Name: La Casita’s rice Mexicana
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 165 min
Total time: 180 min
Yield: 6 - 8
Ingredients: 600 gm white-flesh fish bones (see note); 600 gm (3 cups) jasmine rice; 500 gm ripe tomatoes, coarsely chopped; ½ large onion, coarsely chopped; ½ head garlic, cloves peeled; 1 jalapeño; 60 ml (¼ cup) vegetable oil; Coriander sprigs, to serve; Lime halves (optional), to serve

La Casita’s rice Mexicana

“This dish is good enough to eat on its own,” says La Casita chef Josh Lewis.“The key is building up the layers of flavour, starting with good caramelisation on the rice.”

Serves 6 - 8

Prep

15M

Cook

2H 45M

Total

“This dish is good enough to eat on its own,” says La Casita chef Josh Lewis.”The key is building up the layers of flavour, starting with good caramelisation on the rice.”

Ingredients

600 gm white-flesh fish bones (see note)

600 gm (3 cups) jasmine rice

500 gm ripe tomatoes, coarsely chopped

½ large onion, coarsely chopped

½ head garlic, cloves peeled

1 jalapeño

60 ml (¼ cup) vegetable oil

Coriander sprigs, to serve

Lime halves (optional), to serve

Method

1.Preheat oven to 180°C. Roast fish bones in a roasting pan until golden (30 minutes), then place in a saucepan, cover with cold water and bring to the boil over high heat. Skim scum from surface, then reduce heat to low and simmer until stock is well flavoured (1½-2 hours).

2.Meanwhile, cover rice with hot water and leave to soak for 15 minutes. Drain, then rinse rice with cold running water, then drain again.

3.Process tomato, onion, garlic, jalapeño and 1 tsp salt in a blender to a smooth purée.

4.Heat oil in a wide, deep frying pan over high heat. Add drained rice and fry, stirring, until it starts to colour all over (2-3 minutes). Reduce heat to medium, add tomato purée and cook until almost all the purée has been absorbed (3-4 minutes). Add 250ml fish stock and stir to combine. Cover with a lid and cook until stock has been absorbed (8 minutes). Serve rice with coriander, lime halves and [whole fish](https://www.gourmettraveller.com.au/recipes/chefs-recipes/whole-fish-sour-orange-glaze-18076|target=”_blank”).