Red Beans, Chorizo and Rice

I was about to put chili on the menu again last week, but then realized it had been a long time since we'd had a nice big pot of beans and rice. Matt noticed there were a couple chorizo links in the freezer, so we decided to add those too.

Other than cooking the bean, this is a one pot meal. The rice absorbs wonderful flavor from being cooked in the bean cooking water, red peppers and liquid from the tomatoes. Yes, you can use canned beans, but then I might add some chicken stock with the rice for a little more flavor.

Red Beans, Chorizo and Rice

1 1/2 c dried red beans (we used Good Mother Stallard from Rancho Gordo)
1 T olive oil
2 red peppers, seeded and chopped
1 yellow onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic chopped
2 celery stalks, chopped
2 - 3 links chorizo, 6 to 9 oz (Spanish chorizo), sliced in half lengthwise and cut into half moons
1/2 t smoked paprika
1 t dried parsley
1 c long white rice
1 14 oz can diced or crushed tomatoes
salt and pepper
hot sauce (optional)

Rinse and sort the beans. Put into a pot or crock pot an add 4 1/2 cups water. If cooking on the stove bring to a boil. Cover and reduce heat. Let simmer until the beans are tender, 3 - 4 hours. If using a crock pot, set it to high and cook the same amount of time. Add more water if it looks dry while cooking. Set aside. Do not drain.

In a large pot like a dutch oven, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the peppers, onion, garlic and celery. Sauté until the onions are translucent and everything is tender. Stir in the chorizo, paprika and parsley. Add the rice and cook for one minute. Add the beans with cooking water and the tomatoes. You want there to be a little more than 2 cups liquid (just eyeball it). If you need a little more add some water. Bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat and let simmer for 20 minutes until the rice is tender.

Taste for seasoning. Add salt and pepper as needed. Serve with hot sauce if desired.

Makes 6 servings and is really good reheated as a leftover.

If you are not reading this post in a feed reader or at http://agoodappetite.blogspot.com OR at http://agoodappetite.com then the site you are reading is illegally publishing copyrighted material. Contact me at katbaro AT yahoo DOT COM. All recipes, text and photographs in this post are the original creations & property of the author unless otherwise noted. © 2007-2012 Kathy Lewinski

Tequila Chicken with Cilantro Lime Rice

Sorry for the blogging silence over the last couple of days. Matt is off in Silicon Valley for work again & I'm home alone eating leftovers or grabbing a burger out. Last night though I figured I better cook up the chicken breasts I had in the fridge. A little more foraging found half a lime & some cilantro that needed to be used as well. I grabbed a bottle of Matt's tequila & made it all into a meal.

This made for a tasty, light dinner with very fresh flavors. I topped it with a little sour cream for a some creaminess. I can see Matt adding some hot sauce or salsa for extra zing. As good as this was on its own, I think it would even be better wrapped in a tortilla.

Tequila Chicken with Cilantro Lime Rice

2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into bite-sized pieces
1/2 c tequila (don't bother using the good stuff)
1 T honey
pinch of kosher salt
1/4 t ancho chili powder
2/3 c rice
juice of 1 lime
1/2 t lime zest
2 T chopped fresh cilantro
1/2 T vegetable oil
optional toppings yogurt, salsa, hot sauce

Put the chicken into a small sealable bag. Mix the tequila, honey, salt & chili powder together. Heat in the microwave for about 10 seconds. Stir to mix everything together well. Pour the tequila mixture over the chicken. Seal the bag getting out as much air as possible. Let marinade in the refrigerator for 30 - 60 minutes.

Cook the rice according to the directions adding the lime juice & zest with the water. When finished cooking stir in the cilantro.

When the rice is just about done, heat the vegetable oil in a large skillet or wok over high heat. Add the chicken & the tequila marinade (careful it will splatter). Sauté until the chicken is cooked through & the sauce has cooked down some.

Serve the chicken & sauce over the hot rice with optional toppings.

2 servings.

