Serves: 6

This carribean and Latin American chicken skillet is bursting with flavor? Look no further than this tasty dish flavored with annatto and manzanilla olives.

• Ingredients

1/2 cup Mayonnaise
2 Tbsp. annatto paste
1 broiler-fryer chicken (3 lb.), cut up, skin removed
1 cup long-grain white rice, uncooked
1 cup chopped onions
1 red pepper, cut into strips
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 cups water
1 chicken bouillon cube
1/3 cup manzanilla olives, halved
1 Tbsp. chopped fresh cilantro

• preparation

Mix mayo and annatto paste. Add half to chicken in large bowl; toss to coat.

Cook chicken in large deep skillet or Dutch oven on medium-high heat 5 min. or until evenly browned, turning occasionally. Remove chicken from skillet; discard drippings. Cover chicken to keep warm.

Add rice, onions, peppers, garlic and remaining mayo mixture to skillet; cook on medium-low heat 3 min., stirring constantly. Add water and bouillon; stir. Top with chicken. Bring to boil; cover. Simmer on low heat 22 to 25 min. or until chicken is done (165ºF) and liquid is absorbed.

Top with olives and cilantro.

Serves: 6

Escudella is a hearty Andorran winter stew consisting of vegetables, meat, and pasta. It is a dish that has its roots in Spanish, French, and Catalonian cuisine.

• Ingredients

1 Ham bone
4 Veal bones
4 oz Salted pork
½ Chicken (cut into bite sized pieces)
½ lb Veal (cut into bite sized pieces)
½ lb Potatoes (peeled and diced)
2 ¼ Quarts of water
4 oz Finely chopped onions
3 Tbsp Olive oil
1 Medium leek (chopped)
½ lb Carrot (finely diced)
½ lb Green cabbage (finely chopped)
4 oz Rice
3 oz Elbow/Ciocchetti pasta
4 oz Great Northern beans (cooked)
Pinch of saffron threads

• preparation

Blanch the salted pork in hot water to remove excess salt. Dice the pork into small pieces.
In a large skillet, heat the olive oil and sauté the chopped onions.
As soon as the onion begins to brown, add the salted pork pieces, chopped chicken, and veal.
Add the chopped potatoes, carrots, and leek to the skillet.
and the chopped green cabbage.
In a large saucepan, create a broth by adding the ham and veal bones to water.
Simmer on low heat for about 40 minutes. Add the saffron and salt.
Remove the bones from the broth and discard them.
Add the vegetable and meat mixture from the skillet into the broth.
Add the beans, rice, and pasta.
Cook for about fifteen minutes until the pasta and rice become tender.
Serve the hot stew into bowls with crusty bread.

Serves: 4

Greek egg lemon chicken soup, or “soupa avgolemoni” in Greek (σούπα αυγολέμονη), is a traditional Greek Cypriot soup served as a starter or even as a main course.

“Avgolemono” means egg-lemon in Greek and is a common style of Greek cooking for soups where the egg and lemon juice are mixed with broth and heated until they thicken. In Arabic it is called “tarbiya” and in Turkish, “terbiye”.

• Ingredients

4 cups Chicken Stock
2 cups diced cooked chicken
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1/4 teaspoon lemon zest
1/2 cup brown rice (cooked)
4 egg yolks, slightly beaten
black pepper, fresh ground
nutmeg, ground

• preparation

Heat stock in 2 qt. saucepan until it is steaming.
In separate bowl, whisk 1/4 cup of stock into egg yolks, then quickly whisk mixture back into stock Stir in lemon juice and zest. Add rice, chicken and heat gently, stirring occasionally, until steaming, 3-5 minutes.
Pour into serving bowls and sprinkle with pepper and nutmeg if desired.

Serves: 5

• Ingredients

Sushi Rice
4 cups Sushi Rice
5 cups Cool Water
6 tablespoons Seasoned Rice Vinegar
3 tablespoons White Sugar
1/2 tablespoon sea salt

Miso Marinade
6 ounces White Miso Paste
4 ounces White Sugar
2 ounce Mirin
1 ounces low Sodium Soy Sauce
1 ounce Fresh Ginger, minced

Oven-Roasted Sweet Miso Cod
Miso Marinade, As Needed
6 Black Code Fillets, 4 to 5 ounces each

Tsukemono Salad
1/2 cup seasoned Rice Vinegar
1/4 cup sugar
1 tbsp Sea Salt
1/4 cup ginger Shoots
1 cup carrots, julienne
1 cup cucumber, cut into circles

Nori Sheets, As Needed
Japanese Mustard Greens (Mizuna), As Needed

• preparation

Sushi Rice:
Rinse and drain rice in a colander until water runs clear. Combine rinsed rice and cool water in a saucepot. Turn heat to medium high and bring water to a simmer. Turn heat to low, cover and continue cooking another 15 to 20 minutes, or until rice is tender and water is absorbed. Remove the pot from the burner, and keep covered, to allow rice to cool for 15 minutes. Turn rice out of pot into a large bowl and gently fluff with a rice spoon to separate the grains. Add vinegar, sugar and salt, and continue fluffing until well blended. Allow rice to cool.

Miso Marinade:
Combine all ingredients in a mixing bowl and whisk to combine.

Oven-Roasted Sweet Miso Cod:
Preheat the oven to 400°F. Heat a grill pan with oil. Grill the cod, skin side up for 3 minutes, or until golden brown. Turn the cod over and brush liberally with miso marinade. Place cod in oven and roast until just opaque throughout. Broil cod with a culinary torch or in a salamander to caramelize.

Tsukemono Salad:
Combine vinegar, sugar and salt in a medium size saucepan. Heat slowly to melt sugar and salt until dissolved. Combine vegetables in a stainless steel or glass bowl and pour hot vinegar mixture over vegetables. Toss to combine and let sit for 5 minutes. Strain off vinegar mixture and save for another use.

Sushi Burritos:
Using a culinary torch or a salamander, toast nori sheets on one side only to make nori crispy.
Place a sheet of toasted nori on a flat work space, shiny-side down. Moisten one end and place a second sheet of toasted nori on moistened edge, overlapping sheets by about an inch, so they are end-to-end, forming a long rectangle. Press sushi rice onto nori sheet as you would any sushi roll. Leave 1 inch of nori uncovered on end closest to you. Leave 6 inches of nori uncovered on the opposite end.
Arrange Tsukemono salad on top of rice and pile a generous amount of Japanese mustard greens on top. . Gently break apart miso cod fillet into bite-size pieces and arrange crosswise on rice on the end closest to you. Roll sushi burrito as you would a regular hand roll, taking care to make the burrito tight and compact. Cut the roll in half crosswise for serving.

Serving Suggestion: Mix together wasabi paste and sour cream with Ponzu Citrus Seasoned Dressing & Sauce to taste for a dipping sauce.

Serves: 10

Brazilian Feijoada is a black bean and pork stew that is often served with farofa, toasted cassava flour.

• Ingredients

1 pound dry black beans (soaked overnight)*
1 tablespoon olive oil
4 ounces slab bacon (rind removed), diced
1 pound pork ribs, cut into individual ribs
2 Mexican chorizo sausages, sliced
1 smoked sausage, such as linguica or kielbasa, sliced
1 large onion, chopped
4 cloves garlic, minced
3 tomatoes, diced
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground black pepper
3 bay leaves
water
white rice (for serving)
farofa (for serving)

• preparation

In a large bowl with water, soak beans overnight.
When you are ready to make your stew, in a large heavy-bottom soup pot, over medium heat, add the oil and bacon. Cook until crisp and transfer to a plate.
Use the same saucepan to brown ribs and sausages in batches. Set aside.
If needed, add more oil to the pan. On medium-high, sauté onion and garlic until soft and translucent, about 5 minutes. Add tomatoes and cook for another 3 minutes.
Drain and rinse the soaked beans. Add them to the pot along with the ribs, bacon, sausages, salt, pepper, bay leave. Cover with water (about 8 cups).
Bring the mixture to a boil and reduce the heat to low. Cover and let it cook for 2 to 2 and a half hours, or until the beans are soft and the stew has thickened.

