Paul Covey > wrote in message
...
==> Cumin in Mexican Recipes?! <==
> I like it and use it all the time, but, as Wayne says, that's
> just my taste, and that's what I've always
> thought was most important about cooking anyway
> - learning and adapting.

Exactly! Recipes that are "handed down" are always adapted to the
cook's tastes and ingredients available. Sometimes, substitutions
are made for the better.

> Even Linda Gonzalez used a bit of it in her
> excellent red rice recipe, but as I remember,
> she lived in California, and I have no idea
> what her heritage was as far as Mexico.

Linda G. lived in CA (LA, specifically) but, I believe, was also
of Hispanic decent. She ran a very successful restaurant. The One
That We Do No Name was always going off about his limited
experiences and how anyone of non-Mexican decent couldn't possibly
know anything about Mexican foods and history.

Personally, I use simple amounts of cumin in lots of dishes. I've
learned to like it a lot more since the first few times I used
it... It's like coffee; an acquired taste.

From Linda Gonzalez' June 8, 1998 post to afmc:
This is my recipe for Mexican rice, Victor will probably say it's
wrong, but what the hey, here goes

Red Rice

1 tablespoon cooking oil, crisco or lard
1 cup long grain white rice
1 good size clove garlic,diced approx 1/8 tsp. black pepper
1/2 onion, diced
1 tomato, diced
1/4 cup tomato sauce
pinch of ground comino
2 cups water
4 tsps. Knorr chicken bouillon granules ( or as sold in Mexican
markets, Knorr caldo de pollo)


Brown the rice in the oil,crisco or lard, over medium heat,
stirring constantly so rice doesn't burn. Add the garlic,onion,
black pepper,dash of comino and stir for a minute. Add the diced
tomato and tomato sauce, stir until blended. Add the water and
chicken granules and stir until thoroughly mixed. Bring to a boil,
cover and lower heat and cook for 15-18 minutes, being careful to
never lift the cover off the pan while the rice is cooking.Turn
off the heat at the end of cooking time, let sit for 5 minutes,
remove cover, fluff with a fork to blend seasonings and serve.

Makes 3 cups cooked rice.

(Note: salt is omitted because the chicken bouillon is salty
enough)

Linda