Rather than a mere afterthought — a sad spoonful of white on a dinner plate — rice is now rivaling pasta as both backbone and canvas for a main dish. This recipe riffs on a basic dish from Diana Kennedy, the doyenne of Mexican cooking, who has documented that country’s technique for simmering one-pot meals from short-grain rice. Her Mexican rice recipe is endlessly amenable to different ingredients and moods.

Ingredients

  • 1 ½ cups unconverted rice (like Canilla)
  • 1 cup finely chopped fresh or well-drained canned tomatoes
  • 2 tablespoons finely chopped onion
  • 1 clove garlic, peeled
  • 2 teaspoons minced rosemary
  • 3 tablespoons vegetable oil
  • 3 ½ cups chicken broth, homemade or low-sodium canned
  • 1 teaspoon salt, plus more to taste
  • 1 pound andouille sausage, cut into 1/4-inch slices
  • 3 firmly packed cups stemmed kale, cut into 1/2-inch strips
  • Nutritional Information
    • Nutritional analysis per serving (6 servings)

      550 calories; 30 grams fat; 8 grams saturated fat; 0 grams trans fat; 15 grams monounsaturated fat; 4 grams polyunsaturated fat; 46 grams carbohydrates; 2 grams dietary fiber; 2 grams sugars; 20 grams protein; 45 milligrams cholesterol; 2048 milligrams sodium

    • Note: Nutrient information is not available for all ingredients. Amount is based on available data.

Six to eight servings

Preparation

  1. Soak rice in hot water for 10 minutes. Drain. Rinse with cold water and drain well. Place tomatoes, onion, garlic and rosemary in a blender. Puree until smooth. Set aside.
  2. Heat oil in a medium-large, heavy-bottom pot over medium-high heat. Add rice. Cook, stirring frequently, until rice turns a light golden color, about 5 minutes. Stir in the tomato puree. Cook for 8 minutes, frequently scraping the bottom of the pan to prevent sticking.
  3. Stir in broth, salt, sausage and kale. Cook, uncovered, until all the broth has been absorbed and air holes appear on the surface of the rice, about 20 minutes. Turn heat to very low. Cover the pot with a towel. Continue cooking for 5 minutes. Remove from heat. Let stand, covered, for 15 minutes. Adjust seasoning if needed and serve hot. Continue as in main recipe, adding the sausage and the kale with the chicken broth and salt. Continue as in main recipe. Serve hot.

1 hour 15 minutes

Dining and Cooking