Rice

Ingredients
2 cups basmati rice
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoon butter
1 teaspoon brown mustard seeds
3 cups water
³⁄₄ teaspoon salt
3 tablespoons cilantro, chopped
Zest of 1 lemon
Juice of 1 lemon

Instructions
1. Using plenty of running water, rinse rice until the water runs clear. 

2. Place oil and butter in a saucepan over medium-high heat.  When the butter melts, add the mustard seeds and cook 2 minutes or until the seeds begin to pop.  Add the rice and stir until well coated.  Add water, salt and bring to a boil.  Cover, reduce heat to low and simmer 15 minutes or until the liquid is absorbed and rice is tender.  Remove from heat; let stand, covered, 5 minutes. 

3. Stir in cilantro, zest and juice.  Serve. 

Comments
Rice is a favorite and it’s always great to find new ways to prepare it.  I found this recipe in the 2009 Cooking Light Annual, made a few tweaks, and we loved it.  It was citrusy and lovely. 

Shown here with Bistro Roast Chicken.

Cooking Light 2009

Ingredients
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 large shallot, minced (3-4 tablespoons)
1 cup Arborio rice
¹⁄₂ cup white wine
4 cups chicken broth, heated (I nuked it.)
4-6 ounces baby spinach
5-6 ounces brie cheese, rind removed
Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Instructions
1. Heat the oil in a large saucepan over medium heat.  Add shallots and cook, stirring, until they start to turn translucent.  Add the rice and stir until all the grains are coated with oil.  Add the wine and simmer, stirring, until all of the liquid has been absorbed. 

2. Start adding the broth ¹⁄₂-1 cup at a time, stirring after each addition and waiting until the broth has been absorbed before adding more.  Repeat until all of the broth has been added and rice is tender. 

3. Add spinach and brie.  Continue stirring until spinach is wilted and brie is fully incorporated and melted.  Add salt and pepper, to taste. 

Comments
When I was trying to figure out what to serve alongside a salmon dish this week, a friend suggested that I make brie and spinach risotto.  The friend didn’t have a recipe, just thought the flavors would work well together, so I decided to give it a go.  Risottos are one of those foods that are infinitely flexible so it was pretty easy to modify another risotto recipe and come up with this.  Lance and I both enjoyed the flavors and it did, indeed, go well with salmon. 

Shown here with Poached Salmon with Dill Yogurt Sauce.

Person - Gwen

Ingredients
4 cups chicken broth
2 cups water
1 pound broccoli, cut into florets and stems cut into ¹⁄₂ inch pieces
Zest of 1 lemon
Juice of 1 lemon
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 small onion, minced
1 clove garlic, minced
1 ¹⁄₂ cups rice (I prefer Arborio but you can use almost any rice for risotto.)
¹⁄₂ cup white wine
¹⁄₂ cup Parmesan cheese, grated or shredded
Salt and pepper, to taste

Instructions
1. Bring the broth and water to a boil in a large saucepan.  Reduce heat to medium and cook broccoli florets for 3 minutes or until just tender.  Remove the florets with a slotted spoon and reserve. 

2. Add the broccoli stems, zest and lemon juice to the broth and simmer for 5 minutes. 

3. Meanwhile, heat the oil over medium heat in a large saucepan.  Add the onion and garlic and cook, stirring, until the onion is softened.  Add the rice and stir until well coated with oil. 

4. Add the wine to the rice mixture and cook, stirring, until the liquid has evaporated.  Using a slotted spoon transfer the broccoli stem pieces to the rice mixture and stir.  Working with ¹⁄₂ to 1 cup at a time add the broth mixture to the rice mixture.  Stir often until all of the liquid has been absorbed before adding more.  It should take about 20 minutes for the rice to absorb all of the liquid. 

5. Stir in the reserved broccoli florets and stir until heated through.  Remove the pan from heat and add the Parmesan cheese.  Season with salt and pepper, serve. 

Comments
I have no idea where I first found this recipe but I remember I found it when I was cooking for Lance and was only really certain that he liked rice.  And steak.  He always loves steak.  I had exhausted all of my tried and true risotto recipes so I found this one somewhere online and gave it a go.  It was pretty disappointing the first time since the original recipe called to keep the florets and stems in the simmering liquid for entirely too long.  All of the broccoli bits were mushy and gray by the time the rice was finished cooking.  I tweaked it in order to keep the broccoli delicious and I’m so glad it worked!  We all greatly enjoyed this and I’ll be making it again without a doubt.

