I’d like to take a moment to introduce our very first guest author Ben Herrera. Ben is the author of “What’s cooking?” a blog focusing on wonderful Mexican recipes. Please give him a huge round of applause! ~ Jerry

I have to admit that I got nervous when Jerry asked me to write a guest post for this blog. I wanted to write a post that would blow his readers away. I literally sat in front of a blank page for hours trying to come up with my greatest post ever. After all, this is not just any blog, we are talking about the Cooking by the Seat of my Pants blog.

However, I am not really good at complicated things and after several attempts and a bad headache I decided to keep it simple, just like the side dish I chose for this post. I love to cook. I learned about food and cooking at my parents’ restaurant in Mexico City where I literally grew up. I would spent a couple of hours after school every day helping with anything I could, from washing dishes to prep work and waiting tables.

I learned a good deal about food and restaurant management in those years, but when I am in the kitchen making dinner for my family I like to keep things simple. Simple doesn’t have to mean boring and flavorless. Using just a few ingredients, as long as they are fresh and of good quality, I have been able to come up with delicious dishes. A lot of single ingredients contain a lot of flavor, aroma or just that special kick that can make a dish memorable.

One of those ingredients is the humble, yet delicious, Poblano pepper. Poblano is a mild pepper and one of the most popular chiles grown in Mexico and the American southwest. Their flavor is so rich that they are perfect for chiles rellenos and just about any dish they are used in, like this creamy Poblano rice:

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Yield: 6 servings

Creamy Poblano Rice Recipe

Prep Time: 20 minutes

Cook Time: 20 minutes

Total Time: 40 minutes

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Ingredients

• 2 Poblano peppers
• 3 TBSP vegetable oil
• ½ onion, finely chopped
• 2 cups rice
• 2 cups warm water
• 1½ cup whole milk
• ½ cup sour cream
• salt and pepper

Instructions

1. Poblano peppers have a thick, waxy skin so it is a good idea to clean them first by roasting them. This video shows how to do this.
2. After cleaning the skin, devein, rinse and pad dry the Poblanos and slice them lengthwise.
3. In a large saucepan preheat oil over medium heat.
4. Sauté onion until translucent.
5. Add rice and let it fry until it stars turning golden.
6. Add water, salt and pepper to taste and stir. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to low and cover.
7. Add milk, sour cream and pepper slices when the water has almost evaporated completely.
8. Stir gently every five minutes. Cook for 20 to 25 minutes or until rice has absorbed the liquids.
9. My mom used to make this rice often, so this is not my recipe, but hers. The flavor of the Poblano peppers blend deliciously with the milk and sour cream and since the rice is first fried it keeps its consistency. Just two humble chiles give this rice a lot of flavor with just the right spiciness to make it even more interesting. If you are like me, I am sure you will like this simple and flavorful dish.
10. Buen provecho!

Nutrition Information:

Yield:

6

Serving Size:

1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 212Total Fat: 13gSaturated Fat: 4gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 8gCholesterol: 17mgSodium: 86mgCarbohydrates: 20gFiber: 1gSugar: 5gProtein: 4g

Ben grew up around food. His family owned a restaurant in Mexico City and he spent a big deal of his childhood helping and learning after school the art of creating delicious dishes from simple ingredients. He created this blog to share his kitchen adventures with the world.

See more of Ben’s great recipes at What’s cooking?

I don’t know if I agree with Ben that this lil’ ol’ blog deserves to be called “The Cooking by the seat of my Pants!”, but it was truly nice having him. join in on the fun.

If you’d like to see more posts like this, be sure to let us know!