To add a bit more heat to this side dish, substitute Monterey Jack cheese with jalapeño peppers for the regular Monterey Jack. In order to streamline the preparation, we roasted the nopales with the chiles.
How to Make It
Step 1
Preheat oven to 375°.
Step 2
Place the nopales and chiles on a baking sheet coated with cooking spray; bake at 375° for 20 minutes or until chiles are blackened and nopales are tender, turning nopales once. Place chiles in a zip-top plastic bag; seal. Let stand 15 minutes. Peel chiles; cut in half lengthwise. Discard seeds and membranes; chop chiles to measure 1/2 cup. Chop nopales to measure 1 cup.
Step 3
Reduce oven temperature to 350°.
Step 4
While nopales and chiles cook, prepare the rice. Heat oil in a Dutch oven over medium heat. Add onion and garlic, and sauté 5 minutes or until tender. Add rice, and sauté 2 minutes. Add broth, and bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer 25 minutes or until liquid is absorbed. Cool slightly.
Step 5
Add nopalitos (chopped nopales), chiles, yogurt, sour cream, and pimiento to rice mixture; stir until well-blended. Spoon mixture into an 11 x 7-inch baking dish coated with cooking spray, and sprinkle with cheese. Bake at 350° for 12 minutes. Broil 8 minutes or until lightly browned.
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