Cilantro Lime Rice

This is the first of three parts I plan on sharing with you this week and by Thursday you will have everything you need for a fabulous meal. I must confess that on some nights I have no energy left to whip up a bunch of side dishes. When making tacos, enchiladas, or fajitas sometimes I just buy the bag of Mexican rice to add to our meal. This rice may have a few extra steps than the bagged rice, but it is still quite simple to throw together and a perfect compliment to any type of Mexican meal. The lime gives the rice a bit of citrus and the cilantro takes care of all the rest.

Cilantro Lime Rice

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1 cup long grain rice

2 cups plus 2 tablespoons water, divided

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup fresh cilantro

2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lime juice

1 tablespoons olive oil

1 garlic clove, minced

Combine the rice, 2 cups of water and salt in a medium saucepan set oven medium-high heat. Bring to a boil, stir briefly, cover and reduce the heat to low. Let cook, covered until the water is absorbed and the rice is fluffy and tender, 16 to 18 minutes. (Cooking time may vary, check package directions.)

While the rice is cooking, combine the cilantro, lime juice, olive oil, garlic, and 2 tablespoons water in a blender or food processor. Blend until smooth. Stir the mixture into the cooked rice and fluff with a fork.

Source: Annie’s Eats, originally from Everyday Food, April 2008