The Global Kitchen

I can't tell you how excited I was to be cooking in banana leaves! Yes I'm easily amused.

All these recipes come from the excellent September 2007 Latin issue of Gourmet magazine.

For the ribs I used the guajillo peppers because the New Mexico peppers I had on hand are hot and I wanted to see how the other spices came through without being overpowered by heat. Plus I like the tangy smokiness of the guajillo's.

The ribs were wonderful and the guacamole was a perfect tangy accompaniment. I actually forgot the bay leaf but I wasn't left thinking, "this would be perfect with a bay leaf" so it was no big deal. I will definitely make these again! I may even try it with the New Mexico Chiles.

I liked the rice but it was a pain in the butt to make. I'm not sure the end result was worthy of a repeat. Also my rice wasn't getting brown and my arm was getting tired from stirring so maybe it would have been better if I had browned it.

I suck at frying because I never do it so my Sighs of the Bride could have been crispier. The fruit on the other hand was marvelous.

Ribs in banana leaves



And unwrapped



Sighs of the Bride with Mixed Fruit in Cinnamon Lime Syrup




Mixiote De Carne

Gourmet Magazine, Sept 2007
Adapted from Estela Salas Silva

Ingredients:

3 oz dried guajillo or New Mexico chiles(I used guajillo) seeded and stemmed (I did this over a bowl with kitchen shears)

3 tbs annatto seeds

5 large garlic cloves, chopped

1/2 cup distilled white vinegar

6 lb beef short ribs or lamb shoulder with bone cut into 16 pieces(I used beef ribs)

3 banana leaves or 8 (11 inch square) pieces of parchment paper

8 Turkish or California Bay Leaves

-Fill a 2 qt sauce pan halfway with water and bring to a boil. Add chiles to boiling water and remove from heat. Let stand, uncovered until chilis are softened and have turned a brighter red, about 10 minutes.

-Meanwhile, toast annatto and cumin seeds in a dry skillet over medium heat, stirring until fragrant and a shade darker. Transfer to a bowl to cool then grind to a powder.

-Transfer chiles to a blender with a slotted spoon, then add 1 1/2 cups soaking water, seeds garlic, vinegar and 1 tbs salt. Blend until smooth at least 2 minutes. Pour sauce into large (3-4 qt) shallow container and cool to room temp for 10 minutes.

-Sprinkle meat with 2 tbs salt, add sauce and turn to coat. using tongs or wearing gloves to prevent staining. Marinate meat, covered and chilled for at least 8 hours.

-Preheat oven to 350 with rack in the middle.

-Holding both ends of a banana leaf, drag leaf slowly over a burner on medium high heat until it changes color slightly and becomes shinier. Repeat on other side and with remaining banana leaves.

-Cut off tough edges from banana leaves and cut 8 11 x 11 inch squares, discarding remainder. Put each leaf on a 12" square of foil, then arrange 2 pieces of meat and some sauce in the center of each leaf using all of the sauce, and top each mound with a bay leaf(if using California bay leaves use 1/2 leaf). Fold in all sides of banana leaves, then wrap tightly in foil. Arrange packages, seam side up, in 1 layer in a large roasting pan and add just enough water to measure 1/8 inch in bottom of pan (about 2 cups).

-Bake adding more water as necessary to prevent pan from becoming dry until meat is tender and falling off the bone(open package to test) about 3 1/2 hours for beef and 2 1/2 hours for lamb. Discard foil and bay leaf and serve meat in banana leaves. Do not eat banana leaves.

-Notes: Meat can be marinated up to 24 hours in a bowl. Leftovers keep for 3 days. Reheat, wrapped in foil 350 degree oven for 20-30 minutes.

Tomatillo Guacamole

Adapted from Roberto Santibanez

Ingredients:

1 1/2 tsp minced fresh serrano chiles including seeds or to taste
1 1/2 tbs chopped fresh epazote leaves or 1 tsp dried(I used dried)
1 large garlic clove minced
1 tbs fresh lime juice or to taste
3 firm-ripe avacados
6 oz small fresh tomatillos(about 6) husked rinsed and chopped
1/3 cup minced white onion

Stir together chiles through lime juice and add one tbs salt in a bowl, mashing slightly with a fork. Halve and pit avacados, then scoop flesh into chile mixture. Stir in tomatillos and onion mashing avacado coarsley with a fork.


Mexican White Rice

Gourmet September 2007

Though this rice mainly functions to sop up the meat's red sauce, a quick sauté with garlic and onion and the use of chicken broth as well as water means it can hold its own.