Serve with white rice and sprinkle some farofa on top.
Notes
* 1 pound dry beans = 2 cups dry beans = 6 cups cooked beans (Feel free to substitute drained, canned beans if desired.)
Recipe inspired by curioucuisiniere.com

Serves: 6

• Ingredients

2 1/2 pounds salmon fillet
to taste salt and pepper
1 tablespoon lemon juice
4 ounces butter
24 mushroom caps
1 tablespoon lemon juice
2 ounces fresh bread crumbs
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
5 cups cooked rice

• preparation

PREPARATION
Bone and skin salmon. Cut into 1-inch cubes. Season with salt, pepper and lemon juice. Wash and drain the mushroom caps. Sprinkle with lemon juice. Saute the mushroom caps in half of the butter, for two minutes on each side. Alternate salmon pieces and mushroom caps on metal or bamboo skewers. Dip in remaining melted butter and roll in fresh bread crumbs.
Heat the oil in a large saute pan over medium-high heat. Saute the salmon brochettes until evenly golden brown.
PRESENTATION
Spoon the hot rice in the middle of warm plates. Arrange a brochette on each plate. Serve the hot sauce over the brochettes.

Serves: 6

• Ingredients

1/2 cup coarsely chopped walnuts
4 tablespoons low sodium soy sauce
2 skinless, boneless chicken breasts halves, thinly sliced crosswise
1 teaspoon honey
4 teaspoons oriental sesame oil
4 teaspoons minced fresh ginger
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 1/2 cups cooked short grain brown rice, cooled
2 cups shelled cooked edamame beans
2/3 cup chopped green onions

• preparation

Stir walnuts in nonstick skillet over medium heat until lightly toasted. Drizzle 2 tablespoons soy sauce over walnuts; stir until soy sauce coats walnuts. Cool.
Combine chicken, 2 tablespoons soy sauce and honey; toss to coat. Let stand 15 minutes.
Heat oil in large nonstick skillet over high heat. Add chicken and stir fry 2 minutes. Add ginger and garlic and stir fry 30 seconds. Add cooked rice and edamame; reduce heat to medium and stir fry until heated through. Season with salt and pepper. Divide rice mixture among plates.
Sprinkle with green onions and walnuts

Serves: 4

This zesty tropical recipe found its roots in St. Barth, the French West Indies. I have used the local fruits, cooked into a chutney. The salmon topped with the sauce is sealed in parchment and when baked develops a refined aroma.

• Ingredients

4 5-ounce salmon fillet, boned, and skinned
4 sheets parchment paper
1/2 cup sweet red pepper, julienned
2 medium fresh tomatoes, julienned
1/2 cup fresh ginger, julienned
1/2 cup papaya, julienned
1/2 cup plantain banana, julienned
1/2 cup fresh pineapple, julienned
1/2 cup fresh mango, julienned
2 tablespoons orange blossom honey
3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon, ground
1/4 teaspoon curry
1 lime
3 tablespoons olive oil
to taste salt and pepper
3 cups rice, cooked

• preparation

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Cut the red pepper in half, remove seeds, and cut across into fine julienne.
Peel the tomatoes by dipping in boiling water for about 30 seconds. Transfer to cold water. Peel the pulp off the tomatoes, leaving the seeds and inside for other use.
Peel the fresh ginger. Slice into fine julienne strips.
Peel the papaya. Cut in half, remove seeds, and cut into julienne.
Peel the plantain banana. Cut across in 2-inch sections. Slice sections into julienne strips.
Remove outer skin of pineapple. Slice lengthwise, and cut into 2-inch long julienne strips.
Peel the mango. Cut into slices, and julienne strips.
In a heavy bottom medium saucepan, combine the honey and vinegar. Add the red pepper, tomatoes, ginger, papaya, banana, pineapple, and mango. Bring to boil over medium heat. Cover and simmer for 15 to 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the cinnamon, curry, and lime. Simmer for 5 more minutes.
Heat the olive oil in a medium frying pan. Season the salmon fillets with salt and pepper. Sauté over high heat for 30 seconds on each side. Transfer to a warm plate.
Cut each parchment sheet into large heart shapes. Place salmon in center of each parchment sheet. Top salmon with 2 heaping tablespoons of the sauce mixture. Seal the paper, and bake for about 8 minutes.
Pack the hot steaming rice in 6-oz individual round molds.
PRESENTATION
Arrange each salmon papillotte on warm plates.
Unmold rice molds on plates.

Serves: 4

• Ingredients

4 boneless chicken breasts
1/2 cup flour
to taste salt and white pepper
1 teaspoon paprika
1/4 cup oil
1 cup sliced green pepper
1 cup sliced onion
1 cup sliced mushrooms
1 cup white wine
2 teaspoons lemon juice
1 teaspoon minced garlic
1 teaspoon chopped basil
2 cups cooked rice

• preparation

Cut chicken breasts across in halves.
Remove skin and trim all fat. Roll chicken breasts in the flour seasoned with salt, pepper, and paprika.
Heat oil in a skillet or a saute pan.
Place chicken in skillet or pan. Brown over low heat on both sides until golden brown.
Transfer chicken to a warm dish. Add peppers, onions, and mushrooms to the skillet or pan. Saute over medium heat for about 5 minutes.
Place chicken breasts over vegetables. Pour wine and lemon juice over chicken. Sprinkle with garlic and basil. Cover chicken, and simmer over low heat for about 30 minutes or until chicken is fully cooked. Serve with steamed rice.

Serves: 6

Corn tortillas, oil for frying and a little salt is all you need to prepare and enjoy homemade chips at home. Take your tortillas out of the plastic the day before and let them dry out. This will ensure a quick fry and crispy chips. One pound dry red beans soaked overnight in the slow cooker covered with plenty of water, 1/2 an onion, bulb of garlic, bay leaf and jalapeño. Cook on low for 8 hours or until beans are tender. If beans don’t have a lot of broth, add a little chicken or vegetable broth, about 1 cupAdd salt once tender.

• Ingredients

for the homemade chicharron
2 pounds pork belly
1 teaspoon sea salt
½ teaspoon pepper
2 tablespoons soy sauce optional
for the pico de gallo
6 Roma tomatoes deseeded and diced
½ cup white onion finely diced
1 clove garlic minced
1 large jalapeño or 2 serrano peppers, diced
1 red fresno pepper diced (removing seeds is optional)
¼ cup cilantro chopped, or to taste
juice of 1 lime
1 tablespoon olive oil optional
salt and pepper to taste
for the red beans
2 tablespoons olive oil
salt and pepper to taste
4 cups red beans or black beans, cooked with the broth
1/3cup white onion or yellow onion, diced
2 cloves garlic minced
1 stalk celery finely diced
1 teaspoon cumin
1 teaspoon chile ancho powder optional
2 tablespoons hot sauce
you will also need:
4 cups of your favorite cooked rice
homemade corn tortilla chips or a good thick, store-bought chip
1 to 2 avocados sliced
extra hot sauce for garnish

