Monterey Recipe
Seasoned ground beef, Spanish red rice, queso, and frijoles, seared and topped with red enchilada sauce and sour cream - not served with side salad
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Ingredients
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Beef Filling
Spanish Red Rice
Frijoles (Refried-style beans)
Assembly & Toppings
Method
Beef Filling
- 1
Cook aromatics and brown beef
Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the diced onion and cook until softened, about 3–4 minutes. Add the minced garlic and cook 30 seconds more. Push aromatics to the side and add the ground beef. Break meat up with a spatula and cook until no longer pink and nicely browned, about 6–8 minutes.
- 2
Season beef
Stir in chili powder, ground cumin, smoked paprika, salt, and black pepper. Cook 1–2 minutes to toast the spices and allow flavors to meld. Taste and adjust seasoning if needed. Remove from heat and set aside, keeping warm.
Spanish Red Rice
- 3
Toast rice and sauté aromatics
In a medium saucepan, heat 1 tablespoon oil over medium heat. Add the uncooked rice and stir frequently until it turns translucent at the edges and develops a light nutty aroma, about 3–4 minutes. Add the diced onion and cook 2 minutes more; add minced garlic and cook 30 seconds.
- 4
Simmer rice
Stir in tomato sauce, ground cumin, salt, and broth. Bring to a gentle boil, then reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer until rice is tender and liquid is absorbed, about 15–18 minutes. Remove from heat, let stand covered 5 minutes, then fluff with a fork and stir in lime juice if using. Keep warm.
Frijoles (Refried-style beans)
- 5
Cook onion and soften beans
In a medium skillet, heat 1 tablespoon lard or oil over medium heat. Add the chopped onion and cook until translucent, about 3–4 minutes. Add garlic and cook 30 seconds. Add drained beans, cumin, salt and 1/4 cup water or reserved bean liquid.
- 6
Mash and finish
Use a potato masher or fork to mash the beans to your preferred texture, adding additional water as needed to reach a spreadable consistency (about 1–3 tablespoons more). Cook, stirring, until heated through and slightly thickened, about 3–5 minutes. Taste and adjust salt.
Assembly & Finish
- 7
Build and sear the monterey
Preheat oven broiler to high or set a large oven-safe skillet over medium-high heat if finishing on stovetop. In a wide oven-safe skillet or on a griddle, spread a thin layer of oil and arrange a base layer of warm Spanish red rice (about half the rice). Spoon the seasoned ground beef evenly over the rice. Add dollops of frijoles across the beef, then sprinkle the shredded queso evenly over the top.
- 8
Melt cheese and sear
Place the skillet under the broiler 3–4 inches from the heat for 2–4 minutes, watching closely, until cheese is melted, bubbling, and edges begin to brown. If using stovetop, cover the skillet with a lid for 2–3 minutes until cheese melts, then increase heat briefly to sear the bottom for 1 minute if desired.
- 9
Top with sauce and sour cream
Remove from heat. Spoon the red enchilada sauce evenly over the melted cheese (about 1 cup). Dollop or pipe the sour cream on top or at the center, then sprinkle with chopped cilantro and a pinch of salt and pepper to finish.
- 10
Serve
Divide into 3–4 servings and serve warm. Note: This dish is not served with a side salad.