The Ranger wrote:
> 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
>
>
The only thing I do differently on the red rice recipe (which I cook all
the time) is to start by frying the onions first before browning the
rice as I found the rice was a bit harsh with the onion taste if not.

Thanks for the Linda info. It's a shame she's not around here these days.
Paul