Makes 8 servings

Shelley Wiseman

3 cups long-grain white rice (1 1/2 pounds)
1 cup finely chopped white onion
2 large garlic cloves, finely chopped
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 cup reduced-sodium chicken broth
4 cups water

Bring about 6 cups water to a boil and pour over rice in a bowl. Soak rice until it has turned a more opaque white, 2 to 3 minutes. Drain well and spread out on a clean kitchen towel to dry, at least 1 hour.

Cook onion and garlic in oil in a wide 4- to 5-quart heavy pot or deep skillet over medium heat, stirring, until softened, about 3 minutes. Add rice and cook over medium-high heat, stirring, until pale golden, about 5 minutes, then add broth, water, and 2 teaspoons salt and bring to a boil. Cover tightly and cook over low heat until rice is tender, 18 to 20 minutes. Let stand, covered, 5 minutes, then fluff with a fork.

Cooks' notes:
Rice can be soaked up to 4 hours.
Rice will stay warm, covered, for about 30 minutes.

Suspiros de Novia
Sighs of the Bride Fritters

The magazine said they got their name because they're delicate.


Adapted from Estela Salas Silva

1/2 cup warm water
2 large egg yolks
2 tbs unsalted butter melted
1/2 cup all purpose flour
1 cup olive oil for frying
confectioners sugar for dusting

-Blend water, yolks, butter, flour and 1/4 tsp salt in a blender just until smooth.
-heat 1/4 inch oil in a heavy 12" skillet over medium heat until it shimmers
-Spoon 1/2 tablespoons of batter into the oil about 8 at a time and fry (the batter will flatten into 2 inch wide discs), turning once until crisp and golden brown.3-4 minutes. Transfer to paper towels to drain and cool completely. Dust with sugar and serve with fruit.
-can be made 2 hours ahead and kept at room temperature.

Mixed Fruit in Cinnamon Lime Syrup
1 cup water
1 cup sugar
3 tbs fresh lime juice
1 8 inch piece Mexican cinnamon stick broken into 4 pieces or 1 3 inch piece if cassia cinnamon halved.
3 lb mixed fresh fruit cut into wedges(they suggested peaches, plums and figs which are out of season so I used a red delicious apple, a gala apple bartlett pears and calimyrna figs)
1 lime thinly sliced 1/2 cup pecans, toasted

-Bring water, sugar, lime juice and cinnamon to a boil in a small saucepan, stirring until sugar is dissolved, then simmer, uncovered, 5 minutes.
-Stir together fruit and hot syrup in a shallow serving dish. Let stand at room temperature at least 30 minutes. Just before serving, top with lime slices and pecans.

-can be made 2 hours ahead and chilled. Bring to room temp before serving

These recipes come from The Cradle of Flavor cookbook and are eyes rolling into the back of your head good.

I especially loved the dippping sauce and even after I had finished my satay, I was dipping my finger into the sauce and licking it off. I was going to make coconut lemongrass rice but it said not to cut the recipe and I didn't want a lot of leftover rice. So I just steamed jasmine rice and made a simple romaine salad.

I made the marinade for the satay a day ahead. When I initially tasted it on it's own my first impression was that it was very spicy. Not hot, as there's no chilis, just a real party in my mouth. But once it was brushed with the lemongrass oil and grilled it mellowed out. And when the chicken was dipped in the sauce it was heaven.

Also I never type a recipe as it is in the book. Instead I give my shortcuts, if there are any, and abbreviate the instructions. For example the satay recipe calls for thighs and gives instructions on boning and skinning. I just bought boneless skinless thighs. Also I cut the portions way back but include original portions in the recipe on the blog.

Chicken Satay-Sate Ayam (Teremgganu, Malaysia)

You can also make this marinade for a whole chicken or chicken legs. Also note the environmentaly friendly basting brush. It really does add flavor. I let the stalk sit in the oil for the hour the chicken was marinating.