I’m still glad I know that Lance will eat more than just rice now!

Shown here with Balsamic Pork Tenderloin with Shallots.

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Ingredients
Vegetable oil for deep frying
2 large eggs, beaten
2 cups Risotto, cooled
¹⁄₂ cup Parmesan cheese, grated or shredded
1 ¹⁄₂ cups Italian-style bread crumbs
2 ounces mozzarella cheese sticks, cut into ¹⁄₂-inch cubes
Salt, to taste

Instructions
1. Pour enough oil in a heavy large saucepan (or Dutch oven) to reach the depth of 3 inches. Heat the oil over medium-high heat to 350*F.

2. Stir the eggs, Risotto, Parmesan, and ¹⁄₂ cup of the bread crumbs in a large bowl to combine. (It’s easiest to do this with clean hands.)  Place the remaining bread crumbs in a medium bowl. Using about 2 tablespoons of the risotto mixture for each, form the risotto mixture into 1 ³⁄₄-inch-diameter balls. Insert 1 cube of mozzarella into the center of each ball. Roll the balls in the bread crumbs to coat. (I used my favorite #30 disher for this.)

3. Working in batches, add the rice balls to the hot oil and cook until brown and heated through, turning them as necessary, about 4-5 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the rice balls to paper towels to drain. Season with salt. Let rest 2 minutes. Serve hot.

Comments
I love risotto and I was so thrilled when I first saw this recipe made by Giada De Laurentiis.  It’s a great way to use up leftover risotto!  I love these things, with that ball of melty cheese in the middle, and the slightly crispy coating.  You can serve them with marinara for dipping if you’d like, or just eat them plain.  It will work with any variety of risotto you’ve got and is easily doubled or even tripled.

Internet - Giada De Laurentiis

Ingredients
8 cups chicken broth
¹⁄₄ cup unsalted butter
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 cups onions, finely chopped
8 ounces white mushrooms, finely chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 ¹⁄₂ cups Arborio rice
²⁄₃ cup white wine
³⁄₄ cup frozen peas, thawed
²⁄₃ cup Parmesan cheese, grated or shredded
Salt and pepper, to taste

Instructions
1.  Bring the broth to a simmer in a heavy medium saucepan.  Keep broth warm over low heat.  (Or you can cheat, like I do, and just nuke it for a while in the microwave.)

2.  Melt the butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add olive oil. Add the onions and sauté until tender, about 8 minutes. Add the white mushrooms and garlic. Sauté until the mushrooms are tender and the juices evaporate, about 5 minutes. Stir in the rice and let it toast for a few minutes.

3. Add the wine; cook until the liquid is absorbed, stirring often, about 2 minutes. Add 1 cup of hot broth; simmer over medium-low heat until the liquid is absorbed, stirring often, about 3 minutes. Continue to cook until the rice is just tender and the mixture is creamy, adding more broth by the cupful and stirring often, about 28-30 minutes (the rice will absorb 6 to 8 cups of broth). Stir in the peas. Mix in the Parmesan. Season with salt and pepper, to taste, and serve.  

Comments
This is a risotto recipe from Giada De Laurentiis.  As I’ve mentioned before, we’re all fans of risotto so I’m always on the lookout for new and hopefully tasty recipes.  This one is fairly basic and makes enough to generate leftovers for the upcoming Arancini di Riso!

Shown here with Lemon Chicken with Ginger and Pine Nuts.

Internet - Giada De Laurentiis

Ingredients
8 ounces Kielbasa, cut into ¹⁄₂ inch thick half moons
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 medium onions, finely chopped
2 medium zucchini, cut into ¹⁄₂ inch thick half moons
1 large red bell pepper, seeded and diced
1-2 jalapeño peppers, seeded and minced
2 cloves garlic, minced
¹⁄₂ teaspoon ground cumin
¹⁄₂ teaspoon dried oregano
¹⁄₂ teaspoon salt, or to taste
2 cups brown or white rice, cooked
15 ounces canned black beans, drained and rinsed
¹⁄₂ cup water
Hot sauce, to taste

Instructions
1. Cook kielbasa in a large nonstick skillet over high heat, turning from time to time, until lightly browned, about 2 to 5 minutes. Transfer to a plate.

