Peruvian recipe 1: Arroz al Horno

Promised my cousins I would document the steps to three Peruvian dishes I learned this weekend. Here's the first...

Arroz Al Horno
(Rice from the oven)

5 cups of long grain white rice, uncooked
1.5 lbs. carne molida (ground meat)
1 medium red onion, diced
1 medium carrot
1/2 cup corn kernel
1/2 cup peas
7 oz. raisins
garlic powder
pepper
salt
oregano (dried or fresh)
Four eggs
1/2 cup sliced kalamata olives
spaghetti sauce
sesame seeds
Six pimentas gordas (Allspice balls)

Step one: Make Grandma Delia's rice

In rice cooker, add 5 cups of long grain white rice (unwashed). Add a palm full of salt or 1/2 tablespoon. Add a tablespoon of garlic. Add six pimentas gordas. *Use rice cooker instructions to learn water rice ratio. Leave to cook.

Step two: Boil two eggs in small pot to cook while performing step three.

Step three: Add ground meat to hot, large frying pan on high heat. Add 1/2 tablespoon of salt to meat. Use large spoon (wooden if possible) and stir meat. The goal is to remove the fat so do not thoroughly cook the meat. Do not use oil!

Drain fat into container and throw it away.

Take meat off burner. Add diced onion, palm full of oregano (crush in hand if dried). Put frying pan on burner. Add one tablespoon of olive oil. Stir well for several minutes.

Take off heat. Goal is to caramelize onions.

Once caramelized, put frying plan on heat again. Add one cup of spaghetti sauce. Stir well. Add peas and carrots. Stir and lower to medium heat.

Taste for salt. Add as needed (typically half a tablespoon.

Add raisins and a tablespoon of black pepper. Stir and put on low heat. Add olives.

Step four: Coat 13 by 9 inch pan with olive oil. Add a thick layer of cooked rice to pan. With wooden spoon, add layer of meat mixture. Dice hard-boiled egg and sprinkle of top of meat layer.

Taste for salt, add if needed to meat layer.

Add final layer of rice. Sprinkle with salt.

Step five: Beat two egg whites until fluffy. Then add egg yolks and beat again until mixed.

Step six: With spatula, coat top of rice with egg
mixture. Sprinkle thin layer of sesame seeds on top.

Preheat oven to 390 degrees and cook dish for 30 minutes. Remember everything has been pre-cooked so oven doesn't need to be very hot and baking time is minimal.