If you are not reading this post in a feed reader or at http://agoodappetite.blogspot.com OR at http://agoodappetite.com then the site you are reading is illegally publishing copyrighted material. Contact me at katbaro AT yahoo DOT COM. All recipes, text and photographs in this post are the original creations & property of the author unless otherwise noted. © 2007-2011 Kathy Lewinski

Crockpot Beef and Beans over Spanish Rice

We made another big batch of our 24-Hour Crock Pot Beef last week which meant I was looking for ways to use all that shredded beef. My original plan was to use it in a Mexican inspired hotdish but, as I was formulating that plan I decided to just serve the meat over some Mexican rice. The result wasn't too far from eating a burrito without the tortilla.

When we moved here from San Francisco a few years ago, we thought there would be a lot of food we would miss. We were happily wrong & found Minneapolis to be full of wonderful restaurants & markets. There was one thing that we sorely missed though, the Mission-style burrito. Sure we can get a burrito here & we've gotten used to them but, they are just not the same. As I see it there are two big differences. First, in San Francisco they melt the cheese on the tortilla when they steam it (this might be my favorite thing). Second, they use Spanish rice which adds a big boost of flavor. So, I guess you could call this my tortilla-less version of a Mission-style burrito.

Whatever you call it this was a dish that was full of flavor & super easy to make especially if you've got the leftover beef. We reheated the beef with some pinto beans & a little of their cooking liquid. Then added some shredded cheddar & sour cream (ok, it's actually plain yogurt). Matt also added some hot sauce & salsa.

Spanish Rice

1 T olive oil
1 c long grain white rice
1/2 c chopped yellow onion
1 clove garlic, minced
1/2 poblano pepper, seeded & chopped
1/2 t Mexican oregano
1/4 t epazote
1/4 t ground chipotle
1 heaping T tomato paste
2 c chicken stock (or combination of chicken stock & water)

In a large stock pot heat the olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the rice & toast for a minute, stirring to coat. Add the onion, garlic & pepper. Sauté until the onion is translucent. Stir in the oregano, epazote, chipotle & tomato paste. Add the chicken stock & stir to blend everything. Bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat & let simmer for 20 - 25 minutes. Remove from the heat & let sit 5 minutes. The stock should all be absorbed & the rice tender.

Makes 4 servings.

Top the rice with any or all of the following; beef, chicken, beans, grated cheddar, hot sauce, salsa, lettuce, tomatoes, guacamole, and sour cream.

If you are not reading this post in a feed reader or at http://agoodappetite.blogspot.com OR at http://agoodappetite.com then the site you are reading is illegally publishing copyrighted material. Contact me at katbaro AT yahoo DOT COM. All recipes, text and photographs in this post are the original creations & property of the author unless otherwise noted. © 2007-2011 Kathy Lewinski

Asian-Inspired Mushroom Risotto

This dish is an example of the compromises that help make a marriage work. Matt wanted a udon noodle mushroom soup for dinner & I wanted a hearty mushroom risotto. So, to make us both happy, I made a mushroom risotto full of the flavors of an Asian soup & it totally worked.

I added the typical Asian components of soy sauce & ginger but, the ingredient that really brought this dish home was dried seaweed I cooked in the chicken stock. What we ended up with was a dish that was just full of umami, that pleasant savory flavor. And bonus, it's a creamy hearty risotto that isn't full of cream & cheese! Don't skip the Sriracha in this dish, it doesn't make it spicy but adds a little zing.

Asian-Inspired Mushroom Risotto

1 T of olive oil, divided
5 oz mushrooms, sliced (we used a mix of shiitake, oyster & brown mushrooms)
salt
3 c chicken or vegetable stock
1/4 c dry dulse seaweed, chopped (you could also use kombu)
1/2 T unsalted butter
1/2 c minced white or yellow onion
1 clove garlic, minced
1 t minced fresh ginger (or 1/4 t dried)
3/4 c arborio rice
1/4 c white or rice wine
1 T low sodium soy sauce (you may want to start with 1/2 T & taste, especially if your stock is salty)
1 t (more or less to taste) Sriracha
4 scallions, chopped

Heat 1/2 T of the olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add the mushrooms. Sauté until the mushrooms are tender. Set aside

Put the chicken stock & seaweed into a saucepan & bring to a simmer. Keep simmering the whole time you are cooking.

