December can be a wallet-busting month, so you may find the relatively low cost of this weeknight meal especially attractive. That’s not its best quality, however; the fact that it’s easy, that it has color and crunch and that leftovers can be stretched into a kind of Mexican fried rice vie for that honor.
You’ll want to use cured chorizo, which typically is located near the grocery store’s deli department – not the fresh kind in the refrigerated meat case. You saute it first, to release flavor that’s inherited by the onion and simmering rice.
The eggs can be sunny side up or scrambled; they transform what was a side dish into an entree that satisfies on several counts.
Servings: 4
Notes: Corn, bell pepper and cilantro are tossed in for contrasting texture and color. (Here, we used a frozen yellow and purple corn blend from Stahlbush Island Farms.) Leftovers are great for making fried rice.
Ingredients:1 small white onion2 cloves garlic½ medium red bell pepper2¼ ounces cured chorizo sausage (one 4-inch-length from a 1-inch-wide link)1 tablespoon olive oil1 medium jalapeño pepper2 cups long-grain white rice3 cups no-salt-added chicken broth1 small celery rib, preferably with leaves¾ to 1 cup frozen/defrosted corn kernels (may substitute frozen peas; see headnote)4 to 6 stems cilantro3 or 4 large eggsKosher saltFreshly ground black pepperSpanish smoked paprika (pimenton), for serving (optional)Method:Finely chop the onion and mince the garlic. Discard the seeds and ribs from the red bell pepper, then cut the pepper into ¼-inch-thick strips.
Cut the chorizo into very small dice and place them in a large skillet or nonstick saute pan over medium heat. Cook for about 3 minutes or just until the meat starts to release some of its oils, then add the oil and whole jalapeño. Cook for a minute or two, then stir in the onion and garlic. Cook for a minute or two, then stir in the rice. Cook for a few minutes, so the rice is well coated and some grains begin to turn opaque, then stir in the broth and celery.
Increase the heat to medium-high; once the mixture comes to a boil, reduce the heat to medium-low, cover and cook for 15 minutes or until the broth has been absorbed and the rice is tender. Uncover and stir in the corn and strips of bell pepper; cover and cook for about 3 minutes, just until they have warmed through.
Meanwhile, coarsely chop the cilantro leaves and some tender stems. Uncover the chorizo rice and toss in the cilantro, then cover and let stand while you cook the eggs.
Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Crack in the eggs (one per serving if they’ll be sunny side up, or 3 eggs total if they’ll be scrambled) and cook to the doneness you like. Season lightly with salt and pepper.
Uncover the chorizo rice; discard the jalapeño and wilted celery. Taste, and season with salt and/or pepper, as needed.
If you’ve scrambled the eggs, stir them into the chorizo rice before you divide it among individual plates.
If you’ve fried the eggs, place one atop each portion. Sprinkle with the smoked paprika, if using. Serve right away with your favorite salsa and/or hot sauce.
Nutrition information per serving : 500 calories, 15 g protein, 82 g carbohydrates, 11 g fat, 3 g saturated fat, 150 mg cholesterol, 250 mg sodium, 2 g dietary fiber, 4 g sugar.
Adapted from My Abuelo’s Mexican Feast: A Life and Love of Mexican Food, by Daniella Germain with Elsa Germain (Hardie Grant, 2015).
