rice – Cooking the Books

May 8, 2020

Have rice and eggs anytime

I admit that this week’s recipe was one of those where I just happened to have all the ingredients in the house, and so had the perfect excuse to make it.

Even easier to do as it was another of the Jamie Oliver 5 Ingredients recipes, so I literally only needed to have 5 ingredients (plus salt and water) on hand, most of them household staples for us.

Now, not all ingredients will be household staples for most. I’m just lucky that my sweetie has been doing the shopping for us since the pandemic began and has been adding a stop at the local Asian market to his errands while he’s out. That’s how we came to have kimchi available any time.

While the Korean eggs and rice dish is, of course, Korean, it’s also possible to replace the kimchi with another vegetable. Kimchi worked really well with the cilantro as well, but again, anyone could use a different herb or spice accompaniment.

I might recommend giving kimchi a try, though, as the fermented cabbage is quite a bit tastier than its name or its description might make it seem.

This is the second time I’ve made the dish and I’ve stuck to the recipe both times, other than the fact that I’ve used a smaller skillet than called for and increased the cilantro amounts. It’s been fine, though I’ve never quite managed to get the eggs to fully encompass the rice; I think next time I’ll just go ahead and stir it in a bit rather than hoping it wraps around. However, it does still taste great and does allow the rice to crisp a little more, which I enjoy quite a bit.

The meal also delightfully works as both breakfast and dinner. All around a nice, easy meal when you don’t have a lot of time or the energy to make something too difficult.

Here’s what I did:

Ingredients

1 T. sesame seeds (I didn’t really measure so definitely used more)
150 g. basmati rice
150 g. kimchi
8 sprigs of cilantro
4 eggs
Salt, to taste
400 ml water

Directions

Toast sesame seeds in a 9- to 10-inch skillet over medium heat. Once lightly golden, remove to a plate, and reduce heat to medium-low. Place the rice in a pan with a pinch of salt, and then pour in 400 ml of water. Cover and cook the rice for 10 to 15 minutes until the rice has absorbed all the liquid.

Meanwhile, chop the kimchi and tear up half the cilantro, and place in a medium bowl. Beat in the eggs, and then pour over the rice when it’s ready, spreading evenly with a spatula. Cover and cook for another 10 minutes or so until the eggs are just set.

Loosen the edges with a spatula, and then slide it out on a plate. Scatter the sesame seeds on top and then place the remaining cilantro leaves on top, and enjoy!

December 28, 2019

Just ducky end to Dutch oven year

With my final Dutch oven post, there could be really only one option. A recipe perfect for the season, for doing something special while also simple, and for something a little different.

I’ve wanted to make this duck rice recipe ever since returning from Portugal. There were, however, a couple of hangups. Mostly, that duck isn’t super easy to find in the US.

The delay also helped me get a preferred recipe from one of our guides and also recoup from the trip, which in hindsight took a lot longer than expected.

Duck rice, I don’t think, was supposed to be one of our best meals, just given its simplicity but it thrilled our family. Only the seafood outshined it. It is, as its name suggests, duck in rice. It also has some Spanish chorizo, ham, port, a couple veggies, but really it’s very much rice and duck forward.

The duck I ordered from D’artagnan. If you really can’t find it or don’t want to spend the money, I think chicken thighs would do in a pinch. (Don’t tell the traditional version I said so!)

Everything turned out dandy and the work wasn’t too bad. My only regret is that I dared to make it a one-pot meal. I think the first two steps work well in one pot but to get the required crispy crunch on the edges, it needs a new and newly coated casserole dish. If you’ve got two Dutch ovens, that’s just ducky. For everyone else, I’d revise this one to cook the duck and rice separately in the Dutch oven and bring it all together in a duck fat or butter coated 9 x 13 casserole dish.