2. Add oil to the pan. Add onions, zucchini, bell pepper, jalapeños, garlic, cumin, oregano, and salt; cook, stirring, until the onions are tender, 4 to 5 minutes. Stir in rice, beans and water; cook, stirring, until heated through and water is absorbed, about 4 minutes. Add the reserved kielbasa and season with hot sauce. Serve hot.

Comments
I’m not sure where I found this recipe originally.  I first made it over 5 years ago.  I’ve had it saved for a while and finally decided to make it again since I needed an easy one skillet meal for the days before Thanksgiving.  It’s an easy dish to make and has nice, simple flavors that come together well.

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Ingredients
1 tablespoons olive oil
1 medium onion, cut into ¹⁄₄-inch dice
1-2 cups winter squash, peeled, seeded, and cut into ¹⁄₄-inch dice (I have used buttercup and acorn squashes both with success.)
3-4 cloves garlic, minced
1 ¹⁄₂ cups arborio rice
¹⁄₂ cup white wine
5-8 cups chicken broth, heated
4 tablespoons butter
¹⁄₂ cup Parmesan cheese
Salt and pepper, to taste

Instructions
1. Heat olive oil over medium heat in a large saucepan.  Add the onion and squash and cook until the onion is softened but not browned, about 8 to 10 minutes.  Add the rice and stir until toasted and opaque, about 3 to 4 more minutes.  Add the garlic and cook for another minute.  

2.  Add the wine and cook, stirring, until the liquid is absorbed.  Continue stirring and start adding the broth, ¹⁄₂ cup at a time, and stir until the liquid is absorbed before adding more.  Continue this until the rice is tender and creamy, about 18 to 20 minutes.  

3. Remove the pan from the heat, add the butter and Parmesan and stir until well mixed.  Season with salt and pepper, to taste, and serve.  

Comments
This recipe originally came to me from Mario Batali’s Molto Italiano.  Every recipe I’ve made of his has been excellent and this is no exception.  It’s a great way to use up winter squash this time of year.  The original recipe calls for acorn squash which is how I made it the first few times but, this time, I had a buttercup squash that looked about the right size so I used it.  The taste was great and the rice turns a lovely, rich, pumpkin colour.  

One thing that I do need to be careful of these days is the salt content when I’m cooking with chicken broth.  I’ve switched to the “no salt” version of Kitchen Basics’s broths and, for dishes like this, it means I need to remember to add a little extra salt at the end to get the correct flavor.  

Shown here with Grilled Flank Steak.

Molto Italiano

Ingredients
For seasoning liquid
6 tablespoons chicken broth
2 tablespoons soy sauce
1 tablespoon sesame oil
1 teaspoon salt, or to taste
¹⁄₂ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, or to taste

5 cups white rice, cooked and chilled
6 eggs
3 tablespoons ginger, minced
3 tablespoons garlic, minced
1 tablespoon rice wine vinegar
¹⁄₃ cup mirin
4 teaspoons sesame oil, divided
3-4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, thinly sliced
2 bunches broccoli, cut into small florets
1 cup frozen peas, thawed

Instructions
1. Mix seasoning liquid ingredients and set aside.  

2. Spread rice in a shallow baking pan or sheet and break apart any clumps with your fingers.  

3. In a medium bowl beat eggs with ginger, garlic, vinegar and mirin.  Set aside.  

4. Heat 1 teaspoon sesame oil over high heat in a large nonstick (or well seasoned) skillet or wok.  Add chicken and cook, stirring, until cooked through.  Remove to sieve and return skillet to heat.  

5. Add 1 teaspoon of sesame oil to the skillet and allow to heat.  Cook broccoli for 4-5 minutes or until crisp-tender.  Remove broccoli to sieve with chicken and return skillet to heat.  

6. Add 1 teaspoon of sesame oil to the skillet and allow to heat.  Add eggs to the skillet and cook, stirring, until cooked through.  Remove eggs to sieve with chicken and broccoli and return skillet to heat.  

7. Heat remaining teaspoon of sesame oil in the skillet and add cold rice.   Cook, stirring, until the rice is heated through, about 5 minutes.  Add chicken, broccoli, eggs, peas, and seasoning liquid to the skillet.  Stir well to fully incorporate and coat evenly.  Serve.  

