Admit it - you sang it. Ok. Maybe just me. What can I say? I'm stuck in the 90s when it comes to music... This month I decided to use a staple that most people have laying around the house: rice. There is so much more that you can do with rice than just steam it. And there is more than just long grain rice! The shorter the grain, the higher the starch content. I've used 4 different kinds of rice below to show some of the differences. I hope you enjoy! |
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You can't talk rice without talking risotto. And how can you go wrong with shrimp scampi? Answer: you can't. I made my own shrimp stock with the shrimp shells for this, but you could also use store-bought seafood stock or veggie stock. If you have to peel and devein your own shrimp, it can be tedious. But here is a video showing you the easiest and fastest way to do it! | | |
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Serves 4 Ingredients: 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided 6 cloves garlic, minced 1 cup Arborio or Carnaroli rice 1/4 cup dry white wine 5 cups vegetable or shrimp stock, simmering (here's how to make stock yourself) 1 pound medium shrimp, peeled and deveined 3 tablespoons minced parsley, plus additional for garnish (see the best way to mince here) Procedure: In a large saucepan set over medium heat, melt 3 tablespoons of the butter. When melted, add garlic and cook until fragrant, 30-60 seconds. Add rice and toast until outer edges of the rice are translucent. Add white wine and cook until fully absorbed. Season stock generously with salt and pepper. Ladle in just enough stock mixture to cover the rice. Stir until the liquid takes on a starchy appearance, then stop stirring. Allow to simmer until the rice is peeking through the liquid. Repeat this process until most of the liquid is absorbed. Add just enough to cover the rice again and repeat the process. After about 4 cups of stock have been added, check for doneness of rice. If rice is almost cooked, add shrimp and remaining stock and stir constantly until shrimp is just cooked through and remaining stock is absorbed, about 2-3 minutes. Remove from heat and add remaining butter and parsley. Adjust seasoning with salt and pepper. Serve, garnished with additional parsley. |
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Butternut Squash and Chorizo Paella |
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I love to make paella, though I don't always make the most traditional of them (I don't keep rabbit laying around much). With fall here, butternut squash is making the rounds, so I thought this would be a great addition to my paella! And what goes perfect with butternut squash? Why, sage of course! Be sure though that you use Spanish chorizo rather than Mexican (it is a hard, cured sausage). If you don't know how to cut a bell pepper, I have a video here that shows you two different ways! | | |
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Serves 4 Ingredients: 2 tablespoons olive oil 2 ounces Spanish chorizo, sliced or diced 1 onion, diced (see how professionals do it here) 1 red bell pepper, diced 1 pound butternut squash, peeled and cut in 1” cubes (try using a serrated peeler to peel it) 2 teaspoons dry sage (or 4 teaspoons fresh, minced sage) 1 teaspoon smoked paprika (sweet or spicy) 1 1/2 cups paella rice (or Arborio will work in a pinch) 5 cups vegetable stock, simmering Minced parsley, for garnish Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste Procedure: Set a paella pan or large skillet over a medium heat. When pan is hot, add olive oil. When oil is hot, add chorizo. Cook until chorizo begins to get crispy, about 2-3 minutes. Remove chorizo from pan, leaving behind fat. Add onion and bell pepper to pan. Sauté until onion is translucent, an additional 2-3 minutes. Add squash and cook for about 2 additional minutes. Add spices and cook until fragrant, about 30-60 seconds. Add rice and toast for about 1-2 minutes, or until rice begins to turn opaque. Add stock and season with salt and pepper. After stock returns to simmer, reduce heat to low (up to medium-low if needed to maintain a simmer) and cover with lid or aluminum foil. Cook, without stirring, until liquid is absorbed and rice is cooked, about 20-30 minutes. Once rice is cooked, remove lid and increase heat to medium-high. Cook for 2-3 minutes, or until bottom rice is beginning to get crispy. Remove from heat and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper if needed. Garnish with fresh parsley and serve immediately. |
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Southwest Chicken, Rice, and Black Bean Bake |
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The great thing about this recipe is that you just put it all in a pan, throw it in the oven, and forget about it until it's done. The cleanup is also super easy. If you like your food a little spicier, just throw some finely diced jalapenos in the rice mixture. Just add to taste. |
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Serves 4 Ingredients: For spice mixture: 1 teaspoon garlic powder 1/2 teaspoon onion powder 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika or chipotle chile powder 1/2 teaspoon ground coriander 1 teaspoon ground cumin For the casserole: 1 cup long grain rice, uncooked 2 cups chicken stock, vegetable stock, or water, hot 1, 15-ounce can black beans, drained and rinsed 1, 14.5-ounce can diced tomatoes 1/2 cup corn (frozen or fresh) 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts 1 cup Monterey Jack cheese Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste Procedure: Mix together all ingredients for the spice mixture in a small bowl and set aside. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. In a greased 9” x 13” pan, mix together rice, stock, beans, tomatoes, corn, and 1 teaspoon of the spice mixture. Season with salt and pepper. Season the chicken breasts with salt, pepper, and remaining spice mixture. Place on top of the rice and cover with foil. Place in preheated oven and cook until chicken is cooked through and rice is cooked, 50-60 minutes, stirring rice halfway through cook time. Remove foil from dish and sprinkle cheese over the top of the chicken breasts. Return to oven until cheese is just melted, about 5 minutes more. Remove from oven and let rest for 10 minutes before serving. |
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Japanese-Style Chicken and Rice Soup |
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Unfortunately there is just no way to make a bowl of soup look pretty. But we are now officially in soup season! If you are looking for a little change-up of traditional chicken and rice soup, why not try this fusion version? I took the ideas of miso soup and chicken and rice soup and combined them. This is a nice warm, comforting bowl of soup. Just remember that the longer the rice sits in the liquid, the more the rice will absorb the liquid, so if you leave it overnight, you may just end up with porridge! |
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Serves 4 Ingredients: 5 dried shiitake mushrooms, soaked in boiling water for 10-15 minutes 4 cups dashi (either instant from Amazon or your local Japanese market, or make your own) 3 cups low-sodium or homemade chicken stock 4 boneless, skinless chicken thighs, cut into 1” pieces 1/3 cup white miso 1 cup sushi rice (Calrose is often found in standard grocery stores) Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste Procedure: Drain shiitake mushrooms, reserving 1 cup of the soaking liquid. Slice thinly and set aside. Combine dashi, stock, and reserved mushroom water in a large saucepan or Dutch oven with a lid. Bring to a simmer. Add miso. Season with salt and pepper if needed. Add chicken pieces and sliced mushrooms. Simmer for 10 minutes, or until chicken is about half cooked. Add rice, reduce to a low heat, and cover. Cook for 17-20 minutes, or until rice is cooked through. Remove from heat, adjust seasoning with salt and pepper as necessary. Serve while hot. |
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