Spanish Rice

I don’t know why I call this “Spanish Rice” except for the fact that it has similar ingredients as my yummy Seafood Paella. I’m not sure if it is Spanish, Mexican, American, or Span-Mexi-Merican? What I do know is that it has a lot of flavor, its vegetarian, has a beautiful color combination, and I want to make it again very soon! I made this dish to serve along side of my Chicken Mole, as I thought just plain white rice might be a bit boring. The recipe is quite simple, it starts with an annatto infused oil, your basic sofrito, and then rice and chicken stock. It has enough flavor and heartiness to be its own meal, or you can use it as a side dish like I did.

Spanish Rice

1 Tablespoon Annatto Seeds (also called achiote seeds)
3 Tablespoons Vegetable Oil
1 Large Onion, diced
2 Cloves Garlic, minced Fine
1 Red Bell Pepper, diced
2 Cups Long Grain White Rice
4 Cups Chicken Stock
1 Tablespoon Salt
2 Cups Frozen Peas, thawed
¼ Cup Cilantro, minced (or parsley if you don’t like cilantro)

In a 4 quart sauce pan heat the annatto seed and oil over medium high heat until small bubbles start to form, turn off heat and let sit until the oil turns a bright red, saffron color. Using a slotted spoon or strainer, remove all annatto seeds and throw away. Next, add the onion, garlic and bell pepper and cook over medium heat until just tender, about 5 minutes. Add rice and continue to cook until all the rice is coated in oil and has a “chalky” coating on it, just a few minutes. Add the chicken stalk and salt, and bring to a boil, stir and cook for a couple minutes. Reduce heat to low, cover and cook for 20 minutes. Add thawed peas and cilantro and stir until well combined, serve immediately.

Wild Rice with Chicken and Asparagus

This is a nice healthy quick meal to fix and has a lot of flavor. I love the taste of wild rice and the firm texture of all the different grains. If you want to make this more healthy you can definitely leave out the butter and the cheese. I of course add extra cheese to mine, but that’s ok right?

Wild Rice with Chicken and Asparagus

2 Boneless-Skinless Chicken Breasts, cut into cubes
1 Bunch Asparagus, tough ends removed and cut into 1 inch pieces
2 Cups Wild Rice
4 Cups Chicken Stock
2 Tablespoons Butter
1 Teaspoon Salt
1 Tablespoon Oil
Handful Parmesan Cheese

In large sauce pan, heat the butter, add rice and salt, cook until fragrant. Add chicken stock and bring to a boil, reduce heat to a simmer, cover and let cook for 20 minutes. While rice is cooking, add oil to a non-stick frying pan and cook chicken for about 5 minutes, add asparagus and continue cooking for an additional 5 minutes, or until chicken is cooked through and asparagus is tender. Add the chicken mixture to the rice and stir, serve with a sprinkling of parmesan cheese over the top.

Seafood Paella

I don’t make this dish often but should because it is so delicious! I love all the different flavors and the mixture of all the different meats that you put in. It is a little expensive to buy all the ingredients, but well worth it. This would also be a great dish to make for holidays as an alternative to ham or turkey. This recipe serves 6, but you can add more rice if you want to stretch it out a bit more.

Seafood Paella

1 pound shrimp
2 pounds chicken breast, cut into 1 inch cubes
1 pound chorizo or spicy sausage sliced into ¼ inch thick slices
1 pound mussels
1 pound clams
1 teaspoon saffron (combined with 2 Tablespoons boiling water)
1 large yellow onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic minced
4 bay leaves
3 roma tomatoes, minced
1 pound frozen peas
3 cups medium grained rice
6-8 cups chicken stock

