Tex Mex Rice

This is a recipe that I have been making for years but I never took the time to write it down until now. It is so simple to pull together and a favorite of mine since I was a child. It reminds me so much of the rice served in the Mexican restaurants of Southern California when I was growing up, and then in Texas when I was an adult. The Mexicali version usually included sweet peas and corn, but I discovered an even better way to make it while living in Texas. I love to serve this with my homemade refried beans and tacos, enchiladas, or fajitas.

Ingredients:

• 2 cups of chicken or vegetable broth
• 3 tablespoons of tomato paste
• 2 teaspoons ground cumin
• ½ teaspoon salt
• ½ cup of diced onions
• ½ cup of diced sweet peppers
• 3 cloves of garlic, finely chopped
• 1 cup of rice
• 1½ tablespoons of olive oil
• 1 tablespoon of freshly squeezed lime juice
• 1/2 cup chopped cilantro

Directions:

• Add the broth, tomato paste, ground cumin, and salt to a small saucepan. Bring the mixture to a boil on high, stir once, cover, and set aside.
• In a medium saucepan, heat the olive oil over medium heat, and when hot sauté the onions and peppers just to the point they start to caramelize.
• Add the garlic and stir quickly for about 30-40 seconds.
• Add the dry rice and thoroughly coat the rice in the oil, onion, sweet pepper, and garlic mixture.
• Continue stirring the rice until it is dry and just about to toast. It will start to crackle when it is ready.
• Pour the broth mixture over the rice and bring it to a rapid boil on high. 
• Place a lid on the pan and set the temperature to a low simmer for 15 minutes. Do not remove the lid!
• When the 15 minutes simmer is completed, do not remove the lid. Just turn the burner off and let the rice finish cooking with the residual heat for about 18 minutes.
• When the time is up, gently fluff the rice with a fork and fold in the chopped cilantro.
• Just before serving squeeze the fresh lime juice and gently toss.

Enjoy!