Here’s what I did, following a translated recipe as best I could:

Ingredients

For meats and broth

4 duck breasts (or ½ duck cut into pieces, or 6 boneless, skinless chicken thighs)
1 large onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 carrot, chopped
1 bay leaf
12 oz. Spanish chorizo, sliced
1 ham steak (about 100 g), cubed
½ c. port wine
Pepper, to taste

For rice

2 c. dry rice
1 onion, chopped
4 c. duck broth (from the cooking above, with some additional water or broth, as needed)
Duck fat, to taste (or butter)
Salt, to taste

Directions

For meats and broth

In a large Dutch oven, add the duck meat, chorizo, and ham. Add carrots, onions, garlic, and bay leaf. Over medium heat, slightly brown the duck. Add the port, and water to cover the meats (I added about 2 c. total and then used homemade broth for the rest in the rice, but if you prefer, add about 3 ½ c. to get the amount you need for broth for the rice.). Bring to a boil, lower the heat, and simmer the meats in liquids, covered, for about 45 minutes until the duck is cooked through.

Once the meat is finished, remove the Dutch oven from heat, and then use tongs or a slotted spoon to remove the duck, chorizo, and ham (along with any vegetables). Reserve the broth in a separate bowl or large measuring cup.

Once the duck is cool enough to handle, shred it or cut it into cubes, removing any fat or skin as appropriate.

For the rice

In the same Dutch oven, or separately, heat the duck fat over medium heat. Add the onion and saute for about 5 minutes. Add the rice in and fry slightly. Add in the broth, seasoning with salt, and bring to a boil. Once boiling, reduce heat, and cover. Cook to package instructions, or between 15 to 20 minutes, until the rice is cooked through.

To finish

Heat oven to 425 degrees.

Once rice is finished, you can stir the meats back into the rice, cover the Dutch oven, and bake the mixture for about 20 minutes uncovered to let the flavors combine.

Or, for more crunch, (but dirtying another dish), you can (and dare I say, should) coat a large casserole dish or second Dutch oven in additional duck fat and then pour in about half the rice, mix in the duck, top with the remaining rice, and then top with chorizo and ham pieces, before baking for about 20 to 25 minutes uncovered.

Either way, I do hope you enjoy this treat, and have a Happy New Year! I’ll be back in 2020 with something completely different.

July 26, 2019

Weeknight Mexican rice

Taco nights are a wonderful weekday staple in our household, as I suspect they are in many. It’s so simple to whip up, especially when so much already comes pre-packaged and ready.

Our taco nights have become slightly less simple once we reduced our salt intake and therefore actually realized how much salt is contained in those pre-packaged items.

The low sodium beans are easy enough to come by, and a homemade taco seasoning mix can be made in bulk. Skipping out on my salty Spanish or Mexican rice, however, has been a source of frustration.

My sweetie has mostly taken up the duties of making Mexican rice so it’s still a no-fuss process for me. And if I’m being totally honest, the work that goes into homemade, healthier Mexican rice is only slightly more than dumping box contents into boiling water. After all, the rice part takes equally long to cook and is equally easy to ignore.

The worst part of the homemade rice is cutting a carrot and an onion; in other words, not all that much work.

My sweetie has kept the rice flavorful, without the salt, by adding a homemade broth. He has also started cutting out the addition of tomato and tomato paste. Since I was on duty this time, I made it my way.

Here’s what I did:

Ingredients

2 T. olive oil
1 medium onion, chopped
1 medium carrot, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 medium tomato, chopped, optional
1 c. medium grain rice
2 c. homemade vegetable or chicken broth (or water)
1 c. frozen peas
2 to 3 T. tomato paste

Directions

Add the oil to a Dutch oven on medium heat. Saute the onion and carrot for 3 to 5 minutes until just starting to soften. Add the garlic, tomato, if using, and the rice. Saute for another 3 to 5 minutes.

Add the broth and bring to a boil. Cover and cook on low heat for 12 to 15 minutes, until the rice is nearly done and the broth is absorbed. Add the peas and tomato paste, stir to combine, re-cover and cook until the peas are cooked through and rice is ready, about another 3 to 5 minutes.