Marinade

1 tbs coriander seeds
1 tbs fennel seeds
2 stalks fresh lemongrass hard brown bottom end cut off, tough outer layers removed and thinly sliced(1/16 ")
5 shallots coarsly chopped
3 cloves garlic, coarsly chopped
1 1 inch piece peeled galangal thinly sliced against the grain
1 2 inch piece peeled ginger peeled and thinly sliced against the grain
Scant 1 tbs tumeric
4 tbs palm sugar thinly sliced or dark brown sugar
2 tbs peanut oil
1 1/2 tsp salt

For the Satay

3 1/4 lb chicken thighs(boneless skinless)cut into 2-3 inch long and 1 inch wide pieces
1 thick stalk fresh lemongrass
4 tbs peaunut oil
30 sharp thin bamboo skewers soaked in water for at least 30 minutes

1. Make the marinade. In a small food processor grind the coriander and fennel seedd to a powder. Add lemongrass through salt and pulse until it's the consistency of creamy mashed potatoes. Make sure the lemongrass is well pulverized, otherwise it will taste bad. If paste doesn't puree properly you can add up to 2 tbs of water, one tbs a time. I did this.

2. Place marinade and chicken pieces in a bowl. Toss and let marinate at room temperature for an hour.

3. Prepare lemongrass stalk by cutting off end and peeling away tough outer layers. Smash the end with the edge of a knife so it resembles a brush. Pour the peanut oil in a bowl and let the lemongrass brush sit in the oil for at least 10 minutes. I let it sit the whole hour I marinated the chicken.

4. Prepare grill. Temperature should be medium hot and the rack should be oiled liberally.

5. Thread the chicken pieces on the skewers. Lightly baste the chicken with the lemongrass oil using the stalk as a brush. Grill the chicken until it has picked up some crispy black spots, about 3-7 minutes. Baste with more lemongrass oil and turn the skewers over, grilling until the other one is similarly browned another 3-6 minutes.

6. Transfer the satay skewers to a serving dish and let rest one minute before serving.

Sweet Soy Sauce and Lime Dipping Sauce-Sos Kecap Rawit (Indonesia)

3 fresh Holland or Thai Chilis, stemmed and sliced thin on the diagonal
4 tbs Kecap Manis(Indonesian sweet soy sauce)
1 tbs fresh lime juice

Combine all the ingredients. Use in one sitting as chilis go limp if they sit longer than one hour.

I'm cheating here because I've made this several times and it's one of my favorite grilled chicken recipes.

It's also easy on the waistline as there's no additional fat aside from the chicken. It's up to you whether you eat the skin.

The recipe is from Hot sour Salty Sweet.

Grilled Chicken with Hot and Sweet Dipping Sauce-Gai yang, ping gai

Pepper Coriander Root Flavor Paste

2 tsp black peppercorns
5-6 large cloves of garlic, chopped
3 tbs coarsely chopped coriander roots
pinch salt
1 tsp Thai fish sauce

I took the lazy route and whirled the peppercorns, garlic, salt and coriander roots to a paste with my mini-prep until it formed a paste and added the fish sauce. The recipe suggests pounding to a paste in a mortar and pestle, and I've done that before with good results.

Marinade

2 tbs Pepper Coriander Root Flavor Paste
2-3 tbs Thai fish sauce

3 lb chicken cut into 10-12 pieces

Hot and Sweet Dipping Sauce
1/2 cup rice vinegar
1/2 cup sugar
1-2 cloves garlic finely minced
1/4 tsp salt
1 1/2 teaspoons dried red pepper flakes(I whirled dried Thai chiles in my mini prep with the garlic)

Place the vinegar in a small saucepan and bring to a boil. Add the sugar and stir until dissolved. Lower heat to medium low and simmer 5 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in garlic/pepper mixture. Let cool to room temperature. Store in refrigerator for up to 2 days.

Marinate chicken for one hour in flavor paste plus fish sauce for one hour at room temperature or 8 hours in the refrigerator. Bring to room temperature before grilling or broiling until done. Serve with sauce.

I want to eat this all the time. Maybe that's why it's considered Mozambique's national dish.

It was so easy to put together. I cut the Piri Piri recipe in half but honestly I wouldn't mind having extra to marinate chicken or other white fish.

This is also from The Soul of a New Cuisine by Marcus Samuelsson. I marked quite a few recipes in the book so expect more African dishes!

This is supposed to be an appetizer but I had it for dinner with rice.

Piri Piri

Blend the following in a blender:

8 red birds eye chilies, seeds and stems removed (my local store didn't have them so I subbed 2 serranos)
1/2 cup fresh lemon juice
1 tbs cilantro
1 tbs chopped parsley
2 garlic cloves
1/2 cup olive oil

Shrimp Piri Piri

12 jumbo shrimp peeled and deveined
1/2 cup plus 2 tbs Piri Piri, divided
2 tbs olive oil
1/2 tsp salt
12 Bibb lettuce leaves(I used romaine)

Toss shrimp with 1/2 cup of piri piri and refrigerate for 1/2 hour

Heat olive oil in sautee pan over medium heat and cook shrimp until done about 2 minutes each side.. Transfer to a plate and sprinkle with salt. Squeeze lime quarters over shrimp. Spread the remaining piri piri on each lettuce leaf, place a shrimp on the leaf, fold over bottom and sides to form a wrap and eat.