• preparation

1. Combine the sea salt and pepper. Season the pork belly on both sides, add the soy sauce and rub in to season all over. Place the pork belly on a plate and refrigerate overnight uncovered.
2. Remove pork belly from refrigerator 30 minutes before cooking. Preheat oven to 500ºF. Place the pork skin side up on a wire rack, lined with a baking sheet. Bake for 10 minutes at 500 degrees, lower temperature to 325ºF and roast for another 90 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool before slicing.
3. When ready to prepare chicharron, slice the pork belly into bite-size pieces. Transfer to a heavy pot and heat to medium/low. This takes a little while because you want the pork to release the fat slowly and cook in its own fat. Stir now and then and cook until pork becomes crispy in most spots. Remove from pan and drain onto paper towels.
4. In a bowl, combine all of the ingredients for the pico de gallo. Season to taste, cover and set aside.
5. In a medium sauce pan, preheat 2 tablespoons of olive oil to medium heat. Add the onions, garlic and celery. Season lightly with salt and pepper and continue cooking for 5 to 7 minutes. Add all of the remaining ingredients for the beans. Bring to a boil, reduce to simmer. Cover and cook for 20 minutes, taste for salt.
6. Warm the chicharrones for a few seconds in the microwave. In a shallow bowl, ladle in some bean broth, rice, beans (without broth), chicharrones, pico de gallo and hot sauce. Garnish with tortilla chips and avocado slices.
Adapted from https://hispanickitchen.com/

Serves: 6

This impressive dish is a classic. The salmon is enclosed in a rich brioche crust with layers of onion, mushroom, rice, and hard-cooked eggs.
You may substitute prepared puff pastry for brioche.
Also, you can simply melt some butter with an equal quantity of lemon juice and serve instead of velouté sauce

• Ingredients

1 1/2 pounds salmon fillet
1 tablespoon lemon juice
Salt and pepper to taste
1 medium onion, chopped
1 tablespoon oil
1 cup mushrooms, chopped
1 tablespoon parsley, chopped
2 cups cooked rice
1/2 cup velouté sauce
3 hard boiled eggs

1 tablespoon melted butter
1 recipe brioche dough (see recipe below)
1 egg, beaten
2 cups velouté sauce

• preparation

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Wash salmon; pat dry. Remove any bones and skin and cut in equal halves. Season with salt, pepper and lemon juice.
Sauté onion in oil. Add the mushrooms and parsley. Cook over medium heat for 5 minutes. Mix in the cooked rice and 1/2 cup velouté sauce.
Roll out brioche dough into a rectangle 1/4 inch thick. Place on a baking sheet. Arrange a layer of onion rice mix , over the whole length of dough to within one inch from edges. Top with one piece of salmon.Place hard boiled eggs over salmon and top with second piece salmon so that eggs are sandwiched between salmon .
Brush edges of dough with egg. Fold over mix. Seal all edges and roll pastry so that seam is underneath. Brush dough with egg. Decorate with pieces of dough. Let rise at room temperature for 30 minutes. Bake at 375 F for 30 minutes.
To serve:
Place the whole coulibiac on a platter for display. Slice into portions. Serve on warm plates. Serve velouté sauce separately.

BRIOCHE DOUGH FOR COULIBIAC

1/2 cup warm water
1 tablespoon yeast
1 teaspoon sugar
1/2 cup flour

3 eggs
1 cup flour
1 tablespoon sugar
1 teaspoon salt
6 ounces soft butter
1 1/2 cups flour

PREPARATION
In a large mixing bowl, dissolve the yeast in the water with the sugar. Add the flour to make a soft dough. Set the dough in warm place until it doubles in volume.
Beat in the eggs, flour, sugar, and salt. Gradually add the butter and remaining flour and mix well. Transfer the dough to a working surface. Knead for about 10 minutes. Form into a ball. Place into a clean large bowl. Cover with film wrap. Let rise at room temperature until dough doubles in volume. Punch dough down. Cover and refrigerate overnight.

Serves: 6

• Ingredients

1 1/2 pounds cooked salmon
2 ounces butter
1/2 cup chopped onion
1 tablespoon chopped shallots
8 ounces sliced mushrooms
1/2 cup dry white wine
1 ounce flour
1/2 cup milk
1/2 cup heavy cream
to taste, salt and white pepper
1 tablespoon chopped parsley
1/2 cup breadcrumbs
2 cups cooked rice

• preparation

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
Break up the salmon. Discard any skin and bones. Set aside.
Melt butter over medium heat in a heavy skillet. Add onion, shallot, and mushrooms and sauté until tender. Add wine and cook to reduce by half. Cool mixture. Add the flour. Stir well. Pour in the milk and cream. Mix well and whisk to make a cream sauce. Season to taste with salt and pepper, and simmer for 5 minutes.
Mix in the salmon and heat through. Spoon salmon mixture in a casserole dish. Sprinkle with parsley, and breadcrumbs.
Bake in the oven for 15 minutes. Serve with the heated rice.

Serves: 8

• Ingredients

½ cup plain white rice
1 cup water
½ cup sugar
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1 pinch salt
2 eggs, separated
2 ½ cups milk
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1/2 cup raisins
1/4 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

• preparation

In a heavy bottom pot, combine rice and water. Heat to boiling, stirring once or twice. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 14 minutes, or until all water has been absorbed.
Heat oven to 350 degrees. Blend ½ cup sugar, cornstarch and salt. Beat egg yolks slightly. Add egg yolks and milk to sugar-cornstarch mixture. Whisk to blend. Stir in rice, lemon Juice and raisins. Pour into a 1 ½ quart casserole or baking dish. Place dish in a pan containing boiling water about 1-inch deep.
Bake about 1 ½ hours, stirring occasionally, or until pudding is creamy and most of the liquid is absorbed. Remove pudding from oven, leaving it in the pan of hot water. Sprinkle with cinnamon. Remove from pan when cool. Serve at room temperature.
To make Meringue rice pudding:
Beat egg whites with ½ teaspoon cream of tartar until stiff and glossy. Add 1/4 cup icing sugar. Continue beating for a minute. Spoon Meringue over surface of rice pudding. Bake 8 to 10 minutes or until meringue is golden brown.

Serves: 6

Literally meaning painted rooster, Gallo pinto is a favorite rice-and-beans concoction that is commonly considered the national dish of Costa Rica usually eaten for breakfast, sometimes with scrambled or fried eggs, but it is an enjoyable food at any time of day.

• Ingredients

2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 medium yellow onion, finely chopped
1 red pepper, chopped
1 tablespoon garlic, finely chopped
2 cups cooked black beans, drained
½ cup Salsa Lizano
3 cups cooked rice (white, short grain)
½ cup fresh cilantro, chopped

• preparation

1. Pour oil into large pan and place on medium heat. Sauté onion, red pepper and garlic until onions begin to soften.
2. Add beans and Lizano sauce, a classic Costa Rican condiment. (If Salsa Lizano is not available, mix together 1 teaspoon ground cumin, 1 teaspoon ground coriander, ½ teaspoon ground ginger and 3 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce. Add to onion mix before beans.) Let simmer for 5 minutes, stirring from time to time.
3. Fold in the cooked rice, reduce to very low heat and continue to cook, stirring occasionally, until all liquid is gone and mixture is well heated.
4. Sprinkle in cilantro and serve warm.

Serves: 6

• Ingredients

for the chicken:
1 pound chicken breasts cut into bite size pieces
1/2 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 egg white
3 tablespoons cornstarch

sauce:
1 teaspoon canola oil
1 1/2 teaspoons minced garlic
1 teaspoon minced ginger
few tablespoons of chopped green onion
dried red chilies (optional)
3/4 cup chicken stock or water
1 tablespoon tomato paste
3 tablespoons soy sauce
2 tablespoons rice vinegar
1/2 tablespoon chili/garlic paste
1/2 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
3 tablespoons brown sugar
1 1/2 tablespoons cornstarch (for a thinner sauce, start with a tablespoon)

rice:
1 cup jasmine or basmati rice
1 3/4 cups water
generous pinch of salt
Bring the water and salt to a boil, add the rice, stir and cover. Cook for 20 minutes over low heat. Turn the heat off, let set for 10 minutes, fluff with a fork.

• preparation

Cook the rice:
Bring the water and salt to a boil, add the rice, stir and cover. Cook for 20 minutes over low heat. Turn the heat off, let set for 10 minutes, fluff with a fork.

