Annatto seeds, known as achiote in Spanish, are small irregularly
shaped, deep reddish colored seeds about the size of a lentil. They
grow in pods but are sold loose in jars in the spice aisle. (Or
see the "Sources" section.) Steeping annatto (achiote)
seeds in hot olive oil for a few minutes will do more than give
the oil a brilliant orange-gold color; it will infuse it with a
nutty, delicate aroma and add a quick kick to whatever you use it
in. This incredibly simple technique will become part of your repertoire,
not just for the many dishes that call for it in this book, but
any time you want a splash of color and a hint of annatto flavor. [more...]
There is no other recipe I could have chosen to open a chapter,
let alone my book. This is the one indispensable, universal, un-live-withoutable
recipe. Having said that, it is incredibly easy to make with ingredients
you can find at the supermarket. And if you can’t find all
the ingredients I list below see the note that follows for a very
simple fix. What sofrito does is add freshness, herbal notes and
zing to dishes—you can do that with the onion, garlic, bell
pepper, cilantro and tomato alone.
In my house, sofrito makes its way into everything from yellow rice,
black bean soup, sauce for spaghetti and meatballs to braised chicken
and sautéed shrimp. Not only that, it freezes beautifully,
so in about In 10 minutes you can make enough sofrito to flavor
a dozen dishes. I’m telling you, this stuff does everything
but make the beds. Try out your first batch of sofrtio in the recipes
you’ll find throughout this book, or add sofrito to some of
your own favorite dishes that could use a little boost. You will
change the way you cook. I guarantee it. [more...]
When I was young, I always took “plain” white rice for
granted because we ate it so often. But when I was a teenager and
ate at friends’ houses I realized how awful rice can be if
you don’t treat it right. There’s nothing easier and,
in some ways, more satisfying than good white rice. Trust me on
this one. [more...]
You know those packaged rice mixes you can buy with the foil bag
of mystery spice? When you taste this rice, you’ll forget
all about them. This is remarkably easy to make, once you’ve
got achiote oil and sofrito on hand. Even if you’re starting
from scratch without those two staples, you can still get this on
the stove in fifteen minutes. I have never served this at a party
without rave reviews. Guests have often said that they could eat
just the rice and nothing else. I’m always delighted to tell
them how easy it is, but encourage them not to pass on the beans
or other accompaniments! [more...]
