Lunch: Mexican White Rice with Fried Plantains

A delicious Mexican side dish made with homemade chicken stock.

Ingredients

2 cups long-grain white rice
3 tablespoons corn oil, or safflower oil, plus more for frying plantains
1/2 cup onion, finely chopped, plus 1 onion peeled and cut in half for stock
4 cups chicken stock, prepared or homemade, recipe follows
1 stalk celery, cut in 1/2, plus 2 cut into chunks for stock
1 bunch fresh parsley, with one sprig reserved for rice
1 tablespoon lime juice
1 teaspoon kosher salt, plus 1 tablespoon and extra
1 serrano chile
2 ripe plantains, sliced 1/4-inch thick
1 whole chicken, cut into pieces
2 carrots, peeled and cut into chunks
1 clove garlic
5 or 6 peppercorns
sour cream, for garnish

Instructions

Put the rice in a large bowl and cover with very hot water. Let it soak anywhere from 5 to 10 minutes. Drain, rinse with cold water and drain again.
Heat 3 tablespoons oil in a large saucepan, add the rice and fry over high heat, stirring softly for 1 to 2 minutes. Add the 1/2 cup chopped onion and stir, from time to time, until the rice begins to change its color to milky white and it sounds and feels heavier, as if it were grains of sand, about 5 more minutes.
Add the chicken stock, 1 stalk celery, sprig parsley, lime juice, 1 teaspoon salt and chile to the rice. When the mixture starts to boil, cover the pot, reduce the heat to lowest setting and cook until the rice is cooked through and the liquid has been absorbed, about 20 minutes.
If the rice grains don't seem soft and cooked through, add a bit more chicken stock or water and let it cook for another 5 more minutes or so. Remove the pan from the heat and let it sit covered for 5 to 10 minutes. Fluff with a fork and set aside.