Chiles and Cheese

Chiles & Cheese (aka Rice, Chiles and Cheese)

An Erowid favorite.

Proportions of rice to sour cream to cheese vary each time.

Ingredients:

3 cups dry brown rice
24oz sour cream
1+ lb monterey jack
.5 lb sharp cheddar
salt, pepper
mild chile powder or paprika
1 large 27oz can green chiles 
Casserole dish

Mix chiles, sour cream, .5 to 2 tablespoons of black pepper, a dash or two of salt. Let mixture sit while rice is cooking.

Cook rice with just slightly less water than usual, to leave it a tiny bit dry. Very slightly undercooked is better than overcooked.

Green chiles: Our current favorite brand is Ortega, but any decent brand is fine. The quality of canned green chiles goes all over the place, from mushy and tinny to firm and flavorful. Chop the green chiles into medium chunks, don't dice too small.

When rice is finished, mix with sour cream mixture. Layer rice+sour cream+ chiles mixture into casserole dish, alternating with sliced or grated monterey jack cheese with sprinkles of cheddar between each layer.

Use the remaining cheddar for the top layer, sprinkle with chile powder/paprika.

Cook 400F for 40 minutes or until top is bubbling and brown.