Roasted Carrots and Kale Rice Bowl

This healthy combination of flavorful roasted veggies over rice, topped with an egg, is a great example of what a vegetarian rice bowl can be. Nutty brown rice is perfect for this dish, but plain white rice is good, too. The flavors in the original recipe come from a bold Middle-eastern spice mixture called za'atar, a mixture of thyme, ground sesame seeds, and powdered sumac. I can't get za'atar, or sumac, at my local grocery store, and it seemed kind of pricey online, so I did some research and come up with my own faux blend. To be honest, I have no idea how close this is to the real deal, but it was pretty tasty.

To make faux za'atar, combine 3 tsp dried thyme, 1 1/2 tsp lemon pepper salt, and 1/4 tsp toasted sesame seeds in a spice grinder and pulse into a powder. This should make about 2 Tbl. Use what you need for the recipe, and then keep he remainder in an airtight container.

Now let's get started on the dish.

Ingredients

5 carrots, peeled, halved crosswise, then halved or quartered lengthwise to create uniformly sized pieces.

1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil, divided

2 tsp za'atar

8 oz. kale, stemmed and chopped into 1-inch strips

2 Tbl red wine vinegar

1 green onion, finely sliced

4 eggs

Salt and pepper

2 cups cooked rice, or more if desired

Directions

With an oven rack in the upper middle position, preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.

Toss the carrots, 1 Tbl oil, za'atar, 1/4 tsp salt and 1/8 tsp pepper together in bowl. Spread the carrots onto the prepared baking sheet and cover with foil. Roast in the oven for 20 minutes.

In the meantime, toss together the kale, 1 Tbl oil, 1/4 tsp salt, and 1/8 tsp of pepper together, using the same bowl as the carrots. (Why dirty more dishes than you need to?) Next, whisk together the vinegar, green onion, and 3 Tbl olive oil in a bowl to make a quick vinaigrette. Season with salt and pepper to taste and set aside.

When the carrots are done roasting, remove the foil and spread the kale evenly over the top. Return the carrots and kale to the oven and continue to cook, uncovered, until the carrots are spotty brown and tender and kale is crisp, about 15 minutes.

In the meantime, divide the cooked rice into individual serving bowls, about 1/2 cup per bowl. Top with the roasted vegetables and drizzle the vinaigrette over the rice and veggies. Cover and set aside. 

Heat the remaining oil in a 12-inch skillet over medium heat until shimmering. Crack the eggs into two small bowls, 2 eggs per bowl, and season with salt and pepper. Working quickly, pour the eggs into the skillet, cover, and cook for 1 minute. Remove from the heat and let sit, covered, for 1 to 2 minutes more, depending on how runny, or set, you like your yolks. Top each bowl with one egg, and serve.

Makes 4 servings.

Takes about 45 minutes to make.

Herbed Rice Pilaf with Almonds - International Side

The classic American meal, as I recall it, consists of an entree, and two side dishes - one starch, one veggie. Once you get tired of mashed potatoes or bread for the starchy side, though, you start to come around to rice. Rice is a great grain. I love it and so do millions of other people, worldwide. Rice can be a little bland by itself, though. In our case, we're going to kick up the rice's flavor by adding a few herbs to make a fluffy, savory, side dish.

Traditionally, a pilaf is a rice dish cooked in broth and seasoned with herbs and spices. Not all pilafs are the same. It's origins are in the middle east, but variations can be found throughout east Africa, as well as central and southern Asia. Pilafs vary as widely as the cultures it came from, and the cultures where it spread, which is just about everywhere. Some people add meat and veggies, but that goes beyond what we're going to do with, here. For me, it's all about fluffy rice with herb-packed goodness.

Don't think for a minute you have to use the herbs I've listed. Try a few spices, while you're at it. Is the entree turkey with sage? Tie it together by adding sage. BBQ Chicken? Spice it up with paprika and a pinch of cayenne. Play around and make it your own.

Note: I've indicated dried thyme and parsley, because that's what I normally have on hand. You can substitute 1 teaspoon of freshly minced thyme, if you'd like. If you don't have fresh parsley on hand, you can used dried parsley. Add it along with the thyme before cooking the rice, though, or it won't give up it's flavor as well.

Equipment Needed

cutting board

chef's knife

non-stick skillet

saucepan

long handled cooking spoon

measuring cups and spoons

garlic press (optional)

Ingredients

1 small onion, minced

2 garlic cloves, minced

½ cup sliced almonds.

3 Tablespoons butter

Salt and black pepper as needed

1 ½ cups long-grain rice

½ teaspoon dried thyme

1 bay leaf

2 ¼ cups chicken broth

¼ cup fresh, chopped parsley.

