Arroz Con Frijoles Recipe
Riced, beans, herbs, served with house made cheese, compound butter, and tortillas
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Ingredients
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Rice and beans
House-made cheese
Compound herb butter
Tortillas and garnish
Method
Rice and beans
- 1
Prepare aromatics and rice
Rinse the rice under cold water until the water runs mostly clear to remove excess starch; drain well. In a medium saucepan over medium heat, warm 2 tbs olive oil. Add the chopped onion and a pinch of salt. Sauté until the onion is soft and translucent, about 5–6 minutes. Add the minced garlic and cook 30–45 seconds until fragrant.
- 2
Toast rice and season
Add the drained rice to the pan with the onion and garlic. Stir and toast the rice for 2 minutes so each grain is coated in oil. Sprinkle in 1 tsp ground cumin, 1 tsp smoked paprika, black pepper, and the bay leaf; stir to combine.
- 3
Simmer rice
Pour in the 480 ml broth and 240 ml water, bring to a gentle boil. Reduce heat to low, cover tightly, and simmer until the liquid is absorbed and rice is tender, about 15–18 minutes. Avoid lifting the lid during this time. Remove from heat and let rest, covered, for 8–10 minutes.
- 4
Finish with beans and herbs
While the rice rests, heat a small skillet over medium heat and add the drained and rinsed black beans to warm them for 2–3 minutes with a pinch of salt. Remove the bay leaf from the rice, then fluff rice with a fork. Gently fold the warmed black beans into the rice along with 0.5 cup chopped cilantro, 2 tbs chopped oregano or parsley, 2 tbs lime juice, and adjust salt to taste (about another 0.5 tsp if needed). Keep warm.
House-made cheese
- 5
Curdle the milk
Place 4 cups whole milk in a medium pot over medium heat and warm to just below simmering (about 85–90°C / 185–195°F) — small bubbles will form at the edge but do not let it boil. Remove from heat and stir in 2 tbs white vinegar or lemon juice slowly; let sit undisturbed for 5–10 minutes until curds form and whey separates (whey will be a thin yellowish liquid).
- 6
Strain and salt
Line a fine-mesh sieve with cheesecloth and set over a bowl. Carefully pour the curds into the cloth to strain. Let drain for 10–20 minutes for a soft, spreadable cheese or longer for a firmer crumbly texture. Gather the cheesecloth, squeeze gently if necessary to remove excess whey. Transfer curds to a bowl, stir in 1 tsp kosher salt, and taste-adjust. Keep at room temperature for serving; refrigerate if making ahead. This yields a fresh, mild cheese similar to queso fresco.
Compound herb butter
- 7
Make the butter
In a small bowl, combine 4 tbs softened unsalted butter with 2 tbs finely chopped cilantro, 1 tsp lime zest, 0.5 tsp very finely minced garlic, 0.25 tsp kosher salt, and 0.125 tsp black pepper. Mix thoroughly until homogeneous. Spoon onto plastic wrap, roll into a log, twist ends, and chill briefly (15–20 minutes) to firm up so it can be sliced. Keep chilled until just before serving; it can be served at room temp if preferred.
Tortillas and assembly
- 8
Warm tortillas
Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat and add 1 tbs vegetable oil, swirling to coat. Warm each corn tortilla about 20–30 seconds per side until pliable and lightly charred in spots. Keep tortillas wrapped in a clean towel to stay warm.
- 9
Plate and serve
Spoon a generous portion of the rice and beans onto each plate (about 1 to 1 1/3 cups per serving). Crumble or spoon house-made cheese on top (about 2–3 tbs per plate). Add a slice or dollop (about 1 tbs) of the compound herb butter alongside or on top of the hot rice so it melts. Serve with 1–2 warmed corn tortillas per person, extra cilantro leaves, and lime wedges. Encourage diners to build bites with rice, beans, cheese and butter on tortillas. Adjust seasoning at the table with additional salt or lime.