Lebanese Rice

 

Lebanese Rice

Looking for a special side dish? You can use basmati or any long grain rice and it will cook up just as nicely. The addition of broken vermicelli is optional. The recipe scales up very easily for a big crowd. Also, you can make this dish in advance and reheat it with more broth and another handful of freshly cut scallions. Hold to garnish with pine
nuts until serving.
Ingredients:
For the rice:
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon butter (optional)
1/4 cup vermicelli, broken into 1-inch pieces
1 1/2 cups long grain rice
Big pinch kosher salt
2 sticks cinnamon
3 cups chicken or vegetable broth
For the melange:
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
1 pound button mushrooms, sliced
1 bunch scallions, finely sliced, both white and green parts
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 cup toasted pine nuts
Kosher salt, to taste

Directions:
In a 3-quart saucepan, heat the oil and butter over medium high heat until foamy. Add the vermicelli, if using, and cook until the pasta is deeply toasted. Add the rice and salt, and stir to coat it with the oils. Tuck in the cinnamon sticks, add the broth, cover and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium low and cook until the rice is soft and has fully absorbed the broth, about 20 minutes.

In a large sauté pan, heat the olive oil over medium high heat until it is hot, but not smoking. Add as many of the sliced mushrooms as will fit in one layer. Leave them to cook without disturbing them for a few minutes, to encourage browning, then stir and continue cooking until they are nicely browned but still somewhat firm. Push the mushrooms to one side and sauté the remaining mushrooms in this same way if there wasn’t room in the first round. Add more olive oil if the pan gets dry.

Reduce the heat to medium and add the garlic and scallions, reserving a small handful of the sliced green scallion for garnish. Cook just until the scallions are starting to wilt. Taste and add more salt if needed.

Stir the rice into the mushroom mixture, discarding the cinnamon sticks. Drizzle with more olive oil, and taste. Add more salt if needed. The rice can now rest, covered, on the stovetop until you are ready to eat (up to several hours). Just warm it over low heat.

Garnish with the raw scallions and pine nuts, and serve immediately.

  

Cranberry Beans In Tomato Sauce On Polenta

Cranberry Beans In Tomato Sauce

Ingredients:

1/4 cup olive oil
1 large or 2 small red onions, finely chopped
2 cloves garlic, peeled and finely chopped
2 cups canned chopped tomatoes, with their juices
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1 cup chicken or vegetable broth
10 fresh basil leaves, finely chopped
4 fresh sage leaves, finely chopped
4 to 5 cups cooked, drained Rancho Gordo Cranberry or borlotti beans
Salt and freshly ground pepper
2 cups yellow polenta
6 ounces pancetta, diced (optional)
Chopped fresh basil or parsley for garnish

Serves 6

Directions:

In a large pan, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the onions and garlic and cook, stirring, until the onions begin to soften, about 3 minutes. Stir in the tomatoes and vinegar. Dissolve the tomato paste in the broth and add to the onions and tomatoes. Add the basil and sage. Season with salt and pepper and simmer until the sauce has thickened, 15 to 20 minutes.

Add the beans to the tomato sauce. Cook, stirring, to combine and heat through, about 15 minutes.

To prepare the polenta: In a heavy pot, combine the cornmeal with 1 tablespoon salt. Turn the heat to medium and gradually whisk in 9 cups cold water, stirring constantly, until the polenta begins to boil. Lower the heat and simmer, stirring frequently with a wooden spoon, until thick, about 45 minutes.

If using pancetta: Place the pancetta in a small saucepan over low heat. Cook, stirring frequently, until the pancetta is brown and crisp, about 15 minutes. Use a slotted spoon to transfer the pancetta to a paper towel to drain.

To serve, spoon the polenta into serving dishes. Ladle the beans over the polenta and top with the pancetta, if using. Garnish with fresh herbs.  Serves  6

*For information on the Cranberry Beans, go to Rancho Gordo Beans.com