Crab Enchiladas with Mexican Rice Pilaf (white Mexican rice)

I was inspired by a beautiful sunny day yesterday and decided to cook a nice homemade meal and also to write down this recipe for Mexican Rice Pilaf or Mexican white rice before I forget it.  My mother used to prepare this dish and as far as I know everyone in my family cooks some version of this but, when I ask people if they ever had such dish, no one has ever had "White Mexican Rice".

  Crab Enchiladas

Ingredients:                                                                                      Serves: 4

8 oz crab meat                                                                                  1 T cooking oil

12 oz can green enchilada sauce                                                      1 T butter

1 cup heavy cream                                                                           1 Boursin cheese round

1 large shallot, minced                                                                     10 large corn tortillas

80z monterey jack cheese, shreadded                                              1 bunch diced green onions

pinch of nutmeg                                                                               1 t sugar

Method:

In large pan heat oil and melt butter, add shallots and cook for 3-5 minutes until soft.  Slowly pour in enchilada sauce until heated thru, add heavy cream, nutmeg and sugar and simmer 20 minutes.  Prepare assembly items for enchiladas.  Heat oven to 350 degrees.  13x9 baking dish, warm tortillas, crab meat (separate and fluff with fork), cheeses and green onion. Add 1/2 cup enchilada sauce to bottom of baking dish. To assemble enchiladas; spread warm tortilla with Boursin cheese, crab meat, monterey cheese and green onion, roll and place on baking dish seam side down.  When all enchiladas have been assembled add the rest of enchilada sauce over them and add about 1/4 more shreadded cheese over top, bake for 15 minutes.

       

 Mexican Rice Pilaf

Ingredients:                                                                               Serves: 4

1 cup long grain rice                                                                 1 T cooking oil

2 cups chicken broth                                                                 1 t salt

4 large garlic cloves, minced                                                    1/2 t white pepper

Method:

Make sure you have a pan with a tight fitting lid. Heat oil in pan add rice and brown about 5-7 minutes, make sure that it does not over brown only to light golden brown.  Add garlic to rice and continue cooking until garlic is nice and gragrant (about 1 minute).  Pour chicken broth and bring to boil, add salt and pepper; place the tight fitting lid on pan and simmer on very low for about 45 minutes.  Check the rice after 30 minutes and add more broth if necessay.  Do not stir rice after liquid has absorbed, just like steamed rice.