Lest you think I'm a glutton, that's not a huge piece of salmon. The food is on a salad plate.

And yes, I know they do not have salmon or arctic char in Madagascar but Marcus Samuelsson says the fish used in the original dish is not available in the states. My fishmonger didn't have char available so I used wild caught cojo salmon.

These recipes come from The Soul of a New Cuisine:A Discovery of the Foods and Flavors of Africa by Marcus Samuelsson. I haven't had time to read the book thoroughly but it looks interesting.

I was looking for Sub-Sarahan inspiration since all of the African dishes I've ever made are from North Africa and are Mediterranean.

This is a recipe I will defintely make again. It's not as spicy as I thought it would be and a nice break from more traditional salmon dishes. The recipe calls for arctic char but salmon is a good substitute.

I cut the sakay recipe down to about an eighth and eyeballed the measurements.

I loved the cucmber sambal-a Cape Malay influence. The Sambal was not very spicy, despite the serrano, and complimented the salmon.

Sakay

3/4 cup chili powder
1 tbs ground ginger
1 1/2 cayenne pepper
1 tsp ground cumin
4 garlic cloves, minced
2 tsp salt
1 cup peanut oil

Heat a medium sautee pan over medium heat. Add Chilli powder through garlic and toast until fragrant about 1 minute. Remove from heat and allow to cool slightly.

Put spice mixture in blender, add salt, and blend well on low speed. With the blender running, add the oil in a steady stream and blen to a paste.

Store in the refrigerator in a tighly covered container for up to two weeks.

Char with Sakay

Eight 3 oz skinless char or salmon fillets
2 cups olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 tsp chopped fresh thyme
1 cup sakay
1 line, quartered.

Combine olive oil, garlic and thyme and marinate fish for 2 hours in the refrigerator.

Preheat the oven to 275. Place the fish in a shallow baking dish and rub all over with the sakay. Bake for 20 minutes.

Remove the fish from the oven and allow to rest for 10 minutes. Squeeze a lime quarter over the fish and enjoy.

Cucumber Sambal

1 tsp sugar
1 tbs soy sauce
1 small yellow onion, finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 shallot, finely chopped
1 serrano chili, seeds and ribs removed, finely chopped
2 inch piece of fresh ginger, peeled and grated
Juice of one lime
1 mint sprig, leaves only, chopped
1 cucumber peeled, seeded and sliced thin

Combine everything and let sit at room temperature for one hour before serving.

I LOVE this grilled chicken. The simmering in spices before marinating and grilling really adds complex layers of flavor to the final dish. The meat is also really moist.

I could eat the marinade with a spoon. I really love the flavor of Kecap Manis(pronounced Keh-CHOP mah-NEESE according to the book)

I used bone in skin on thighs instead of a whole chicken.

Both these recipes come from Cradle of Flavor: Home Cooking from the Spice Islands of Indonesia, Malaysia, and Singapore by James Oselund.

Javanese Grilled Chicken-Ayam Panggang Jawa

Broth

4 Cups water
3 cloves garlic peeled and crushed
7 whole daun salam leaves(available dried at an Asian grocery)
2 tbs coriander seeds
1 2 inch piece galangal peeled and sliced into 1/4 inch pieces
2 tbs salt

1 whole free range chicken

Marinade

1 tbs coriander seeds
2 cloves garlic peeled and coarsly chopped
2 tbs peanut oil
1/2 cup Kecap Manis(Indonesian Sweet Soy Sauce)

1. Combine the ingredients for the broth in a large sauce pan and bring to a boil over high heat. Lwer the heat to medium, cover and simmer 10 minutes.

2. Add chicken to broth, raise heat and bring to a boil. Immediately reduce heat to medium-low and simmer for 30 minutes until it's about 3/4 cooked.

3. while the chicken is cooking make the marinade. Grind the coriander seeds to a dusty powder in a small food processor. Add the garlic and remaining ingredients and pulse until garlic is pulverized. No shards or slivers should be visible.

4. Put the chicken in a non-reactive bowl and cover with the marinade. Marinate uncovered at room temperature for 30 minutes or in the refrigetrator overnight, turning the chicken to ensure it's evenly covered. Bring chicken to room temperature before grilling or broiling.