Fluff the rice and enjoy with tacos … or next week’s recipe.

June 7, 2019

Slow cooked red beans and rice goodness

This week’s recipe is the perfect meal to make on a lazy weekend. It’s time consuming but also incredibly easy, relatively inexpensive, and not overly labor intensive.

The only problem with red beans and rice, really, is there’s enough chopping involved that it’s really helpful to have two working arms; at least if you’re used to using both and and heavily favor one.

So, like an idiot, I managed to injure myself exercising, and the right arm I usually use was not as useful as I would have liked. I could tackle most things, as sausage and celery are relatively easy even with a weakened arm. I called in my sweetie and sometimes sous chef to help with the rest of the prep for the red beans and rice.

He did most of the stirring, actually.

But barring that, this was a simple delight that I really enjoyed eating, especially as leftovers.

I mostly followed the Serious Eats recipe, though I didn’t know how to easily and cheaply track down ethically made pork shoulder or ham hock. Instead, I replaced them with just a little 6 oz. slab of Beeler’s ham. It was perfectly fine, and less expensive.

I still sprung for my favorite D’Artagnan andouille sausage.

After 2 hours or so on the stove top and a lot of waiting semi-patiently, the wonderfully tasty and filling meal was ready, with plenty of spare to enjoy too!

Here’s what I did:

Ingredients

1 lb. dried red kidney beans
Salt, for dried beans
1 T. vegetable oil
1 lb. andouille sausage, cut into ½ inch disks
1 large onion, chopped
1 green bell pepper, chopped
4 ribs celery, chopped
6 cloves garlic, minced
1 t. ground sage
2 t. dried thyme
3 bay leaves
Pepper, to taste
Cayenne pepper to taste (I used about 1 ½ t.)
6 to 8 oz. ham
6 to 8 c. broth (water will work, but I liked having the extra heartiness)
Hot sauce, to taste
Cider vinegar, to taste
Cooked white rice, for serving

Directions

The night before you plan to make the meal, or the morning before, place the dried beans in a bowl with water, covering the beans by a couple inches, and add a few pinches of salt, stirring until it’s dissolved. Let stand for 8 to 16 hours, before draining and rinsing.

In a large Dutch oven, heat the oil over medium-high heat. Add the sausage and cook until lightly browned, about 5 minutes. Add the onion, bell pepper, and celery, and cook until the vegetables have softened and the onions are just starting to brown, about 5 to 10 minutes. Add garlic and cook for another minute or so.

Add the cayenne, sage, black pepper, and thyme. Stir to mix.

Add the beans and the broth (or water) until the liquid covers the beans by about 2 inches. Add in the ham and bay leaves.

Bring to a boil, and then reduce to a simmer. Cover and cook until the beans are completely tender for 1 ½ to 2 hours, stirring occasionally.

Remove lid and continue to cook, stirring occasionally, until the liquid has thickened and turned creamy, 30 minutes to an hour. Season with hot sauce and cider vinegar, just before serving, and enjoy with prepared rice!

May 18, 2019

The best rice casserole

I love the boxed Rice-A-Roni mixes as much as the next person who has little time and a desire for calories. But I love even more the absence of guilt when I home make a similar recipe.

This is how I came to create my own broccoli cheddar rice casserole.

Sure, recipes abound for throwing together cooked rice, a pre-made cheese sauce, and some microwaved broccoli, but with slightly more effort, you can enjoy baked, cheese, rice, and broccoli that doesn’t feel quite as bad for you.

Though it wasn’t hard to find either kind of recipe online, there was nothing I found that quite suited my tastes. So, I did what I usually do, I mixed and matched to make it suitable for my Dutch oven dreams.

