This is my go-to meal. When I haven’t planned anything, haven’t had time to grocery shop, or my husband is out and for some reason I’m eating alone, this is what I make. We ate it a lot in Spain growing up. And it’s not a real recipe. Which is exactly what makes it so fast and easy! Here goes:

Ingredients

(Serves 1, easy to multiply)

Cooked white rice

1 generous dollop of spaghetti sauce, heated up

2 fried eggs

Salt and pepper to taste

Assemble into a bowl like this: rice. Heated spaghetti sauce. Eggs. Salt and pepper. If your eggs are overeasy, you can break the yolks and mix together. Eat! You’ll never go back. Or else, you’ll be revolted and never make it again. Either way, the word “never” will figure prominently in your response.

You could make a beautiful stack, using a ramekin to mold the rice into a cup shape on the plate and artfully drizzling the spaghetti sauce in a criss-cross pattern, with the egg balanced on top like a glowing yellow dome in the afternoon sunlight.

But as for me . . . I will continue to simply pile it into the bowl with no regard for aesthetics. Honestly–I think it actually tastes better this way. Some day I will do a blind taste test and prove it to the world.

I’ve wondered for years if I only like this because I grew up with it … or if I like it because it’s actually good. I’d also like to point out that there is probably nothing Cuban about this dish. It’s “Cuban” Rice just as French Toast is “French”, i.e., not at all.

For those of you who like to fancify things, you can make your own tomato sauce and add some chopped chives on top for color. Or chiffonade some basil or something.

Next week I will be posting a more real recipe. But in the meantime, have a great 4th of July weekend!

 

Click here for printer-friendly version: Arroz a la Cubana