5. Grill chicken over medium-hot fire or broil basting occasionally with reserved marinade.

6. Allow chicken to rest 10 minutes before serving.



Celebration Yellow Rice-Nasi Kuning

The author advises not to cut the recipe in half or use a rice cooker for this recipe.

I really liked this rice. I tasted the lemongrass, kaffir lime and coconut more than the tumeric. I also think you could easily use light coconut milk in place of the regular.

Traditionally this rice is reserved for special occasions or as a celebration of a baby's first taste of solid food. It originated in Java and is now eaten all over Indonesia, Malaysia and Singapore. It's also often served as a dish called Tumpeng. The rice is formed into an inverted cone with a splayed red chile on top and with peanuts and omelet strips on the sides. This is said to represent early volcano worship by the Javanese.

2 Cups Jasmine Rice
1 1/2 Cups water
1 1/2 tsp ground tumeric
1 cup unsweetened coconut milk
1 tsp kosher salt
2 thick stalks lemongrass each tied into a knot (smash with a knife and then tie)
3 fresh kaffir lime leaves, crumbled to release their essence
4 fresh daun pandan leaves torn(optional-I didn't use them)
4 whole daun salam leaves

Rinse rice and place in large saucepan.

Combine water and tumeric and stir.

Add tumeric water, coconut milk, salt, lemongrass, lime leaves, and daum pandan and daum salam leaves to rice and stir well to combine.

Bring rice to a boil over high heat stirring frequently. Boil for 15 seconds, immediately reduce the heat to the lowest possible setting and cover. Continue cooking for 15 minutes. Do not lift the lid.

Remove pan from heat and allow to sit covered for an additional 15 minutes.

Open the pot and remove the lemongrass and leaves.. Fold rice with a spoon to distribute the flavors. Transfer to a dish, fluff and serve.

I'm getting down to the bare bones in my fridge before I leave. I had most of the ingredients for this salad on hand and had to make a regional dish for The Monthly Challenge Blog.

I didn't buy a rotisserie chicken-instead I baked a boneless,skinless chicken breast in foil in the oven for 25 minutes at 375. I seasoned it with salt and pepper. I normally would use tortilla chips but the Frito's are outstanding in this salad.

Chipotle Chicken Salad Gourmet Magazine July 2006

Melissa Roberts-Matar

ingredients
1 rotisserie-cooked chicken (2 lb) at room temperature
1 medium white onion, chopped
1 (15- to 19-oz) can black beans, rinsed and drained
1/2 cup packed fresh cilantro sprigs
1 rounded tablespoon canned chipotles in adobo, or to taste
1/3 cup olive oil
1/3 cup fresh lime juice
3/4 teaspoon salt
3/4 teaspoon black pepper
2 firm-ripe California avocados, halved, pitted, and left unpeeled
3 oz corn chips such as Fritos (1 1/2 cups)
1 heart of romaine, separated into leaves
preparation
Remove chicken from bone in large chunks, with some skin if desired, and toss together with onion and black beans in a large bowl.

Purée cilantro, chipotles, oil, lime juice, salt, and pepper in a blender, then add to chicken mixture.

Cut avocado into 1/2-inch cubes, without cutting through peel.

Toss chicken mixture with chips. Scoop avocado into chicken mixture with a spoon. Serve salad on romaine leaves.

Epicurious.com © CondéNet, Inc. All rights reserved.

I won't be cooking much because I'm going to Iowa next week. I'm going get creative with whatever ingredients I have on hand.

I added some new cookbooks to the list at the right so you'll know what to expect when I return.



This recipe comes from The Notes from a New Orleans Foodie... in exile blog It's not so much a recipe as much as a technique. I bought a cast iron grill pan and have been itching to cook a steak in it. I bought my grass-fed ribeye at Wild Oats and topped it with mushrooms and Maytag Blue Cheese.

Warning-this will heat up your kitchen and smoke a bit so use your vent fan. You simply heat your oven to the highest temperature it will go to and put your cast iron pan inside. When the pan is the temperature of the oven, remove it and put it on a lit burner. Your steak should be at room temperature. Season your steak(I just used salt and pepper) and brush one side with olive oil. Put the steak,olive oil side sown, and sear for 1 1/2 to 2 minutes. Turn with tongs(no turner-use tongs)and sear the other side. Finish the steak off under the broiler. I cooked mine about 3 minutes because I like it on the rare/med rare side.

