Rice with Roasted Poblano, Spinach and Fresh Cheese Recipe

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Ingredients

3 medium (about 9 ounces total) fresh poblano chiles 2 cups chicken broth or water Salt 2 tablespoons vegetable oil or olive oil
1 1/2 cups white rice, preferably medium-grain 1 small white onion, chopped 2 garlic cloves, peeled and finely chopped 3 cups loosely packed sliced stemmed spinach leaves (start
with about 4 ounces and slice the leaves 1/4 inch thick) 1 1/2 cups coarsely crumbled Mexican queso fresco (or firm
goat cheese or feta)

Preparation

Step 1

1. Roast the chiles directly over a gas flame or on a baking sheet 4 inches below a very hot broiler, turning regularly, until the skin has blistered and blackened on all sides, about 5 minutes for an open flame, about 10 minutes for the broiler. Be careful not to char the flesh, only the skin. Cover with a kitchen towel and let stand for 5 minutes. Rub off the blackened skin, then pull out the stems and seed pods. Rinse briefly to remove any stray seeds and bits of skin. Chop into 1/4 inch pieces.
2. In a small saucepan or in a microwave oven, heat the broth or water until steaming; stir in about 3/4 teaspoon salt if using salted broth, 1 1/2 teaspoons if using unsalted broth or water. Cover and keep warm.
3. In a medium saucepan with a tight-fitting lid, heat the oil over medium. When hot, add the raw rice and onion and stir regularly until the grains have turned from translucent to milky-white, 4 to 5 minutes. Add the garlic and stir for a few seconds, until fragrant. For beautiful white rice, the grains should not brown.
4. Add the warm liquid and chopped roasted chile, stir thor- oughly and scrape down any grains that are clinging to the side of the pan. Cover and cook over the lowest heat for 15 minutes - the temperature should be low enough that only the slightest hint of steam escapes from the lid.
5. Remove the pan from the heat; uncover the pan and quickly distribute the spinach over the rice. Re-cover and let stand for5minutes. Uncoverandtestagrainofrice: Ifit’sstilla little hard, re-cover and set over low heat for about 5 minutes; if the rice has absorbed all the liquid (and is completely dry), sprinkle on 2 tablespoons of water before returningittotheheat. Uncovertherice,sprinklethecheese over the top and fluff everything together with a fork. Spoon into a warm serving bowl and head for the table.

Working Ahead: the rice can be successfully made ahead through Step 4; Turn it out onto a baking sheet in a shallow layer to cool then cover and refrigerate for up to 3 days. When ready to serve, reheat in a microwave oven or a steamer. Or reheat on a baking sheet, covered with foil, in a 325 oven until heated through, about 15 minutes. Toss in the cheese and serve.