Put the remaining olive oil & butter into a heavy saucepan over medium heat. When the butter is melted add the onions, garlic & ginger. Cook until the onion is translucent. Add the rice & stir while cooking for a minute. Reduce heat to medium-low. Add the wine. Cook, stirring often, until the liquid is absorbed. Start adding the broth & seaweed about 1/4 cup at a time, stir often while cooking. Add each addition of broth after the one before it is absorbed. The rice should get creamy tender but still have a slight bite in the middle. After all the broth is used up stir in the reserved mushroom, soy sauce & Sriracha.

Serve topped with the chopped scallion.

Makes 2 servings.

If you are not reading this post in a feed reader or at http://agoodappetite.blogspot.com OR at http://agoodappetite.com then the site you are reading is illegally publishing copyrighted material. Contact me at katbaro AT yahoo DOT COM. All recipes, text and photographs in this post are the original creations & property of the author unless otherwise noted. © 2007-2011 Kathy Lewinski

Hearty Tomato, Kale and Mushroom Risotto

Last week Lori over at Fake Food Free posted a recipe for a Hearty Tomato, Kale & Mushroom Sauce which she served over homemade pasta. She said it was so good she couldn't wait to make it again. Since it contained all flavors we love I book marked it to try right away though I decided to turn it into a risotto.

Oh, did it ever make for a great rustic risotto full of sweet, rich flavor. It's very different than the cream & cheese filled risottos you often see & much healthier too. This is the kind of dish that makes me happy we blanch & freeze tons of kale when it's in season in the fall.

Hearty Tomato, Kale & Mushroom Risotto
(adapted from Fake Food Free)
I made this risotto with chicken stock because that is what I had on hand but you can use vegetable stock if you want to keep it completely vegetarian.

1 14.5 oz can diced or crushed tomatoes
5 crimini mushrooms, sliced
2 oz kale, blanched for 1 minute, chopped
1 T balsamic vinegar
1 t kosher salt
1/4 t dried oregano
pinch of crushed red pepper flakes
pepper
3 c stock (more might be needed)
1 T olive oil
1 T salted butter
1 clove garlic, minced
1 small onion, diced small
3/4 c arborio rice
1/4 c white wine
freshly grated Parmesan

Put the tomatoes, mushrooms*, kale, balsamic vinegar, salt, oregano, red pepper flakes & a few grinds of fresh pepper in a skillet. Bring to a simmer. Let simmer while cooking the risotto rice until the mushrooms have cooked down & most, but not all, of the liquid has cooked away.

Meanwhile bring the stock to a simmer in a small pot. Keep simmering.

In a large, heavy saucepan melt the olive oil & butter over medium heat. Add the garlic & onion. Sauté for 2 minutes. Add the rice & stir until completely coated. Stir in the white wine & cook until absorbed. Then begin adding the stock about 1/2 cup at a time, adding each addition when the one before is absorbed. When all the stock is used up the rice should be tender but still have a slight bite to it. (If you find it still a little uncooked you can add another addition of stock or even some water.)

Stir the tomato mixture into the cooked rice. Taste for seasoning & add salt as needed. Serve topped with grated Parmesan.

Makes 2 servings

* I thought the mushrooms came out perfectly cooked this way but, Matt said he would have preferred they had been sautéed first & then the remaining sauce ingredients added.

If you are not reading this post in a feed reader or at http://agoodappetite.blogspot.com OR at http://agoodappetite.com then the site you are reading is illegally publishing copyrighted material. Contact me at katbaro AT yahoo DOT COM. All recipes, text and photographs in this post are the original creations & property of the author unless otherwise noted. © 2007-2011 Kathy Lewinski

Turkey and Squash Risotto

It's time to find recipes for all that leftover turkey, well, the pieces too small for sandwiched anyway.

This one is also a great use for any leftover roast squash you might have as well. We like it because it doesn't taste too much like Thanksgiving dinner all over again.

Hope everyone is having a great holiday weekend!

Turkey & Squash Risotto

2 c winter squash, peeled & cut into 1/2-inch cubes (we used delicata but butternut would be great)
1 1/2 T olive oil
kosher salt
3 c chicken or turkey stock
1 slice bacon, chopped
1 small onion, peeled & chopped
1 garlic clove, peeled & minced
3/4 c arborio rice
1/2 c white wine
1/2 t dried thyme
1/2 t kosher salt
fresh ground pepper
1 c chopped, cooked turkey
2 T grated Parmesan

Preheat oven to 400 F.