Comments
I had some leftover peas from a dish I made last week, so I was inspired to make fried rice.  It’s one of those dishes that I’ve made numerous times over the years but never quite loved as much as I love the fried rice I’ve gotten in restaurants.  I think this variation might have done the trick.  The seasoning liquid came from an epicurious.com recipe and everything else was just what I happened to have.  When you make this, use what you’ve got!  If you’ve got green onions, which my store was out of, go for it!  Sugar snaps would also be great, or mushrooms.  If you have pork or steak, toss those in.  Or leave the meat out all together, increase the eggs, change the broth to veggie broth and you’d have a great vegetarian dish.  This is an extremely flexible dish.  The flavor of the eggs was fantastic and a bite with all of the ingredients was just perfect.  And, as long as you’ve got the day-old rice on hand, this is a super simple meal to throw together.  Even when you’re exhausted from Aikido.

Internet - Epicurious

Ingredients
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 green onions, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 cups white rice
2 large cans black beans, drained and rinsed well
1 can unsweetened coconut milk plus enough water to equal 2 ¹⁄₂ cups
1 teaspoon thyme
Salt and black pepper

Instructions
1. Heat oil in a large saucepan over medium heat.  Add green onions and garlic and sauté for 1-2 minutes.  

2. Add rice and stir for 1-2 minutes.  Add remaining ingredients, stir well and bring to boil.  Reduce heat to low and simmer until rice is tender and all liquid has been absorbed.  

3. Stir and serve.  

Comments
While looking for a good side dish to serve with Jerk Chicken I found this recipe.  It’s actually called “Rice and Peas” but I have no idea why, so I renamed it to reflect the ingredients I used.  The rice with coconut milk had a nice cooling effect after a mouthful of fiery chicken!  

Shown here with Grilled Jerk Chicken.

Internet - Reggae Train

Ingredients
5-6 cups beef stock
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
¹⁄₂ cup shallots, finely chopped
1 teaspoon garlic, minced
16 ounces assorted mushrooms, thinly sliced (I’m a weirdo who prefers normal domestic button mushrooms, so I used 16 ounces of those)
2 cups Arborio rice
1 teaspoon fresh thyme, chopped
1 cup red wine
¹⁄₂ cup half and half
1 cup Parmesan cheese, finely grated
2 teaspoons fresh parsley, chopped
4 ounces prosciutto, thinly sliced
Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Instructions
1. In a medium saucepan, bring the stock to a simmer over medium heat. Reduce the heat to very low to keep hot.  (The quick and dirty method is to put the stock into a microwave safe container and just nuke it till hot.  I’ve never had a problem with the microwave method although I’m sure it makes traditionalists cringe!)  

2. In a large heavy saucepan, heat the oil and butter over medium-high heat. Add the shallots and garlic, and cook, stirring until fragrant and soft, about 3 minutes. Add the mushrooms and cook, stirring, until wilted and their liquid is evaporated, 4 to 5 minutes. Add the rice and cook, stirring constantly, until the grains are opaque, about 1 minute.

3. Stir in the thyme. Add the wine and cook, stirring, until nearly all evaporated. Add ³⁄₄ cup of the stock and cook, stirring frequently, until the stock is nearly all evaporated. Continue adding more stock ¹⁄₂ cup at a time as the previous addition is nearly absorbed, until the rice is tender and the risotto is creamy, 18 to 20 minutes.

4. Stir in half-and-half, ¹⁄₂ cup of the cheese, and the parsley and mix well.

5. Remove from the heat and add remaining cheese and prosciutto.  Taste and season with salt and pepper.

Option: For The Chicken Version, switch the beef broth with chicken broth and the red wine with white wine.  

Comments
I have no idea where I originally found this recipe, it has been in my “Try at Some Point” folder for years now.  I was looking for something easy to serve with grilled Filet Mignon and this reached out and grabbed me.  It’s a bit of an odd risotto recipe since it calls for cream/half-and-half, normally risotto just relies on the starch of the rice for its creaminess.  I was thrilled with how this turned out, though.  The flavor was great and the red wine and beef broth made it pair very well with steak.  

Do be sure to add any salt at the end because the prosciutto and the parmesan can really increase the saltiness of the dish and if you salt prior to those you might end up with a risotto that’s entirely too salty to enjoy.  

Shown here with filet mignon steaks that were grilled about 5 minutes per side on a 700*F grill.  That turned out to be a bit too long, so we’re going to try 4 minutes a side next time!

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