Directions

Toast the almonds in a dry, non-stick skillet over medium heat until fragrant and toasty, about 4 minutes. Keep them moving so they don't burn. Remove from the heat and transfer them to a plate to cool.

Melt the butter in a medium to large saucepan over medium-high heat. At the onion and a pinch of salt. Cook until just softened, about 3 minutes.

Add the rice and cook, stirring frequently, until the edges start to turn translucent, about 2 minutes. This denatures the starches and helps the rice stay fluffy, not sticky.

Add the garlic, thyme, bay leaf, and dried parsley. Cook, stirring constantly, until fragrant, about 30 seconds.

Stir in the chicken broth and bring the mixture to a boil. Cover, reducing the heat to low, and cook until most of the liquid is absorbed and the rice is tender, about 20 minutes. Remove from the heat and let it stand, covered, for 10 minutes more.

Discard the bay leaf and fluff with a fork. Stir in the almonds and fresh parsley, if using. Season with salt and black pepper to taste.

Makes 4 – 6 servings.

Cuban Black Beans – Not Just for Ricky Ricardo

When Lucy Ricardo got in trouble in the I Love Lucy TV show, she might have less “splainin’ to do” if she’d softened up Ricky’s heart with this Cuban black beans and rice recipe. Sauteed vegetables, bacon, cumin, and chorizo, give these beans an authentic Cuban flavor. Serve them with plain white rice and lime wedges. You can add sour cream or hot sauce, if you want, but I don’t think they need much dressing up.

You’ll want to use dried, Spanish style chorizo in this dish, not the fresh Mexican kind. My local supermarket doesn’t carry it, but they do carry a chorizo sausage made by Colosimos, an excellent local sausage company. I cook it that up to use in place of the Spanish chorizo.

The original recipe calls for 1/4 cup minced cilantro. I like cilantro, but not enough to buy it. It has a kind of  “soapy” aftertaste to me, so I’ve substituted dried parsley.

Equipment Needed
Cutting board
Chef’s knife
Garlic press (optional)
Measuring cups and spoons
Dutch oven or large pot.
Colander
Large spoon

Ingredients
2 slices bacon, cut into small peices
2 onions, chopped
1 red bell pepper, chopped
6 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 pound chorizo sausage, cooked or dried and cut into 1/2 pieces
2 cans (15 oz) blacks beans, rinsed and drained
1 teaspoon cumin
1 teaspoon salt
3/4 teaspoon oregano
2 bay leaves
1/2 cup chicken broth
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1 tablespoon dried parsely
Ground black pepper
Cooking oil

Directions
Heat 1 teaspoon oil in a large Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the bacon and cook until crisp, about 6-8 minutes. Stir in the onions, bell pepper, cumin, and salt. Continue cooking until the vegetables are softened, about 8 minutes.

Stir in the garlic, red pepper, and oregano. Cook until fragrant, about 15 seconds.

Add the broth, bay leaves, beans, parsley, and sausage. Simmer, stirring occasionally, until the broth reduces and thickens, about 10 minutes. Remove the bay leaves. Season with salt and black pepper, to taste. Spoon the beans over rice and squeeze a bit of lime juice over them.

Makes 8 servings.

Creamy Polenta with Parmesan Cheese

Polenta can be quite a nice treat, either as a side dish or main course. It’s odd to think that this much sought after, and sometimes expensive, dish began life as congealed corn much. Yup! Let hot corn mush harden and you’ve got polenta.

Italians don’t only each it after it’s firmed up, though. Intelligent foodistas that they are, they enjoy it hot from the pan as well, as creamy polenta. It’s the ultimate comfort food.

Contrary to what some may tell you, the best polenta is made from coarsely ground cornmeal. If you like eating craft glue, by all means, use a fine ground cornmeal. Otherwise, stick with a course grind. Stone-ground cornmeal is a close second choice, but because of it’s uneven grind, you get uneven results.

One of the nice things about this recipe is that it's so easy. My ten year old made the polenta you see pictured.

Equipment needed
Cutting board
Chef’s knife
Microplane or rasp grater
Measuring cups and spoons
Saucepan
Whisk
Wooden (or plastic) spoon

Ingredients
3 Tbl butter
2 ounces Parmesan cheese (1 cup, grated)
6 cups water
1 1/2 cups coarsely ground cornmeal
Salt as needed

Directions
Cut the butter into large chunks and set aside. Grate the cheese with a fine rasp grater or microplane. You should end up with about 1 cup of grated Parmesan.