Put the squash into a small roasting pan. Add 1 T olive oil & stir to coat the squash. Sprinkle with a little salt. Roast for 15 minutes or until the squash is just tender. Set aside.

Put the stock into a saucepan & bring to a simmer. Keep simmering throughout cooking.

In another large saucepan, heat the 1/2 T olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the chopped bacon & cook until crisp. Remove to a paper towel to drain & set aside.

Add the onion & garlic to the pan & sauté until the onion is translucent, about 3 minutes. Turn the heat down to medium-low. Add the rice & stir for about 1 minute. Add the white wine & cook white stirring until all the liquid is absorbed. Add the stock 1/2 cup at a time, stirring until each addition is absorbed before adding the next. (The rice should be tender with just a bite at the middle at the end. If it isn't use more stock or some water.) With the last addition add the thyme, 1/2 t salt, a few grinds of few pepper, bacon, squash, turkey & cheese. Stir until the cheese is melted & everything is heated through.

Makes 2 - 3 servings

If you are not reading this post in a feed reader or at http://agoodappetite.blogspot.com OR at http://agoodappetite.com then the site you are reading is illegally publishing copyrighted material. Contact me at katbaro AT yahoo DOT COM. All recipes, text and photographs in this post are the original creations & property of the author unless otherwise noted. © 2007-2010 Kathy Lewinski

Beet Risotto

Here's my love letter to the beet for this week...

Now, how is that for a big plate of pink & green & cheerful?

I've been thinking about making this risotto for the last two weeks but, I had used all my beets up to make gelato so I had to wait until I picked up another bunch at the farmers market. The idea of a pink risotto was what attracted me at first but the flavor was the true winner here. Both Matt & I were thrilled with the results. I think he's really starting to embrace the whole love of beets thing with me...let's see he now like mushrooms & beets, now how to I get him to change his mind about eggplant?!

For a risotto this is actually pretty light with no added cream & very little cheese. Beet is the main taste in this risotto, of course, but the parmesan really mellows it out. I think the little bit of sugar added to the beets helps too. I love the color contrast that the beet greens add to finished dish as well as the added nutrition you get from those dark greens. This was a really satisfying main dish but it would also make a stunning side dish.

Beet Risotto

1 T olive oil
1/2 c diced beets, about 1/4" dice
1 garlic scape, sliced (or one clove garlic, minced)
10 beet leaves & stems, chopped & separated
pinch of sugar
4 c chicken or vegetable stock
1/2 T unsalted butter
1 spring onion, white & green parts chopped (or one scallion, chopped)
1/2 c + 2 T arborio rice
2 T sherry
3 T grated Parmesan + extra for serving
salt & pepper

Heat 1/2 tablespoon of the olive oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Add the beets, garlic scape & about one half the beet stems (save the remaining stems for another use). Sauté for about 2 minutes. Stir in the sugar until dissolved. Set aside.

Bring the broth to a simmer in a saucepan. Keep the broth simmering the whole time you are cooking.

In another saucepan, heat the remaining olive oil & the butter over medium heat. Add the onion & sauté for a minute. Add the rice & cook while stirring for another minute, coating the rice. Add the sherry & cook while stirring until evaporated. Add the stock 1/4 - 1/2 cup at a time. Cook & stir each addition until evaporated before adding the next. Test the rice from time to time to see if its getting tender. When it's tender & creamy with just a slight bite it is ready (you may not use all the broth). As you are adding your last addition of the broth also stir in the beet mixture & the chopped beet leaves. Once that final broth addition is absorbed stir in the Parmesan until melted. Season with salt & pepper as needed (we found it needed a generous amount of pepper).

Serve sprinkled with extra Parmesan if desired.