All the recipes of any kind called for mushrooms but I just about refuse to eat them. If they’re tiny and hidden, I may be able to handle some. I can kind of do raw ones, sometimes, if I have to, but as much as I try to keep an open mind about foods, I just can’t do it with mushrooms. So, if you like them, feel free to remove one head of broccoli from my recipe and substitute with 8 oz. mushrooms, or do both and have an extra vegetable-y recipe.

With my changes, and thanks to mostly Southern Living and a little Serious Eats, and I had the perfect recipe, and even better, it came together quickly and deliciously. I loved it.

Here’s what I did:

Ingredients

6 T. butter, divided
1 c. panko
2 c. cheddar, divided (I like extra sharp)
1 c. Parmesan, divided
3 c. broth (I used homemade; the recipe calls for chicken)
2 c. milk
1 bay leaf
2 t. thyme
1 large onion, chopped
2 stalks celery, chopped
Salt and pepper, to taste
1 t. red pepper flakes (optional but I liked the kick)
2 cloves garlic, minced
½ c. flour
1 ½ c. uncooked long-grain rice
1 c. sour cream
3 heads fresh broccoli florets, chopped to stems

Directions

Heat oven to 350 degrees.

Melt 2 T. butter, and combine it with the panko and ½ c. of the cheddar, and ½ c. of the Parmesan, and toss together. Set aside.

Melt remaining 4 T. in a large Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the onion and celery and cook, stirring occasionally, until the onion is lightly browned, 3 to 5 minutes. Add the broccoli (and mushrooms if using), the salt, pepper, thyme, bay leaf, and red pepper flakes, and cook for another 3 to 5 minutes until the broccoli has started to turn bright green. Add garlic and cook for another minute. Stir in the flour until combined.

Add the rice, and stir for another couple minutes. Stir in the broth and milk, and bring to a boil. Add the remaining cheeses, and the sour cream, and mix until well combined. Cover with Dutch oven lid or aluminum foil.

Bake for 25 to 30 minutes until the rice is tender, the liquid is nearly absorbed, and the broccoli is cooked through. Add the panko mixture on top, and bake for another 10 minutes until the top is browned. Let cool slightly, and enjoy!

February 23, 2019

Get full ahead of Fat Tuesday

Lent is coming. If you practice that sort of thing.

I don’t, but at this time of year, this relapsed Catholic still can’t help but think of the many holidays and sacrifices (that I’m not making) ahead. But mostly, I think of the Mardi Gras celebrations to come in New Orleans.

Then, I think of the the cajun food that I can enjoy.

Most years, when it’s still cold and miserable in Iowa, I make a hearty gumbo. But I wanted to try something different this year. So, I asked Mom for her popular jambalaya recipe.

I can see why it’s so beloved amongst her friend group — it is literally full to the brim with meats and flavors. But like with the cassoulet I made earlier this year, I could not rationalize eating 6 pounds of meat, so I cut some back from her recipe (that seems to come from the USA Cookbook).

The ingredients I used were the same, but my amounts varied quite a bit, except in the rice to broth amounts so I could ensure I didn’t end up with jambalaya soup or dried rice.

It worked out perfectly, even though I made it on a weeknight. There was relatively little swearing, and I’m looking forward to the leftovers as it was still filled to the brim.

Hopefully, the Dutch oven will be empty before Fat Tuesday, which is March 5 this year. (Note: This is a joke. I would not keep food around that long.)

Brimful of jambalaya in the Dutch oven. Nom noms.

Here’s what I did:

Ingredients

½ c. vegetable oil
1 lb. andouille sausage, cut into ½ inch slices
1 lb. chicken breast, cut into ½ inch pieces
3 medium onions, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced (I used more)
2 ribs celery, chopped
2 bell peppers, chopped (I used one red and one green)
2 bay leaves
1 t. dried basil (I used more)
¼ t. cayenne (ha, I used way more, try 2 t.)
2 c. long grain rice
4 ½ c. chicken or vegetable broth, preferably homemade
1 (14 oz.) can tomato sauce
1 (6 oz.) can tomato paste
1 lb. shrimp, peeled and deveined
¾ c. chopped fresh parsley, preferably flat-leaf
Salt and pepper, to taste

Directions

Heat oil in a large Dutch oven over medium to medium-high heat. Add the sausage and cook until browned, about 10 minutes. Use slotted spoon to remove and transfer to a paper towel-lined plate or bowl. Add the chicken pieces, and cook until just cooked through, about 5 to 10 minutes. Use a slotted spoon to remove and transfer to the same plate or bowl as the sausage.