Marinate the chicken
Combine the soy sauce, sesame oil, egg white and cornstarch in a medium bowl. Whisk together to a creamy consistency.
Toss the chicken in batter to coat. Allow to sit while preparing the sauce.

Make the sauce
Heat canola oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add the garlic, ginger, green onions and red chiles (if using) and stir around until very fragrant - 30 seconds to a minute.
Add in the chicken stock or water.Then add the sesame oil, soy sauce, tomato paste, rice wine vinegar, chili/garlic paste, and the brown sugar. Mix this together very well and bring it up to a boil.
Adjust the taste to make the sauce spicier or sweeter adding a little more vinegar for extra tang.
Combine a few tablespoons of the the warm sauce in a measuring cup with 1 1/2 tablespoons of cornstarch and whisk until there are no clumps.
Pour that mixture back into the sauce pan and let boil for a few minutes until thick.
Set the heat to low.

Cook the chicken
Heat a pan over medium high heat with a small amount of oil covering the entire bottom. Make sure the oil is very hot before you add the chicken.
Cook the chicken in multiple batches for a couple of minutes on each side to get it crisp and golden brown on all sides. Use a wire screen to cover the pan as oil may splatter.
Once a batch of chicken is cooked, set it aside on a plate.

Combine chicken and sauce in a clean pan. Mix to combine and let simmer together for a few minutes.
Serve over white rice with chopped green onion and some steamed veggies

Serves: 20

What is gochujang?
Gochujang (고추장), Korean fermented chili pepper paste, is one of the primary Korean seasoning and flavoring ingredients. The red thick paste is deeply savory, peppery, pungent, slightly sweet and spicy! No wonder everything tastes better with gochujang!

Traditionally homemade, gochujang is made of gochugaru (Korean red chili peppers), sweet syrupy liquid made with yeotgireum (엿기름, malt barley), meju garu (fermented soybean powder), sweet rice or other grain powder, and salt. These ingredients are mixed well to a thick paste and placed in earthenware pots to ferment for months.

• Ingredients

500 grams yeotgireum (엿기름) (Barley malt powder)
500 grams wet chapssal garu (찹쌀) - sweet rice flour or 2 cups sweet rice soaked and blended
250 grams meju garu (메주가루), fermented soybean powder
250 grams Korean Cheonilyeom (천일염) coarse sea salt (bittern removed)
500 grams finely ground gochugaru, 고추가루 - Gochugaru is made from bright red Korean chile peppers with the seeds and membranes removed
1 cup jocheong (조청), rice syrup - optional or masilcheong (Korean green plump syrup)

• preparation

How to make gochujang at home as explained here by Hyosun on the following site:

https://www.koreanbapsang.com/how-to-make-gochujang/

Here, I’m sharing how to make gochujang the traditional way my mother used to make.
Place the barley malt in a large bowl. Stir in 10 cups of warm water, and let it sit for an hour or two, up to overnight.

- How to Make Gochujang
Rub the malt between palms and squeeze out milky liquid. Strain the malt liquid through a fine sieve into another bowl. If you don’t have a fine sieve, line a strainer with a cheesecloth. Then, squeeze the malt husks with your hands through the sieve to drain out the remaining liquid. Transfer the liquid to a large heavy bottom pot.

- How to Make Gochujang
Place the malt husks in the first bowl and add another 10 cups of water. No need for an additional soaking time. Repeat the squeezing and straining process. Transfer the liquid to the pot with the first batch of milky liquid. This will yield about 17 to 18 cups of malt water.

4
Add the sweet rice powder to the malt water and stir well. Turn the heat on to warm it up. Warm but not too hot to touch. Turn the heat off, and let it sit for two hours. During this process, the enzymes in the malt will break down the starch in sweet rice and convert to sugar.


Turn the heat on to medium and boil the liquid down to a half, stirring once in a while. Measure the depth of the liquid with a wooden spoon or spatula, so you can easily tell when the liquid is reduced to a half. This will take about 2 hours and the resulting liquid will be around 8 to 9 cups. You’ll need about 8 cups for this recipe, but a little bit of extra is nice to have just in case. If you're using other optional liquid, you can reduce it further. Stir once in a while. Let it cool down a bit.



While the liquid is still warm, pour 7 cups of the malt liquid into a large bowl, and add the salt. If you're not using Korean sea salt, hold some back and add as necessary after mixing dry ingredients. Stir to dissolve. This is about a cup less than what’s required so you can add the rest or optional ingredients as needed.



Using a whisk, stir in the fermented soybean powder and mix well until you see no lumps.


Stir-in the gochugaru and mix very well until there are no big lumps. Continue to stir. You can use a large wooden spoon or spatula this time. If the gochujang is too thick, use more malt liquid or optional rice syrup (jocheong), plum extract, and/or soju to adjust the thickness and sweetness. It should be thin enough to slowly drop from the wooden spoon or spatula like a thick batter. Let it sit for a few hours until the dry ingredients fully absorb the liquid, and salt is completely melted. Adjust the saltiness, sweetness, and thickness as necessary. Gochujang should be a bit too salty to eat as is.


Transfer to a jar(s) or an earthenware -- onggi hangari, if you have one. Lightly sprinkle with coarse sea salt. Cover with a fine mesh fabric or cheesecloth and secure with a rubber band.

Serves: 8

• Ingredients

1 cup white rice
2 cups boiling water
2 tablespoons chopped parsley
1 tablespoon butter
1 medium chopped onion
3 minced garlic cloves
1 large chopped carrot
1 cup chopped fennel or celery
1 tablespoon chopped dill
salt and pepper to taste
1 tablespoon butter
1 pound clean scallops
1 pound cleaned and deveined shrimp
1 pound cooked crabmeat or cooked mussels
2 ounces butter
1/4 cup flour
2 cups milk
1/2 pound cream cheese
1 tablespoon chopped dill
2 tablespoons chopped parsley

Topping:
2 tablespoons bread crumbs
1 tablespoon melted butter.
chopped parsley

• preparation

In a saucepan, combine white rice with salted boiled water.
Cover and simmer 20 minutes. Water should be absorbed. Stir in chopped parsley.
In a skillet, melt butter. Add and Saute chopped onion, minced garlic cloves, large chopped carrot, and chopped fennel or celery until tender. Stir in chopped dill, salt and pepper.
In a skillet, melt butter. Saute clean scallops until opaque. Transfer to a bowl. Saute clean and deveined shrimp until pink.
Add to bowl. Add clean cooked crabmeat to seafood.
In the same skillet, melt butter. Whisk in flour. Stir well. Add milk. Stir till thickened. Whisk in cream cheese, chopped dill, chopped parsley. Add seafood.
Line bottom of greased 13 by 9-inch baking dish with rice. Spoon seafood over. Spoon seafood mix over top.
Topping:
Mix bread crumbs with melted butter. Sprinkle over casserole.
Bake at 350 degrees about 40 minutes until golden brown and heated through. Garnish with chopped parsley.

Serves: 4

• Ingredients

2 tablespoons butter
1 small chopped onion
1 small chopped red bell pepper
to taste garlic powder
2 cup cooked rice
2 cups cooked black eyed peas
fresh parsley

• preparation

Melt the butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add onion, bell pepper, and garlic powder, to taste, and cook for 5 minutes. Add peas and rice and cook an additional 10 to 15 minutes. Be careful not to overcook; this dish is best if the bell pepper and onion still have a crunch to them. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Garnish each serving with sprig of parsley.

Serves: 6

Jollof Rice is probably the most famous West African dish. It’s long-grain rice spiced up with tomatoes, onions, bell pepper, garlic, and thyme, then simmered in a delicious chicken broth

Centuries ago, the Wolof or Jolof people (from the Senegambian region) created the rice dish. Back in the mid-1400s, the Portuguese introduced tomatoes, and the local people put them to good use.