1 Bunch Parsley, chopped

1 Lemon, cut into wedges

Pre-heat oven to 375 degrees. In 16” paella pan (I use my Le Creuset 5 1/2 quart briaser pan) heat 2 tablespoons vegetable oil over medium high heat, add shrimp and cook until just pink, remove from pan. Add 2 more tablespoons vegetable oil, add chicken and cook until lightly browned and cooked through (no pink in the middle), remove from pan. Add chorizo to pan and cook until golden brown, do not drain grease. Add onion, garlic and bay leaves, and cook until translucent and slightly golden, then add peas. Next, add tomatoes and cook until soft, add rice and cook until all oil/liquid is absorbed. Turn heat down to medium, add 4 cups chicken stock, and saffron mixture, cook while stirring occasionally until all liquid is absorbed. Add 1 cup of stock at a time and cook until rice is al dente. (this should take about 20 minutes and mixture should never boil rapidly, but instead simmer slightly, or your liquids will evaporate too quickly). Turn off heat and stir in shrimp and chicken. Next add mussels and clams hinge side down and place in oven. Cook uncovered for 15-20 minutes until mussels and clams open and cooked through (discard any that do not open). Cover with foil and let rest for 10 minutes. Serve sprinkled with parsley and a lemon wedge.

Black Beans & Rice

I have never made black beans before, which is really funny considering how easy they are to make. I had a few people over for dinner this week and made black beans and rice and served it with my pork braised in chili sauce. Everything turned out super yummy. I also made fresh salsa and a pumpkin cheesecake which I will share the recipe to later on. Please enjoy!

Black Beans

1 Pound Bag Dried Black Beans
1 Smoked Ham Hock
1 Medium Yellow Onion, diced
1 Jalapeno Pepper, stem removed, chopped very fine, with seeds
3 Garlic Cloves, minced
3 Bay Leaves
1 Quart Chicken Stock
1 Teaspoon Salt
2 Teaspoons Cumin
3 Tablespoons Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Heat olive oil in 4 quart pan over medium heat, add onion and simmer until golden brown, about 10 minutes. Next add jalapeno pepper, garlic, and bay leaves, fry until fragrant, about 2 more minutes. Add all remaining ingredients and bring to a boil, reduce heat to a simmer and continue to cook for about 3 hours or until beans are tender, while adding water to keep liquid level ½ inch above beans at all times. Do not add any liquid the last 30 minutes and let all moisture soak into beans to create a thick consistency. Remove ham hock and serve immediately.

Rice

4 Cups Long Grain White Rice
½ Cup Vegetable Oil
2 Tablespoons Salt
3-4 Cups Water

Combine rice, salt, and vegetable oil in a 4 quart pan over medium high heat, sauté until rice is chalky. Next add enough water to cover rice by 1 inch, about 3-4 cups. Bring mixture to a boil, reduce heat to lowest setting, cover with lid and let cook for 20 minutes without stirring or removing lid. Fluff with fork and serve.

Indian Basmati Rice

I have tried many rice recipes and this is what I have created by blending many recipes together. It’s full of flavor and goes well with any Indian curry. I often make this recipe for dinner on its own when I’m craving Indian food but don’t have the time to create an entire meal. The chicken stock adds a ton of flavor, but you can easily submit water if you want more of a pure neutral rice flavor.

Indian Basmati Rice

2 Cups Basmati Rice
4 Cups Chicken Broth
6 Tablespoons Ghee (or butter)
1 Teaspoon Saffron Threads
2 Tablespoons Hot Water
1 Cup Diced Onions
1 Cinnamon Stick, broken
4 Bay Leaves
¼ Teaspoon Ground Cardamom Powder
1 Tablespoon Cumin Seeds
4 Cloves, whole
2 Teaspoons Salt

Soak saffron threads in hot water. Heat ghee and fry onions and then remove and set aside. Add cinnamon, cumin seeds, cardamom powder, cloves and salt, sauté 1 minute. Add bay leaves and onions, and rice, cook while stirring for 4-5 minutes or until all the ghee is absorbed and the rice is coated with oil. Add the broth and bring to a boil. Add saffron and its water, cook covered, over low heat until all liquid is absorbed. Fluff with fork, remove bay leaves and cinnamon stick and serve.