Add the onions to the to the Dutch oven, and cook until softened and translucent, about 5 to 10 minutes. Add in the garlic, celery, bell peppers, bay leaves, cayenne, and basil. Cook for another 5 minutes.

Add the (uncooked rice) and cook, stirring for about 5 minutes. Add the broth, tomato sauce, tomato paste, and add back in the meat. Bring the mixture to a boil, reduce heat to a simmer, and then cook covered for about 20 to 25 minutes, until most of the liquid has been absorbed.

Add in the shrimp, and parsley, and cook, covered, for another 5 or so minutes, until the shrimp is cooked through. Adjust the seasons, as necessary, and enjoy!

March 31, 2018

First time for everything

The cookbook we got for Christmas, British chef Jamie Oliver’s “5 Ingredients,” has some interesting ingredients and in the case of sheet pan-like recipes, an interesting choice of preparation dishes.

It’s kind of like that Eddie Izzard joke about the difference between American English and British English, only less funny. But it is fun to suss out the differences in British cuisine and American, and sometimes challenging.

Saffron rice ingredients. Thankfully, easy to find.

Mostly in the US it’s getting easier to find the ingredients (yay rogan josh curry!) or find substitutes (no double cream, no problem, just mix sour cream with cream). But I’ll admit I’ve been kind of stumped by his use of a “roasting tray.”

It seems quite a bit like a rimmed sheet pan, but as with this week’s recipe, it calls for cooking ingredients on the stove in the tray before baking. As far as I know my sheet pan shouldn’t be used the same and I wasn’t willing to risk ruining my main shtick to test it out.

Given this difference between British cooking and American cooking, I’m not sure it made a ton of sense to prepare this week’s meal on a sheet pan, but part of me just wanted to prove that it was possible to do it.

See, it was baked saffron rice, and I’ve never baked rice and wanted to see if it worked.

It maybe wasn’t practical but it did work and made a nice side dish for some lamb kofta. And because it wasn’t made like normal rice, it had a little more texture.

All in all, I think it was pretty worth it. And since it was only 5 ingredients (plus some pantry items), it was pretty easy. And tasty!

Here’s what I did:

Ingredients

2 medium red onions, or 1 large
2 pinches of saffron
1 (5.3 oz.) container plain yogurt
1 (2.8 oz.) tube of sun-dried tomato paste
1 ⅓ to 1 ½ c. white basmati rice (it actually calls for 300 grams, and I have a scale so I measured 300 grams, but for those that don’t, the Internet gave me a cup equivalent)
1 to 2 T. olive oil
2 ½ c. boiling water (again, this is 600 milliliters, which should be on a measuring cup, but just in case, this is the conversion)
Salt and pepper, to taste

Directions

Heat oven to 400 degrees.

Chop the onions, and fry with olive oil in a large pan for about 4 minutes. Meanwhile, place half the saffron in the boiling water. In a small bowl, cover the remaining saffron with 1 T. boiling water, steep for a short while (he recommends 10 seconds, I did mine for minutes) and then mix it with the yogurt. Set aside the yogurt mix.

Once the onions are ready, stir in the tomato paste, rice, salt and pepper, and then pour on the saffron water. Bring to a boil, and then transfer to a large rimmed sheet pan (about 15 inches by 12 inches). Bake rice in the oven for about 15 to 20 minutes, or until the rice has absorbed the water and fluffed up.

Spoon the yogurt mixture onto the rice, and enjoy!