When I came back to the North it seemed as if every party I went to in Juárez featured this dish. There was a very good reason: It was a specialty of one caterer whom everyone was using! When I became a caterer myself, I rapidly discovered that it is a superior party dish because it is delicious, economical, and holds well so that it can easily be preassembled and reheated just prior to serving.
Creamy Rice Casserole with Poblano Chiles (Arroz con crema y poblanos)
What I immediately liked about Arroz con crema y poblanos was the “layers” or different dimensions of flavor that were beginning to be important to me early in my career: Creamy rice, mildly piquant poblanos, crunchy corn kernels, and the refreshing aftertaste of cilantro.
Ingredients
- 4 cups water
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 2 teaspoons salt or to taste
- 2 cups converted rice
- 2 tablespoons lard preferably
home-rendered , or vegetable oil - 1 small onion chopped
- 1 clove garlic minced
- 2 poblano chiles roasted and peeled
- 2 cups fresh corn kernels or one 10-ounce package frozen corn, or one 16-ounce can corn, drained
- 1½ cups
Sour Cream Mixture (Crema agria preparada) - 8 ounces shredded white cheddar cheese
Instructions
- Bring water to a boil and add butter and salt. When butter is melted, add the rice and bring back to a boil. Reduce heat to very low, cover saucepan tightly, and cook for 25-30 minutes. Remove rice from pan and spread on a baking sheet to cool, or allow to cool in the pan uncovered.
- Heat lard in heavy skillet until very hot but not quite smoking. Add onion and garlic and cook until wilted, 2-3 minutes. Dice the poblano chiles and add to pan. Sauté for 1 minute. Let cool and combine with the rice. Add the corn. Mix in the crema agria preparada and the grated cheese.
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Pour mixture into a heatproof baking dish or casserole and bake 30 minutes or until heated through. (Note: If using Pyrex baking dish, set oven to 325°F.)
Nutrition
Calories: 567kcalCarbohydrates: 65gProtein: 17gFat: 27gSaturated Fat: 16gTrans Fat: 1gCholesterol: 75mgSodium: 1094mgPotassium: 437mgFiber: 3gSugar: 7gVitamin A: 1286IUVitamin C: 39mgCalcium: 380mgIron: 1mg
