Wednesday, July 14, 2010

Yellow Rice with Corn

Or, as Daisy Martinez, host of PBS' Daisy Cooks!, calls it: Arroz Amarillo con Maiz. That sounds so much more sophisticated--not to mention sexier--than "Yellow Rice with Corn," doesn't it?

Anyway, I made this dish for dinner a few nights ago after watching Daisy cook it on her show on more than a few occasions. I wouldn't say it's the best thing I've ever made--or even close it--but David and I liked it enough that I'll definitely make it again.


One thing I have to note is that the recipe below differs from the original in quite a few ways. For those of you who are sticklers for authenticity (you know who you are),
here is how Daisy makes it.  

Yellow Rice with Corn

1/3 cup canola or vegetable oil
1 tablespoon ground turmeric
1 white onion, diced
1 red bell pepper, diced
2 cloves of garlic, minced
2 cups fresh or frozen corn kernels
1/2 cup pimiento-stuffed olives, coarsely chopped
2 to 3 tablespoons salt
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon ground black pepper
2 bay leaves
3 cups long grain white rice
4 cups vegetable broth

Heat the oil over medium heat in a large dutch oven or pot. Stir in the turmeric and then the onion, red bell pepper and garlic. Cook until the vegetables have softened a bit. Add the olives, salt, cumin, pepper and bay leaves and stir to combine. When the mixture begins to bubble, add the rice and stir for a minute or two. Add the broth and bring everything to a boil.

When the broth reaches the level of the rice, stir in the corn and then reduce the heat to low. Cover and cook for 20 minutes. Gently fluff the rice and serve hot--topped with sour cream (or Sour Supreme, if that's your thing).