Rice Costrada

By Maverick19

Recipe courtesy of Rick Bayless. Costrada de Arroz

Ingredients

• For the Rice:
• 1/2 large white onion, sliced
• 3 garlic cloves, peeled
• 2 jalapeños, whole
• 2 Tbsp oil
• 1 1/2 tsp saffron
• 2 cup rice, preferably medium grain
• salt
• 1/2 cup sugar, divided use
• 7 eggs
• 1/4 cup unsalted butter (4 Tbsp, 2 oz)
• For the Picadillo:
• 2 Tbsp oil
• 1/2 large white onion, chopped
• 1/2 of a large red bell pepper, chopped
• 1 lb ground beef or pork, or a combination of the two
• 1/4 tsp fresh ground black pepper
• 1/8 tsp ground cloves
• 1/8 tsp ground cinnamon, preferably Mexican canela
• 1 Tbsp raisins, roughly chopped
• 2 Tbsp slivered almonds
• 1 garlic clove, peeled and chopped
• 1 lb red ripe tomatoes (4-5 medium plum or 1-2 med-large round), cored and chopped
• 1 Tbsp parsley, coarsely chopped, loosely packed
• 1/3 cup chopped olives, preferably Manzanilla
• 1 Tbsp capers, finely chopped
• 2 Tbsp sweet sherry
• 1 tsp sugar
• 2 Tbsp apple cider vinegar
• Salt

Preparation

Step 1

1. In a 4-6 quart heavy pot, preferably a Dutch Oven, over high heat, add 4 cups water, onion, garlic, jalapeños, saffron and 2 tsp salt. Bring to a boil, add the rice and cover. When the water returns to a boil, lower the heat so that it barely simmers. Cook covered for 30 minutes.
2. Using a blender or whisk, combine 1/4 cup of sugar and the eggs. Set aside. Rub the butter into a 9x13 baking dish (it's a lot of butter, but it's needed for the crust)
3. When the rice is finished, removed the lid, use a fork to remove and discard the garlic cloves, onion slices, jalapeños and any large pieces of saffron that have collected on the top. Gently fluff the rice with a fork and allow to cool.
4. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Make the picadillo: heat a very large skillet (12 inch) over medium-high heat and add the oil. When hot, add the onion and bell pepper. Cook until softened and starting to brown, 6-8 minutes. Add the ground meat to the skillet and break apart using a wooden spatula. Once the meat begins to brown add the remaining ingredients and cook, stirring frequently until the meat is no longer pink in the center and all liquid has evaporated, about 10-12 minutes. Taste for seasoning and add salt if necessary (usually 1/2 tsp)
5. Gently combine cooled rice with egg mixture. Spread half of the rice-egg mixture into the baking dish. Place baking dish in oven and bake until the top is set and firm, about 15 minutes. Spread the piccalilli filling over the rice. Pour the remaining rice over the picadillo filling over the rice. Pour the remaining rice over the picadillo filling and spread out into a flat layer using a spatula. Sprinkle the remaining 1/4 cup sugar over the top. Return to oven and cook for an additional 7-9 minutes until the top is set and starting to turn golden. For a darker crust you can place under a broiler until the desired color is reached (about 1-2 minutes)