Cherry Almond Rice Mexicana Recipes

RICE PUDDING WITH ALMONDS AND CHERRY SAUCE

Steps:

• Combine milk, 5 tablespoons sugar and rice in heavy medium saucepan. Scrape in seeds from vanilla bean; add bean and bring to boil. Reduce heat to medium and simmer until rice is tender and mixture is thick, stirring frequently, about 35 minutes. Discard vanilla bean. Mix in almonds. Pour rice pudding into 13x9x2-inch metal baking pan; cool completely.
• Using electric mixer, beat cream and 2 tablespoons sugar in medium bowl until medium peaks form. Fold cream into rice pudding mixture in pan. Cover and refrigerate until cold, about 4 hours. (Can be made 1 day ahead. Keep refrigerated.)
• Cook cherries, lemon and remaining 3/4 cup sugar in heavy medium saucepan over medium heat until cherries are tender, stirring occasionally, about 5 minutes. Add cornstarch mixture and bring to boil, stirring constantly. Discard lemon. Spoon pudding into bowls. Spoon hot cherry sauce over.

WATERMELON MEXICANA

Steps:

• Segment the orange and grapefruit reserving the un-segmented part of each fruit. Cut jicama, chayote, and cucumber in finger-sized julienne. Place the segmented oranges and the grapefruit in a bowl with the other cut veggies Add watermelon, banana, lime juice and squeeze the un-segmented part over the cut veggies and citrus. Toss in the chili and cilantro.
• Season with salt, to taste, and serve each piece on a toothpick.

ALMOND CHERRY PEPITA BARS

Steps:

• Preheat an oven to 325 degrees F. Coat an 8-inch square glass baking dish with cooking spray. Line the bottom with a piece of parchment or waxed paper leaving a 4-inch overhang on two opposite sides and spray the paper with cooking spray.
• Put 1 cup of the rice cereal in a resealable plastic bag and crush to a fine powder with the back of the measuring cup. Combine the remaining 1 cup rice cereal, pepitas, almonds and cherries in a large bowl. Heat the rice syrup and almond butter in a small saucepan until warm and bubbling and remove from heat. Stir in the almond extract and salt, and pour into the nut mixture. Fold with a spatula until it is everything is moistened and well combined. Add the crushed rice cereal and continue to fold until evenly incorporated.
• Press the mixture very firmly and evenly into the prepared pan using the overhanging pieces of parchment to prevent sticking. Bake until beginning to brown, about 25 minutes. Cool 15 minutes on a wire rack, then press again to compact the mixture. Chill until firm but not completely set , about 45 minutes. Remove the block by the paper handles and invert onto a cutting board. Gently peel off the paper. Cut the block in half, then cut each half into 6 bars for 12 total. Refrigerate until fully set.
• Store the bars individually wrapped or layered between sheets of parchment or waxed paper in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks. The bars will soften up and become chewy as they come to room temperature.

CHERRY ALMOND BARS

Steps:

• HEAT oven to 350 degrees F. Line bottom and sides of 8 x 8-inch pan with foil, extending foil over edges of pan. Coat lightly with no-stick cooking spray.
• STIR together flour, brown sugar and salt until mixed. Add oil, water and almond extract. Combine with fork until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Pat evenly in bottom of prepared pan.
• BAKE 15 minutes.
• SPREAD preserves evenly over warm crust. Mix almonds, brown sugar and oil until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Sprinkle over top of preserves.
• BAKE 20 minutes. Cool completely. Lift out of pan using foil. Cut into 16 bars. Store in refrigerator.

SOUR CHERRY RICE

Steps:

• Fill large pot with water; add 2 tablespoons salt and soak rice for two hours; drain.
• In large nonstick pot, add 9 cups water, 2 tablespoons salt and pre-soaked rice; bring to boil stirring gently occasionally to prevent rice from sticking; cook until al dente; Drain.
• Rinse rice with cold water, then shake colander to remove excess water; set aside.
• In skillet, fry onion in 4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) butter until golden; lower flame.
• Add saffron and sour cherries to onions; simmer for 15 minutes, being careful not to burn.
• Cover bottom of nonstick pot with olive oil.
• Separate one piece of pita bread and place it on the bottom of pot.
• Spoon thick layer of rice over pita bread; spoon layer of sour cherry preserves over rice, then alternate layers, forming a mound.
• Poke holes in rice mixture with handle of spatula to allow steam to rise.
• Mix until rice takes on color of preserves.
• Melt remaining 11/2 sticks of butter (6 ounces); pour evenly over rice. (If juice from cherries gathers around edges of pot, skim off excess so tadiq at bottom won't be mushy.).
• Cover with clean towel and put lid on.
• Place pot on medium heat.
• When you hear sizzling at the bottom (after about 5 minutes), bring down heat to low. Cook covered for 45 minutes to an hour.

CHERRY ALMOND RICE PUDDING

Steps:

• Cook the rice until tender.
• Add the evaporated milk, brown sugar and orange zest; cover and cook for 10 minutes.
• Uncover and cook, stirring frequently, for 10 minutes or until the rice is very creamy and most of the liquid has been absorbed.
• Stir in the milk, vanilla and almond extracts and remove from heat.
• Cool to room temperature, stir in the cherries and almonds and refrigerate for 2 hours or until chilled.