• Ingredients

• 3 cups long-grain brown rice
• 2 plump tomatoes, chopped
• 1 red bell pepper, chopped
• ¼ cup oil
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 2 teaspoons garlic, minced
• 1 teaspoon thyme
• 3 tablespoons tomato paste
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 Scotch bonnet pepper
• 1 teaspoon bouillon powder or cube
• 2 cups chicken broth
• 2 cups water
• Salt, to taste

• preparation

1. Wash the rice and set it aside. Add tomato, bell pepper, half of the onion in a blender, and puree until smooth.
2. Heat your oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. Add the remaining chopped onions, garlic, and thyme and saute for about 2-3 minutes until onion is translucent and slightly caramelized.
3. Then add tomato paste and cook for about 3 minutes. Add in pureed tomato mixture and cook while stirring for about 15-20 minutes.
4. Add washed rice, bay leaf, Scotch bonnet, bouillon powder, chicken broth, and water. Give everything a generous stir, then season with salt to taste.
5. Bring the liquids to a rolling boil, then cover and reduce heat to low. Allow rice to cook until tender and fluffy (about 30-40 minutes)
6. Turn off heat, allow the rice to cool for about 10 minutes, then fluff rice using a fork.
7. Serve with grilled chicken or meat.

Serves: 10 to 12

A colorful dish using fresh and smoked salmon, decorated in yellow, white and green.The recipe can be cut in half.

Sea asparagus, also known as Salicornia has a salty, crunchy brininess.
The plant grows in protected salt marshes on all continents except Antarctica.
To cook sea asparagus, blanch the plant in boiling water for 1 to 2 minutes,
then shock it in a bowl of ice water.
Once you have your blanched sea asparagus, all you really need to do is dress them with your best olive oil and add a little lemon juice, balsamic vinegar or other acidic component, plus a few grinds of black pepper.

• Ingredients

3 tablespoons butter
5 medium chopped scallions
2 cups sour cream
3 tablespoons curry powder
2 pounds salmon, poached
1 pound smoked salmon, diced
2 cups converted rice
4 cups chicken or vegetable broth
6 hard cooked eggs
1 tablespoon onion, chopped
2 tablespoons soft butter
2 tablespoons parsley, chopped
8 sprigs fresh parsley

1 cup lemon butter

• preparation

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
Melt the butter in a saute pan. Add the scallions and cook over low heat for 5 minutes. Add the sour cream and curry powder. Mix well.
Flake the boneless and skinless cooked salmon. Combine with the diced smoked salmon.
In a separate pot, stir the rice with the chicken broth. Bring to a boil. Cover and cook over medium heat until the liquid is almost absorbed.
While the rice is cooking, separate the egg yolks from the whites. Chop the egg whites.
Reserve. Chop the egg yolks and save for garnish.
Combine the rice and the salmon mixture. Mix in half of the egg whites. Butter a deep casserole dish large enough for the rice mixture. Spoon the salmon-rice mixture into the casserole dish. Bake at 400 degrees for 10 minutes. Lower the oven temperature to 350 degrees, and bake for 40 to 45 minutes.

PRESENTATION

Unmold the kedgeree unto a serving platter. Garnish the top with rows of the chopped egg yolks, chopped onion, and chopped parsley. Garnish the platter with sprigs of parsley.
Serve with the lemon butter.

Serves: 4

Kung Pao Tofu is easy to assemble; very tasty sauce and all around great flavor

• Ingredients

1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 tablespoon dark soy sauce
1 tablespoon Chinkiang (Chinese black) vinegar
2 teaspoons granulated sugar
3 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon cornstarch, divided
1 pinch salt
14 to 16 ounces firm tofu (depending on package size), drained
vegetable or canola, for cooking
1 (3-inch) pieces ginger, peeled and minced
3 dried chiles (such as Thai or serrano), halved
3 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
2 scallions, finely chopped
1 teaspoon toasted, crushed Sichuan peppercorns (optional)
2 tablespoons unsalted or salted roasted peanuts
Cooked rice, for serving

• preparation

1. In a small bowl, whisk together 2 tablespoons of water, the soy sauces, vinegar, sugar, 1 teaspoon of cornstarch, and salt until well combined.
2. Cut the tofu into 1-inch cubes and transfer to a large bowl. Rub with the remaining 3 tablespoons of cornstarch until all sides are lightly coated.
3. Pour enough oil to coat the bottom of a large non-stick pan and set it over medium heat. Add the tofu into the hot oil and panfry until golden brown all over, 1 to 3 minutes per side, adding more oil if the pan looks dry at any point. Transfer to a plate.
4. Using the same pan, sauté the ginger until fragrant, 2 to 3 minutes, adding more oil if the pan looks dry. Add the chiles, garlic, and white parts of the scallions. Stir-fry for about 1 minute, until the garlic is fragrant.
5. Add the tofu, sauce, and Sichuan peppercorns (if using), then quickly toss until the tofu is evenly coated with sauce, about 1 minute. Fold in the remaining green parts of the scallions and the peanuts.
6. Serve warm with a bowl of rice.

Serves: 6

Mujadara or Majadra is a Middle Eastern lentils and rice recipe with caramelized onions.
Just 3 ingredients make a easy vegan, protein-rich meal.

• Ingredients

For the lentils:
• ¾ cup brown or black lentils
• 1 bay leaf
• 2 cups water
• 2 onions
• More olive oil
For the rice:
• 1 ½ cup rice
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 3 cups water, boiling
• 2 cloves garlic, peeled and crushed
• 1 ½ tsp salt
• 1 tsp powdered cumin
• ¼ tsp ground cinnamon
• More salt and pepper to taste

• preparation

1. Rinse the lentils. Simmer them in 2 cups of water, with the bay leaf, until they are soft but not mushy. Depending on the quality of the lentils, this might take 30-40 minutes. Do not add salt. Add more water if it looks like they’re drying out, but if they finish cooking and there’s water left over, just drain them and return them to the pot.
2. Add salt to taste after the lentils are done. Remove the bay leaf.
For the rice:
1. Rinse the rice and allow it to drain almost dry.
2. Heat the oil gently and add the rice, stirring to coat the grains with oil.
3. When the rice has become transparent, add the garlic. Stir half a minute, then add the salt and the water.
4. Bring to a boil, then cover the pot and cook over low heat. Cook the rice until all the water has evaporated and the grains are tender and separate.
5. While the rice is cooking, slice the onions thinly.
6. Pour 2 tablespoons of olive oil into a non-stick pan and caramelize the onions over medium heat, stirring once in a while until they are very soft and golden, not brown and crisp.
7. When the onions are done – in 10-15 minutes – add the cumin, cinnamon and a little salt and pepper.
8. Final step: Fluff the rice with a fork. Combine the cooked lentils and the rice, mixing gently with the. Stir some of the caramelized onion in, and top the dish with the rest of the onions.
9. Serve warm, with cucumber yogurt sauce or tzatziki if desired.

Serves: 4

Moqueca is an Angolan and Brazilian seafood stew. Moqueca is typically made with shrimp or white fish as a base with tomatoes, onions, garlic, lime and coriander.

• Ingredients

3 tablespoons Olive oil
1/2 cup yellow onion diced
1 jalapeno diced
1 medium red bell pepper seeds removed and sliced
1 medium yellow bell pepper seeds removed and sliced
2 cloves garlic finely chopped
1 teaspoon sweet paprika
¼ teaspoon cayenne
1 teaspoon kosher salt
½ teaspoon ground black pepper
2 pounds cod or other firm white fish, cut into large 1-2 inch pieces
1 13 ounce can chopped tomatoes
1 tablespoon tomato paste
2 cups seafood stock or vegetable stock
13 ounce can coconut milk full fat
1 lime zested + lime cut into wedges
2 green onions chopped, for garnish

Brazilian Rice
2 tablespoons Olive oil
1/2 cup yellow onion diced
1 garlic clove finely chopped
1 cup jasmine rice washed and rinsed
2 cups vegetable stock
½ teaspoon kosher salt to taste

• preparation

Bring a large pot top medium heat and add the olive oil,the chopped onion and jalapeño and saute for 2-3 minutes until softened. Add the sliced bell peppers and cook for another 2-3 minutes.
Add the chopped garlic, paprika and cayenne and cook for another 1-2 minutes.
Add chopped tomatoes with their juices, tomato paste and stir everything together and cooking for another 2-3 minutes.
Season the fish with salt and pepper and place the fish on top of the vegetables.
Pour the coconut milk and seafood stock into the pot and add the lime zest and season with salt and pepper. Gently mix the content.
Cover the pot. Over low heat, cook the moqueca for 10-15 minutes until the fish is just cooked through and soup has reduced slightly.
Remove moqueca from the heat and taste for seasoning. Serve moqueca on top of cooked jasmine rice and garnish with green onions and lime wedges.

