Last night I made dinner for three of my classmates from the Rudolf Steiner School. They were in town for our reunion.
Menu
Red Kidney Beans with Garlic Rosemary Oil
Mixed Grain Baguette from Orwashers Bakery (I bought it at Citeralla)
Grey Sole Meunière
A Sauté of Asparagus an Shitake Mushrooms
Brown and Red Rice Pilaf
Salad
For the rice dish, I was looking in my pantry with all the different grains I have.
I wanted to make a simple rice pilaf, but with a different twist.
I decided to try combining short grain brown rice with red rice.
Lynn Rubin, a dear friend and one of my once a month regular students, had brought me some red rice when vacationing in the Camargue region in the south of France.
It turned out beautifully and I wanted to share the recipe with you.
Rice Recipe
1 cup short grain rice
¼ cup red rice
1 ½ tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
½ cup diced leeks or onions
¾ teaspoon salt
A pinch of cayenne
¼ teaspoon turmeric
2 cups stock ( chicken, turkey, or vegetable) heated
2 tablespoons chopped parsley or scallions
Procedure
Wash and drain the brown and red rice.
Put the rice in a bowl, cover it with cold water, swish it around with your hand. Particles of dirt will float to the top, then pour them off. Drain in a strainer.
Place the stock in a sauce pan and bring to a simmer.
In a 2-3 quart sauce pan with a tight fitting cover, (my favorite pot in which to cook rice is Le Creuset, which is cast iron coated with enamel) heat the pot for one minute over a high flame. Add the olive oil, turn the flame to low and then add the leeks. Sauté for 2 minutes .
Add the salt , cayenne, and turmeric.
Turn the flame to medium high and add the washed, drained grains.
Using a wooden spoon stir to coat the rice with the oil for about 2 minutes.
Add the heated stock, bring to a boil, stir cover and turn the flame to low and simmer for 30 to 35 minutes. After 15 minutes take a peek , you may need to raise the flame slightly.
The rice is done when you see ” fish eyes” or steam holes, the stock has been completely absorbed into the rice, and the grains are cooked through.
Turn off the heat and let the rice ” relax” for 15 to 30 minutes.
Garnish with chopped parsley or scallions.
The rice will stay warm for up to one hour.
Store left over rice in the frig for up to 5 days.
You can buy red rice at Fair Way and Whole Foods.
Try to catch a sale if you are interested in buying a Le Creuset pot. Sometimes department stores run a sale when the company is discontining the color.
Store turmeric in the refrigerator to maximize the scent.
If using a commerical stock, omit the salt in the recipe.