Cilantro Lime Rice

I tried out McCall's recipe for Honey Lime Enchiladas last night. Oh my! Our taste buds gave them a standing ovation!!! Bryce made cilantro lime rice as one of our side dishes and we've gotten requests for the recipe...so here it is!

Cilantro Lime Rice

Serves 6-8

4 tbsp. unsalted butter (I don't usually have this on hand and find regular butter works great too)

2 shallots, peeled and minced (or 2-3 green onions)

2 cups Jasmine rice or long grain rice

Grated zest of 2 limes

1 Stalk of cilantro, washed (the long thin part, no leaves)

4 cups hot chicken broth or stock

2 tbsp. fresh cilantro leaves

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

2. Melt butter in medium *casserole dish and sauté the shallots until tender, 3-4 minutes. Add the rice and cook until translucent and well coated with butter, a few more minutes. Stir in half of lime zest, the cilantro stalk and the stock. Cover the casserole dish and place in the oven. Bake until liquid is absorbed and rice is tender, about 20-25 minutes.

*Bryce has broken a casserole dish cooking the rice this way. We now use a frying pan to saute the green onions and rice. We stir in the lime zest and cilantro stalk, then dump everything into our rice cooker with the chicken stock.

3. Stir in remaining lime zest and cilantro leaves. Season to taste and serve.