Brazilian Rice

Bring a small pot to medium heat and add olive oil, chopped onion and saute until lightly caramelized, about 3-5 minutes.
Add the jasmine rice and saute so all of the rice is coated with oil.
Pour in the vegetable stock and season with salt and pepper. Bring the rice to a boil, then lower the heat to a simmer and cover with a lid. Continue cooking the rice for about 20 minutes, until the liquid has evaporated.
When cooked, fluff the rice with a fork and serve with moqueca.

Serves: 3

• Ingredients

8 ounces boneless chicken breast, cut into thin strips
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
2 leeks, chopped (white and green part)
1 onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 1/2 teaspoons sambal oelek or asian chili paste
1/2 cup chopped sweet red pepper
3 cups cooked rice
1 cup cooked salad shrimp
1/2 cup frozen tiny peas

garnish:
1 teaspoon vegetable oil
2 eggs, beaten
1/2 cup chopped cucumber
1/4 cup roasted peanuts

• preparation

Heat oil in a wok or skillet. Cook leeks, onion, garlic and sambal oelek, stirring until softened. Add chicken and red pepper. Cook for about 4 minutes, or chicken is done.
Stir in rice, shrimp and peas. Cook to heat through. (can be made a day before serving).
Garnish:
Heat oil in a nonstick skillet. Cook eggs without stirring until set and golden brown in the bottom.
Transfer to a cutting board. Cut into thin strips. Serve cucumber and peanuts in individual bowls to sprinkle over each serving.

Serves: 3

The literal translation of Nasi Goreng is “fried rice” in Indonesian and Malaysian – and that’s exactly what it is! It’s mainly rice with just a little bit of meat and just onion for the vegetables.
Recipe inspired by PAT TANUMIHARDJA

• Ingredients

For the Spice Paste:
2 small shallots (2 ounces; 55g), roughly chopped
3 medium cloves garlic
1 large fresh green chili, such as Fresno or Holland, stemmed and seeded, or 1 teaspoon sambal oelek, such as Huy Fong (see note)
1/2 teaspoon terasi(Indonesian shrimp paste), optional

For the Nasi Goreng:
4 cups cold cooked jasmine rice (21 ounces; 600g) or other medium- to long-grain rice (see note)
2 tablespoons (30ml) neutral oil, such as canola or sunflower oil
2 tablespoons (30ml) kecap manis (see note), plus more for drizzling
2 teaspoons (10ml) soy sauce
Kosher salt
Ground white pepper
To Serve:
2 fried eggs, cooked sunny-side up or over easy
Sliced cucumbers (optional)
Sliced tomatoes (optional)
Fried shallots (optional)

• preparation

1. For the Spice Paste: Add half the shallots to a mortar and grind with the pestle until a coarse purée forms. Add remaining shallots, followed by garlic, chili, and terasi (if using), grinding with the pestle until each ingredient is mostly incorporated before adding the next. The final paste should resemble thick oatmeal in texture. Alternatively, combine all spice paste ingredients in a small food processor and process until they form a paste.
2. For the Nasi Goreng: If using day-old rice, transfer rice to a bowl and break rice up with your hands into individual grains.
3. Heat oil in a large wok or skillet over high heat until shimmering. Add spice paste and cook, stirring constantly and scraping the bottom of the wok or pan to prevent the paste from burning, until a pungent smell permeates your kitchen and the paste turns a few shades darker, 2 to 3 minutes. Reduce heat to medium at any time if the paste appears to be browning too quickly.
4. Add rice to the wok and stir to coat with the spice paste. Add kecap manis and soy sauce. Stir and cook until rice is evenly colored and hot throughout. Season with salt and white pepper.
5. Divide rice between two plates and top each plate of rice with a fried egg. Garnish with cucumber and tomato slices and shower with fried shallots, if you like. Serve immediately with kecap manis alongside for drizzling.
Notes:
Sambal oelek is an Indonesian chili paste, traditionally made with nothing more than hot red chilies and salt. You can find it at Asian markets or in the "international" aisle of some supermarkets.
Kecap manis is Indonesian sweet soy sauce, typically made by combining soy sauce with palm sugar.

Serves: 6

Kewpie mayonnaise is made of egg yolks, canola oil, salt, vinegar, and seasonings. This small ingredient list keeps the flavor pure. Unlike most store-bought mayonnaise, there is no sugar in the product

A substitute for kewpie mayo can be your favorite brand of mayonnaise, your home-made Kewpie-style, or use avocado mayo.

• Ingredients

3 sheets nori paper
4 1½ cups cooked sushi rice or basmati rice, cooled

Salmon:
1 lb salmon, skin removed + cubed small
2 tbs sesame oil (or olive oil)
1 tbs low sodium soy sauce
1 tbs honey
2 scallions, diced
1/2 tsp each garlic powder, onion powder, chili powder, paprika
salt to taste

Spicy Mayo:
1/4 cup kewpie mayo or home-made matonnaise
2 tsp Sriracha sauce
1 tsp honey
Toppings:
1/2 avocado, diced small
2 tsp black sesame seeds
Other options: Sciced scallions, shredded carrots

• preparation

Preheat your oven to 400°F. Grab a scissor and cut your nori sheets into four equal squares.
Toss your cubed salmon in a bowl with all of the rest of the salmon ingredients and coat. Marinate for up to 4 hours.
To each nori square, add about 1 heaping tablespoon of rice and spread out slightly. Transfer the square to your muffin slot, pushing down gently to center the rice in the middle with the edges coming up along the sides of the slot. Grab out 4-5 salmon cubes and fill each muffin slot. Transfer the pan to your oven and bake for 15-17 minutes. Broil, if needed, at the end, to get a little tan on the salmon .. 1-2 minutes.
Remove from heat and allow to cool slightly and top with avocado, sesame seeds and drizzle of spicy mayo.

Serves: 4

• Ingredients

225 grams (1/2 lb) Thai rice noodles
12 medium size shrimp, shelled and cleaned
1 medium onion, diced
100 grams (1/2 cup) preserved radish, sliced (should be at Asian market)
1 tsp garlic, minced
1 tbsp sugar
1 tbsp nam pla (fish sauce)
2 tbsp ketchup
100 grams (1/2 cup) peanuts, coarsely ground
100 grams (1/2 cup) vegetable oil
200 grams (1 cup) bean sprouts
1 tbsp tamarind soaked in 3 tbsp hot water (See note)
juice of 1 lemon
2 eggs, slightly beaten

• preparation

Soak the noodles in cold water to cover for about
15 minutes. Drain. Put noodles in a bowl and pour hot water over them. Let stand
for about 10 minutes.
Drain and rinse with cold water; set aside.
Put oil in a wok or large skillet over medium heat. Add garlic and onion. Stir fry until
onion turns translucent. Add shrimp and stir fry for about 2 to 3 minutes, or until
shrimp turns pink. Add ketchup, sugar, nam pla, preserved radish, tamarind
juice, and lemon juice. Stir well. Pour in the beaten eggs and let them slightly
set for 3 minutes before mixing with remaining ingredients. Add noodles, bean
sprouts, and peanuts. Mix well.
Spoon noodles onto serving platter and garnish
with 1 cup bean sprouts, lemon wedges, cilantro, and peanuts.

