Directions:​

Notes

• A small blender works best for the paste.

• A small saucier spoon with a spout makes adding the irises easier.

• The rice can be made 1 day ahead. Refrigerate promptly and keep chilled until ready to fry.

Step 1: Make the Paste and Pupils
Blend all cilantro jalapeño paste ingredients until smooth. Cover and refrigerate. Halve olives lengthwise and use an Ateco #804 decorating tip to cut out 18 pupils.

Step 2: Cook the Rice
Cover the rice with cold water, rub between your hands, and drain. Repeat twice more.

Melt the butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Cook the onions with a little salt until translucent. Add the garlic, jalapeño, and drained rice; cook for 2 minutes. Stir in the turmeric, then the chicken stock, salt, saffron, and tomatoes.

Cover and cook over low heat until the stock is absorbed, without stirring. Remove from heat and gently lift the rice from the bottom with a spatula to release steam. Spread in a shallow dish to cool; refrigerate promptly if making ahead.

Step 3: Make the Chili Filling
Cook the beef and onion in a skillet over medium heat, breaking the beef into small pieces. Season with salt and pepper; cook until the beef is browned and the onion is translucent. Add olive oil only if needed and spoon off excess fat.

Add the garlic; cook for 1 minute. Stir in the tomato sauce, pinto beans, oregano, cumin, ancho chili powder, and smoked paprika. Adjust seasoning, cook for 2 minutes, and remove from heat. Reserve the cheese for assembly.

Step 4: Prepare and Roast the Mushrooms
Preheat the oven to 425°F with a rack in the center. Line a 12 × 17-inch baking sheet with parchment paper.

Wash and dry the mushrooms, remove the stems, and carefully hollow with a melon baller without cracking them. Brush the insides, edges, and tops with olive oil; season lightly with salt and pepper. Arrange hollow side down.

Roast for 22–25 minutes, until the juices evaporate and the bottom edges begin to caramelize. Let cool enough to handle.

Step 5: Fill and Bake the Mushrooms
Reduce the oven to 400°F. Turn the mushrooms hollow side up and fill about ¾ full with chili, gently compacting it. Mound grated Monterey Jack over the filling, keeping it within the mushroom edges. Leave room for the sauce to bubble around the cheese, creating a red, irritated-eye effect.

Bake for 4–5 minutes, until warmed through and the cheese melts without browning. Decorate immediately while the cheese is soft.

Step 6: Add the Irises and Pupils
Working with 3–4 mushrooms at a time, press a ¼-teaspoon measuring spoon into the cheese to make an indentation. Lightly oil the spoon’s underside if it sticks.

Use the saucier spoon to fill each indentation with cilantro jalapeño paste, then gently press an olive pupil into place. Repeat until all mushrooms are decorated.

Keep briefly in the oven’s residual warmth with the door open while frying the rice. If the oven has cooled, set it to 200°F and close the door. Watch closely so the cheese does not cook further.

Step 7: Fry the Rice
Heat 2–3 tablespoons bacon fat, butter, or oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium to medium-high heat. Add the cooled rice and press flat, working in batches if needed. Cook until lightly golden underneath, then flip in sections and brown the other side.

Step 8: Assemble and Serve
Transfer the rice to a chafing dish and arrange the mushrooms on top. Alternatively, use a baking dish and keep briefly in a warm oven until serving. Garnish the rice with chopped cilantro or parsley, if desired, and serve with lime wedges.