Bring 6 cups water to a boil in a medium saucepan. Add 1 1/2 tsp salt. Slowly add the cornmeal, whisking the whole time to avoid clumps. Reduce to a simmer, stirring constantly. Cover and reduce the heat to low. Continue stirring often, making sure you get into the corners of the pan, until the polenta is smooth and soft. This can take anywhere from 5 to 30 minutes, depending on the humidity and corn meal. Taste to check if it’s done. It should have a warm toasted corn flavor and be smooth in texture. Stir in the butter and grated Parmesan. Season with additional salt to taste and serve.

Serve with additional Parmesan cheese, your favorite marinara sauce, or with any other desired toppings.

Makes 6 servings.

I posted a recipe for the firmed up version of polenta, earlier. I like this mash recipe better. If you want firm polenta, you can allow this mixture to cool, cutting it into squares and frying just as I did in the original recipe.

Mexican Rice Recipe

Coming up with side dishes for taco night can be tough, even if you include a salad. A favorite of mine has always been Mexican rice. I fooled around with quick ways of making this dish for years, but they were always sub-standard. This recipe, modified for my panty from an America’s Test Kitchen recipe, is the bomb. It uses a trick I first learned by watching Rick Bayless, cooking the rice in the oven.

Equipment Needed
Strainer
Measuring cups and spoons
Cutting board
Chef’s knife
Garlic press (optional)
Food processor or blender
Dutch oven or large saucepan
Long handled spoon

Ingredients
2 cups white rice
1 can diced tomatoes, 15 oz. can
1 yellow onion
4 cloves garlic
3 tsp chili powder
1/3 cup canola oil
2 cups chicken broth
1 Tbl tomato paste
Salt
3 Tbl dried parsley
Pepper
2 tsp lime juice

Directions
Place the rice in a strainer and rinse thoroughly with cold water. Open the canned tomatoes and drain them, reserving the juices. Peel and quarter the onion. Peel and mince the garlic. Set each aside.

Put an oven rack into the middle position and preheat the oven to 350 °F.

Add the onion and tomatoes to the blender or food processor and puree until smooth. Add back only enough of the reserved juice to make exactly 2 cups. Remove extra and either discard or save for use in something else.

Heat 1/3 cup of oil in a large saucepan or Dutch oven over medium heat until it shimmers. Add the rice and sauté, stirring frequently, for about 10 minutes. The rice will start to become lightly golden. Stir in the garlic and chili powder. Cook until fragrant, about 15 seconds.

Stir in the tomato mixture, broth, tomato paste, and 1 1/2 tsp salt. Bring to a boil, cover, and bake until the rice is tender and the liquid is absorbed, about 30 minutes. Stir once halfway through cooking.

Remove from the oven and fluff the rice with a fork. Mix in the lime juice and dried parsley. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Makes 6 servings.

You can add additional chili power or a few dashes of Tabasco sauce if you want more heat.

Lentil Tacos

My daughters are “sometimes” vegetarians. They like eating hamburgers, hot dogs and other foods that carnivores enjoy, but only on days when they don't have to think about where it came from. Other days getting them to eat anything that came as the result of killing an animal is like negotiating with an emotional terrorist.

“What's for dinner, Dad?” they ask.

“We're having meatloaf tonight.”

“What? No! I can't eat that. A cow was murdered for this, Dad!”

“You ate the hamburgers we had the other day and went back for seconds. This is the same kind of meat. You've liked my meatloaf in the past. What's the problem?”

“Oh, Dad! You just don't understand!” and they dash off to their rooms crying like little banshees and making me feel like I've broken their hearts by killing the family dog.

They certainly got one thing right in that conversation. I don't understand.

At times like this it's helpful to have a few vegetarian recipes up your cooking sleeve. In this case, it's a taco made with lentils instead of murdered cows.

Equipment needed:
Large frying pan with lid
Kitchen knife
measuring cups and spoons


Ingredients:
1 tablespoon Cooking Oil
1 medium Onion, finely chopped
2 cloves Garlic, finely minced
1 cup Dried Lentils, rinsed and sorted
2 teaspoons Chili Powder
2 teaspoons Ground Cumin
1 teaspoon Dried Oregano
2 teaspoons Paprika
2 1/2 cups Vegetable Broth, or water
1/2 cup Salsa
12 Tortillas
Lettuce, shredded
Tomatoes, chopped
Sour Cream
Queso Fresco, or other cheese, grated

Directions:
Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and garlic and cook until the onion is soft and translucent. Add the lentils, chili powder, cumin, oregano and paprika. Cook and stir for one minute, allowing the spices to bloom.

Add the broth and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat, cover and simmer until lentils are tender, about 25 - 30 minutes. Uncover and sit in the salsa. Cook about 6-8 minutes more, stirring occasionally, until the mixture is thick and some of the lentils start to break up.

Spoon about 1/4 cup of the mixture into a tortilla shell and top with the tomatoes, lettuce, sour cream and cheese as desired. Enjoy!

Makes 6 servings.