(tamarind usually comes in a package without seeds.
Add water and squeeze the pulp of the fruit several times to obtain the sour
liquid. Substitute the juice of 1 lime if tamarind is not available.
You should find tamarind in a Thai, Indian, Spanish, or Asian market)

Serves: 6

Use frégola or risotto instead of rice for another interesting creation

• Ingredients

3 pounds fresh mussels
1 medium chopped onion
2 cloves minced garlic
1/4 cup olive oil
1 1/2 cups rice
1/2 teaspoon saffron
1 medium sliced red pepper

• preparation

Clean and scrub mussels.
Steam in a kettle containing a small amount of water until mussels are opened.
Drain them and retain the cooking liquid. Remove top shells of mussels. In a medium kettle, brown the onion and garlic in oil. Stir in the rice and saffron.
Pour the strained cooking liquid and water over rice, to make 3 1/2 cups. Stir in the red pepper.
Bake covered at 350 degrees F (180 C) for 10 minutes. Add mussels in their half shells and combine with the rice. Continue baking for 10 more minutes or until rice is done.
Serve the paella in a preheated casserole dish.

Serves: 6

• Ingredients

1/2 pound cooked lobster
1/2 pound cooked shrimp
6 fresh mussels
1/2 pound chorizo or garlic sausage
3 chicken breasts, cut in half across
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup olive oil
2 ounces chopped onion
1 teaspoon minced garlic
1 medium sliced sweet red or green peppers
2 peeled tomatoes
1 cup rice
1 teaspoon saffron
1 quart chicken stock
1/2 cup frozen peas

• preparation

Cut lobster meat into chunks.
Wash and scrub the live mussels, and remove beards. Cover sausage with water and simmer for 10 minutes.
Use kielbassa or other garlic smoked pork sausage.
Season chicken pieces with salt and pepper. Brown both sides in half of the oil.
In a heavy cast iron pot, heat the remaining oil. Stir in the onion, garlic, peppers, and cook over low heat for 10 minutes. Add chopped seeded tomatoes.
Stir in rice, saffron and stock. Bring to a boil. Simmer for 10 minutes. Add the browned chicken, all seafood and sliced sausage.
Bake 25 minutes at 375 degrees.
Steam peas for 5 minutes and sprinkle on top. Serve hot in serving dish.

Serves: 12

• Ingredients

1/2 cup instant rice
3 cups chicken stock
8 cups sweet red peppers
2 medium sliced white onions
6 cups chicken stock
3 cups milk
1 cup cream
1/2 teaspoon Tabasco
1/2 teaspoon ground white pepper
1/2 teaspoon paprika
salt to taste

• preparation

In a large saucepan, simmer plain rice in the 3 cups of chicken stock.
In another saucepan, simmer sliced red sweet peppers and sliced onion in remaining chicken stock. Simmer till tender.
Purée red pepper mixture with rice in a blender. Add milk and cream. Season with Tabasco, pepper, paprika and salt.

Serves: 8

• Ingredients

3 tablespoons butter, melted
1 teaspoon vanilla
4 cups miniature marshmallows or 40 large
6 cups rice crispies

• preparation

In a medium saucepan, combine butter, vanilla, and marshmallows.
Melt over medium heat while stirring with a wooden spoon.
Remove from heat, and mix in rice crispies.
Spoon and press into a 9-inch square pan .
Cool and cut into cakes.

Serves: 6

The use of the oven is much more preferable to stirring and the recipe turns out into a creamy texture.

• Ingredients

3 tablespoon olive oil, divided
1 small yellow onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, pressed or minced
5 cups vegetable broth
1 1/2 cup arborio
rice
8 oz pound sliced Cremini (baby portobello) mushrooms, debris rinsed from mushrooms and drained
1 small bunch of fresh asparagus spears (about 1 pound)
1 cup fresh English peas
1 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
1/2 cup dry white wine
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, diced
1/2 cup light cream
1 tablespoon tamari
1 teaspoon sea salt, more to taste
Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
3 tablespoons fresh flat leaf parsley, chopped

• preparation

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a medium Dutch oven over medium heat until shimmering. Add onion. Cook, stirring occasionally, for ten minutes, then add the minced garlic. Cook for another 2 to 4 minutes, until the onions are well browned. Deglaze with the wine and continue cooking for 2 more minutes.
Add 4 cups broth and stir in the rice. Cover the pot and bake until rice is tender and cooked through, about 35 to 40 minutes.
Prepare the mushrooms. Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large skillet. Add the cleaned, sliced mushrooms to the pot with a dash of salt. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the mushrooms are darker in color, fragrant and have soaked up most of their own juices, about 10 minutes.
Prepare the asparagus by snapping off the tough ends and discarding them, then slicing the spears into 1-inch long pieces. Cook the asparagus in boiling water for 5 minutes. Add the peas and cook 2 to 3 more minutes. Drain the asparagus and peas in a colander.

Remove the pot from the oven. Pour in the remaining hot broth, cream, asparagus, peas, Parmesan, butter, tamari, salt, and a generous amount of pepper. Stir vigorously for 2 to 3 minutes, until the rice is thick and creamy. Stir in the mushroom mixture and any remaining juices. Season to taste with salt and pepper, divide into bowls and top with a generous sprinkling ofparsley.

Serves: 6

Yummy and easy to pull together on a weeknight. It keeps well, too. Leftovers were just as good.

• Ingredients

1 pound asparagus, trimmed and cut into 3-inch pieces
1 cup uncooked orzo or brown rice
1 (1 1/4-pound) skinless salmon fillet
¼ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Cooking spray
¼ cup thinly sliced red onion
Lemon-Dill Vinaigrette

• preparation

Preheat broiler.
Step 2

Bring 6 cups water to a boil in a large saucepan. Add asparagus; cook 3 minutes or until crisp-tender. Remove asparagus from water with tongs or a slotted spoon, reserving water in pan. Plunge asparagus into ice water; drain and set aside.
Step 3

Return reserved water to a boil. Add orzo, and cook according to package directions, omitting salt and fat.
Step 4

While orzo cooks, sprinkle fillet evenly with salt and pepper. Place fish on a foil-lined broiler pan coated with cooking spray. Broil 5 minutes or until fish flakes easily when tested with a fork or until desired degree of doneness. Using 2 forks, break fish into large chunks. Combine fish, orzo, asparagus, onion, and Lemon-Dill Vinaigrette in a large bowl; toss gently to coat.

Serves: 6

Classic Sicilian Arancini Rice Balls

Arancini, rice balls stuffed with sauce peas or corn, are one of the best-loved Sicilian snacks and street foods, and they have become increasingly popular throughout Italy and worldwide.
The filling in this recipe is a meat ragù, green peas, and melty mozzarella, but there are endless other types of fillings including pistachios, mushrooms, prosciutto and mozzarella, ham, spinach, and more.
The rice is scented with saffron and the rice balls are rolled in breadcrumbs before frying them into balls. Usually, they're made with caciocavallo cheese, but since that can be difficult to find outside of Southern Italy, Parmigiano-Reggiano is used in this recipe.
They can be eaten as an antipasto or snack, or even as a meal when coupled with perhaps a salad or soup.

