Sadly, throughout Mexico, you see rice cooked with mixed frozen vegetables Birds Eye rice, essentially. Fortunately, the real thing is not that difficult to make and it’s infinitely better.

　　

Ingredients

makes 4 servings

　　2 tablespoons lard or neutral oil, like corn or grapeseed

　　1/2 cup chopped onion

　　Salt and black pepper

　　1 1/2 cups long-grain rice

　　1/3 cup minced carrot

　　1/3 cup peeled and minced celery

　　1/3 cup minced red bell pepper

　　1/3 cup minced green beans or 1/2 cup peas

　　3 cups chicken or beef stock, preferably homemade (page 160), or water

　　Chopped fresh parsley or cilantro leaves for garnish

　　

Step 1

Put the lard in a saucepan or deep skillet with a lid and place over medium heat. A minute later, add the onion and some salt and pepper and cook, stirring occasionally, until the onion softens, about 5 minutes. Add the rice and cook, stirring, until it is glossy, about 2 minutes. Add the vegetables and a bit more salt and pepper and cook just until they begin to soften, 2 or 3 minutes.

　　

Step 2

Add the stock, bring to a boil, cover, and adjust the heat so the mixture simmers gently. Cook until all the liquid has been absorbed, 15 to 20 minutes. Serve immediately or let sit over the lowest possible heat (if you have an electric stove, turn the heat off and let the pan sit on the burner) for up to 30 minutes. Stir in the herb and serve.

　　The Best Recipes in the World by Mark Bittman. © 2005 by Mark Bittman. Published by Broadway Books. All Rights Reserved.MARK BITTMAN is the author of the blockbuster The Best Recipes in the World (Broadway, 2005) and the classic bestseller How to Cook Everything, which has sold more than one million copies. He is also the coauthor, with Jean-Georges Vongerichten, of Simple to Spectacular and Jean-Georges: Cooking at Home with a Four-Star Chef. Mr. Bittman is a prolific writer, makes frequent appearances on radio and television, and is the host of The Best Recipes in the World, a 13-part series on public television. He lives in New York and Connecticut.