On the side is Roasted Cauliflower with Brown Butter which is a Cooking Light recipe. Roasting is my favorite way to prepare cauliflower with or without the brown butter. Sometimes I just toss it with a little olive oil, salt and pepper.

6 cups cauliflower florets (about 1 head)
Cooking spray
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
2 teaspoons butter

Preheat oven to 400°.
Arrange cauliflower in a single layer on a baking sheet coated with
cooking spray. Coat cauliflower with cooking spray; sprinkle with salt and
pepper. Bake at 400° for 25 minutes, turning cauliflower twice.

Melt butter in a small skillet over medium heat; cook 3 minutes or until
lightly browned. Combine cauliflower and browned butter in a bowl, and
toss gently to coat.

Yield: 4 servings (serving size: 1 cup)

NUTRITION PER SERVING
CALORIES 53(37% from fat); FAT 2.2g (sat 1.2g,mono 0.5g,poly 0.1g);
PROTEIN 3g; CHOLESTEROL 5mg; CALCIUM 45mg; SODIUM 183mg; FIBER 1.3g; IRON
0.9mg; CARBOHYDRATE 7.5g

I always take a dozen pictures of my finished dish for my blog. Is it any wonder my dinners are never hot?

Anyway I couldn't decide which picture was better so I'm posting two.

This recipe is from Rick Bayless's Mexican Kitchen: Capturing the Vibrant Flavors of a World-Class Cuisine. I loved it although I was tempted to add more cheese. I love cheese! But I used the amount the recipe called for and it was perfect. You could also use shredded chicken or make it without meat if you wish.

The wine is a Pinot Noir Rose and was recommended by the owner of my local wine store. I don't think I've ever had rose before but I really liked it with this dish!

Tomato Rice Casserole with Poblanos and Melted Cheese.

This main dish recipe offers great everyday flavors: roasted tomatoes and green chiles baked with shreds of beef, tender rice and gooey cheese.
Without the meat, this casserole is a substantial side dish to serve with grilled or roasted meats or poultry. To set on a buffet, double the recipe and bake it in a 13 x 9-inch dish.

Serves 6 as a casual entrée

For 2 cups essential roasted poblano rajas
1 pound (6 medium-large) fresh poblano chiles
1 T vegetables or olive oil
1 large white onion, sliced 1/4 inch thick
3 garlic cloves, peeled and finely chopped
1/2 t dried Mexican oregano


1 pound ripe tomatoes
Salt )
1 cup medium grain rice, uncooked
1 cup grated Mexican Chihuahua or other melting cheese such as brick or Monterey Jack
1 1/2 cups boneless, shredded, cooked beef

1. Making 2 cups Essential Roasted Poblano Rajas. Roast the chiles directly over a gas flame or on a baking sheet 4 inches below a very hot broiler until blackened on all sides, about 5 minutes for open flame, about 10 minutes for broiler. (If using broiler, the tomatoes from step 2 can be roasted at the same time.) Cover with a kitchen towel and let stand 5 minutes. Peel, pull out the stem and seed pod, then rinse briefly to remove bits of skin and seeds. Slice into 1/4-inch strips.

In a medium-size skillet, heat the oil over medium to medium-high heat, then add the onion and cook, stirring regularly, until nicely browned but still a little crunchy, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and oregano, toss a minute longer, then stir in the chiles and remove from the heat.

2. The Tomatoes. Roast the tomatoes on a baking sheet 4 inches below a very hot broiler until blackened on one side, about 6 minutes, then flip and roast the other side. Cool, then peel, collecting all the juices. Chop tomatoes coarsely and combine with the juices. Return the chiles to medium-high heat, add the tomatoes and their juices and stir until the juices are nicely reduced, 3 to 4 minutes. Season with salt, usually 1 teaspoon.

3. The Rice. In a large (6 quart) pot, bring 3 quarts of water to a boil and add the remaining 1 teaspoon of salt. Add the rice and simmer, uncovered, 15 minutes, until the grains are tender but not mushy or splayed. Pour into a strainer, then spread onto a tray to cool.

4. The Casserole. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Spread half of the rice over the bottom of a lightly greased 8 x 8 inch baking dish. Spoon on half of the chile-tomato mixture, spreading it to the edges, then sprinkle over about half of the cheese. If you’re using any meat, distribute it over the cheese at this point. Cover with remaining rice, chile-tomato mixture and cheese (in that order), and bake until bubbling and brown, 20-30 minutes. Let stand 10 minutes and serve.