2 main dish servings or 4 side dish servings

If you are not reading this post in a feed reader or at http://agoodappetite.blogspot.com OR at http://agoodappetite.com then the site you are reading is illegally publishing copyrighted material. Contact me at katbaro AT yahoo DOT COM. All recipes, text and photographs in this post are the original creations & property of the author unless otherwise noted.© 2007-2010 Kathy Lewinski

Risotto with Sausage and Greens

Matt marked this risotto recipe in the latest issue of Bon Appetite, as he said its risotto & sausage together, what's not to love. Risotto is one of those dishes I make typically without a recipe just changing the items in it based on what I have on hand. I found this recipe interesting because it didn't have you keep the stock warm as you added it to the rice. I always thought you had to keep the stock at the same temperature as rice but if this worked it would save me from dirtying another pan.

It did work. I think maybe it took slightly longer for the rice to absorb the stock but maybe just 5 minutes or so so not a big deal. So, that basically makes this dish a one pot meal & I'm all for that being the one who does the dishes. The best thing is the final result was really delicious. I do feel that the greens were really lost in the dish though, next time I'd add a little more & I would put them in a little later in the cooking process.

Risotto with Sausage & Greens
(adapted from Bon Appetite May '09)

6-oz Swiss chard, stem removed & leaves chopped to about 1-inch (I actually think this could be doubled)
1/2 T unsalted butter
1/2 T olive oil
1 small onion, chopped
1 garlic clove, minced
6-oz bulk Italian sausage
3/4 c arborio rice
1/2 c white wine
2 1/2 c chicken stock or broth
6 T grated parmesan
salt & pepper

Blanch the chard in boiling water for 1 minute. Drain & set aside.

In a large sauce pan heat 1/2 tablespoon of butter & the olive oil over medium heat. Add the onion & garlic, cook until the onion is translucent. Add the sauce & cook until browned about 3 minutes. Add the rice & stir for 1 minute. Pour in the wine & cook while stirring until absorbed. Add 1/2 cup of the stock & cook while stirring until absorbed. Add the rest of the broth 1/4 cup at a time, adding the next addition only after the previous one has been absorbed, about 25 - 30 minutes total. If you want the greens to be really soft & cooked in add them on about 10 minutes into cooking, if you prefer them to have a little more texture add them closer to the end of the cooking time. Stir in the cheese & season with salt & pepper.

2 servings

Sausage, Rice & Beans for One

This is another dinner inspired by a leftover. We had some wonderful Polish & Ukrainian sausage from an amazing Eastern European deli in Northeast Minneapolis, Kramarczuk's, at our beer tasting this weekend. There were a few sliced left so Matt suggested I use them to make beans & rice for myself this week.

I typically would have let the beans cook with the rice in a recipe like this but it seems so often my dried beans are not getting tender enough in time & I end up overcooking the rest of the food. This time I cooked the beans to tender & then just added them in at the end so they had the perfect texture. You could stop cooking the beans a little earlier than I did & add them in with the rice to finish them off. If you do that I would add a little more broth.

Sausage, Rice & Beans

1/4 c dried red beans

1/2 T olive oil

1/4 c red onion, diced

1 clove garlic, minced

2 T chopped red onion

1/2 c link sausage, diced (I used a good garlicy Polish)

1/2 T tomato paste

pinch of smoked paprika

pinch of chipotle powder

1/2 c of diced fire roasted tomatoes

1/4 c basmati rice

1/2 c chicken stock

salt & pepper

Put the dried beans in a pan with 3/4 c water & bring to a boil. Let boil for two minutes. Remove from heat & cover. Let sit for 1 hour. Bring to a simmer & simmer gently for 60 - 90 minutes until tender, adding more water if needed. Drain & set aside.

In a medium saucepan heat the olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the onion, garlic & sausage and cook until the onion begins to get translucent. Stir in the tomato paste, paprika & chipotle powder, cook for about a minute. Add the tomatoes, rice & chicken stock & bring to a boil. Reduce heat & cover. Allow to simmer for about 20 minutes or until rice is tender. Add the beans & heat through, adding more broth if its a little dry.

1 serving

If you are not reading this post in a feed reader or at http://agoodappetite.blogspot.com OR at http://agoodappetite.com then the site you are reading is illegally publishing copyrighted material. Contact me at katbaro AT yahoo DOT COM. All recipes, text and photographs in this post are the original creations & property of the author unless otherwise noted.
© 2007-2009 Kathy Lewinski