This recipe is fairly new to me, but since I've found it, Brazilian rice has become a favorite of mine. I found the recipe in an old issue of Cuisine At Home while searching for side dishes that could be served with some of the Peruvian entrees I wanted to test. The two countries share a common border and their cuisines are similar, so I was open to combining dishes from both countries on one plate. This recipe caught my eye because it was prepared in such a unique way. Most tomato rice recipes that I've tried, cook the tomatoes along with the rice. The Brazilian version adds fresh tomatoes to the rice just before serving. Rice cooked this way is flecked with tomatoes rather than red in color and the grains of rice remain separate and do not clump together. Because I prefer a drier rice, I dice fresh tomatoes into 1/2-inch cubes and allow the pieces to drain while the rice cooks. Despite its scant ingredient list, this recipe makes a remarkably flavorful rice that is delicious. I heartily recommend it to you and hope you will give it a try. Here's how the rice is made.

Arroz Brasileiro - Brazilian Tomato Rice

Ingredients:

1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil

1 cup diced onion

1-1/4 cups water

1 tablespoon minced garlic

2/3 cup dry medium grain rice

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

1 cup seeded diced tomato, drained

Directions:

Heat olive oil in a saucepan set over medium-high heat. When oil shimmers, add onion

and saute for 3 minutes. Stir in water and garlic. Bring to a boil. Add rice and salt and cover pan. Reduce heat to low and simmer rice for 20 minutes. Remove from heat and let sit, covered, for 10 minutes. Fluff rice with a fork and stir in tomatoes. Yield: 4 servings.

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