESH CHEESE

Steps:

• See page 180 of Mexico One Plate at a Time.

SPINACH RICE

Steps:

• In a pot, bring the rice and water to a boil. Cover, reduce heat to low, and simmer 20 minutes.
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Lightly grease a medium baking dish.
• In a bowl, mix the soup, milk, jalapeno peppers, salt, and pepper.
• Melt the butter in a large skillet over medium-low heat, and cook the onion until tender. Mix in the cooked rice and spinach. Pour the soup mixture into the skillet, and continue cooking until heated through. Mix in the cubed processed cheese, and transfer to the prepared baking dish.
• Bake 25 minutes in the preheated oven, until bubbly and lightly browned.

RICE WITH ROASTED POBLANO, SPINACH, AND FRESH CHEESE

Steps:

• See p. 180 of Mexico one plate at a time.

ROASTED POBLANO CHEESY RICE

Steps:

• Roast the poblano peppers. Like the author of this recipe, I hold them over the flame on the stove using tongs (or just a fork!) and keep turning them until they're blackened. I put them into a paper bag and fold it over and wait for them to cool. Then I peel the skin off which is usually not too difficult if they're fully cooled.
• Dice the poblanos.
• Preheat oven to 350. In the meantime, melt butter in a large pan. When hot, saute onions until caramelized. Add poblanos and saute 2 minutes more, until peppers and onions are well mixed.
• In a large bowl, mix the cooked rice with the onion/poblano mix. Add cottage cheese, sour cream, and 1 1/2 c shredded cheese.
• Put seasoned rice in a buttered, oven safe casserole dish. Top with remaining 1/2 c shredded cheese. Bake until rice is warmed through and the cheese on top has melted and turned light brown.

BAKED SPINACH RICE

Steps:

• Bring a large pot of well-salted water to a boil. Add spinach and wilt for 30 seconds. Remove with a wire mesh spider or tongs and rinse in a colander with cold water. Squeeze dry and chop roughly.
• In the same pot, boil the rice for 10 minutes, keeping it slightly underdone. Drain and spread on a baking sheet to cool, then transfer to a large bowl.
• Heat oven to 375 degrees. Butter a 2-quart soufflé dish (or other baking dish) and dust with about 2 tablespoons grated Parmesan.
• Melt 2 tablespoons butter in a small skillet over medium heat. Add almonds and cook, stirring, until golden, about 2 minutes. Season lightly with salt and add contents of skillet to rice.
• Add remaining Parmesan to rice, along with the ricotta, Gruyère, currants, nutmeg, lemon zest, thyme and sage. Season lightly with salt and add pepper to taste. Add chopped spinach and gently toss rice with hands or wooden spoons to distribute ingredients evenly. Transfer mixture to prepared baking dish. (May be prepared up to this point several hours in advance of baking.)
• Cover and bake for 30 minutes, then uncover and bake 10 minutes more, until top is browned.