• Ingredients

For the Rice
10 1/2 ounces short-grain rice (Vialone Nano, Carnaroli, or Arborio)
1/4 teaspoon crushed saffron
1 1/2 cups water
2 tablespoons freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
3 oz unsalted butter
Fine sea salt (to taste)
Freshly ground black pepper (to taste)

For the Meat Sauce and Filling
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/3 cup yellow onion (about 1/2 small, finely chopped)
3 tablespoons carrot (finely chopped )
3 tablespoons celery (finely chopped)
3 ounces ground beef
3 ounces ground pork
2 tablespoons dry red wine
2 teaspoons tomato paste
1 cup tomato purée (passata di pomodoro)
1/3 cup green peas (fresh or frozen)

For the Rice Balls
Optional: 4.4 ounces fresh mozzarella cheese (diced)
1⁄4 cup all-purpose flour
2 large eggs
1/2 cup water
Pinch salt
2 cups breadcrumbs
2 inches vegetable oil (for frying)
Steps to Make It

• preparation

Make the Rice
In a large saucepan over medium-high heat, place the rice, saffron, and 1 1/2 cups water and bring to a boil.
Cover, reduce heat to low, and let simmer about 15 to 20 minutes or until all of the water has been absorbed.
Remove lid, stir in grated Parmigiano, butter, salt, and pepper, to taste.
Spread the rice out on a large plate or baking dish to cool completely to room temperature.


Make the Meat Sauce and Filling
Heat the olive oil in a small saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the onions, carrots, and celery and sauté, stirring often, until softened and the onions are translucent - about 8 to 10 minutes.
Add the ground beef and pork and fry, stirring often, until browned - about 5 to 8 minutes.
Add the wine and let cook until the alcohol aroma has reduced - about 1 minute.
Stir in the tomato paste and tomato purée, reduce the heat to medium-low, and cook, stirring occasionally - about 10 minutes.
Stir in meat sauce.
Add the peas and continue to simmer the sauce for another 8 to 10 minutes, or until the peas are tender and the sauce is thickened. It should not be too liquidy.
Transfer the filling to a bowl and set aside to let it cool.

Once the rice and filling are completely cooled, start shaping your rice balls.
Place 1 heaping tablespoon of rice in the palm of one hand, then use your fingers and thumb to shape it into a hollow bowl shape.
Place about 1 teaspoon of the filling in the center and 1 to 2 small cubes of diced fresh mozzarella (if using).
Then gently close the rice around the filling to form either a round ball shape or a cone/pear shape.

When all of your arancini have been formed, whisk together the flour, eggs, 1/2 cup of water, and a pinch of salt in a shallow bowl until smooth.
Spread the bread crumbs in a plate or baking dish.
Gently roll each ball first in the egg-flour-water-salt mixture, letting any excess drip off.
Then roll them in the breadcrumbs until evenly coated.
At this point, you can refrigerate your arancini for 20 to 30 minutes to let them firm up if they seem a bit too loose or liquidy. If not, you can go directly to frying.
Heat about 2 inches of vegetable frying oil to 360F.
Fry your arancini in batches of just 2 to 3 at a time, being careful not to overcrowd the pot until they are evenly golden-brown - about 3 minutes.
Transfer them to a paper-towel-lined plate to drain.
Serve hot.

Serves: 4

A quick and easy dinner on the table in no time

• Ingredients

454 g (1Lb) skinless boneless chicken breasts, cut into cubes;
300 ml (10oz - 1can) condensed chicken broth;
125 ml (½ cup) water;
250 ml (1 cup) carrots, sliced;
250 ml (1 cup) green beans, cut;
2 ml (½ tsp) dried basil leaves, crushed;
2 ml (½ tsp) garlic powder;
175 ml (3/4 cup) uncooked regular long-grain white rice
1/2 cup steamed green peas

• preparation

In a non-stick skillet over medium high heat, cook chicken until browned, stirring often, set aside chicken.
Add broth, water, carrots, green beans, basil and garlic powder. Heat to a boil.
Stir in rice. Cover and simmer over low heat 5 minutes. Return chicken to pan.
Cover and simmer 15 minutes or until chicken and rice are done. Garnish with peas and serve.

Serves: 6

• Ingredients

Tofu marinade:

5 tablespoons, about 3 lemon grass stalks, finely chopped
1 tablespoon minced ginger
2 teaspoons Sambal oelek (chili paste)
1 1/2 tablespoons soy sauce
1 teaspoon turmeric
2 teaspoons sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt

1 pound tofu, firm, pressed and drained, cut into 3/4 inch cubes
3 tablespoons soybean oil or olive oil
1 yellow onion, thinly sliced lengthwise
2 teaspoons minced garlic
2 tablespoons chopped roasted peanuts,
2/3 cup Asian basil leaves (halve large leaves)
5 cups cooked farro wheat and brown basmati rice
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 cup sliced Wood ear mushrooms
1 cup sliced brown mushrooms
3 tablespoon shallots, minced
1 tablespoon minced garlic
1 1/2 cups cooked Chinese long beans, cut into 2 inches
salt and pepper to taste


1 cup micro greens (cilantro, baby spinach and arugala)
1/4 cup lemon grass vinaigrette (recipe below)
1/4 cup fried shallots (recipe below)


To serve:
Place a portion of the tofu on top of the rice. Toss the micro greens with the lemon grass vinaigrette. Place on top of the tofu. Garnish with the fried shallots.
Drizzle the dish with a little lemon grass vinaigrette and sprinkle with the remaining peanuts.

Lemongrass Vinaigrette

Yield: 1 cup
8 Lemon grass stalks, fleshy bottom third only, minced
1 cup seasoned rice wine vinegar
2 tablespoons sugar
1/4 cup fresh lime juice
2 tablespoons Thai bird chile, minced
2 tablespoons Fish sauce

Fried Shallots

Yield: 2/3 cup
Ingrediends
1/2 cup shallots, cut crosswise into 1/8 inch thick slices
1 cup vegetable oil

• preparation

Pound the lemon grass and ginger with a mortar and pestle to pulverize. Add the sambal oelek, soy sauce, turmeric, sugar, and salt, and mix well to form a paste. Add the tofu and turn gently to coat evenly. Marinate for 30 minutes or longer.
Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a small sauce pot over low heat. Add the onions and garlic. Season with salt. Let cook covered 1 minute, add 1 tablespoon water, and continue to cook, covered, until the onions are translucent and soft—approximately 5 to 8 minutes. Set aside.
Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a large non-stick frying pan over medium heat. Add the marinated tofu (there should be enough room in the pan for all the tofu pieces to be in a single layer). Shake pan slightly and let the tofu brown all over, using chopsticks or a wooden spoon to turn the pieces periodically so they cook evenly. Cook, uncovered, until tofu is lightly browned. Remove from heat and transfer to a heated platter. Set aside.
Add 1 tablespoon oil to frying pan and toss in the onion mixture. Cook over medium heat until onion is tender. Add tofu to warm. Adjust seasoning with a pinch of salt and sugar. Add half of the peanuts and Thai basil leaves. Remove from heat.

For the farro or rice:
Heat a sauté pan over high heat and add oil. When the oil is hot, add the mushrooms and sauté until just tender. Add the garlic, shallots, and long beans, and cook until hot and aromatic. Add the cooked farro or rice to the mushrooms and beans and divide between 6 individual serving plates.

To serve:
Place a portion of the tofu on top of the rice. Toss the micro greens with the lemon grass vinaigrette. Place on top of the tofu. Garnish with the fried shallots.
Drizzle the dish with a little lemon grass vinaigrette and sprinkle with the remaining peanuts.

Lemongrass Vinaigrette

In a small saucepan, bring the lemon grass, vinegar, and sugar to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat to medium and boil until the liquid is reduced by about half, about 20 to 25 minutes.
Remove from the heat and strain, discarding the lemon grass. Add the remaining vinaigrette ingredients, mix well, and refrigerate until ready to serve. Note: For a vegetarian version of this sauce, replace the fish sauce with soy sauce.

Fried Shallots

Spread the shallots out on paper towels and allow to air dry for 30 minutes.
Combine the shallots and oil in a skillet and bring to a slow boil. Reduce the heat to low and cook until the shallots are golden, about 15 minutes. Stir so the shallots brown evenly.
Remove with a slotted spoon or strain the oil through a wire-mesh sieve. Transfer the shallots to a plate or tray lined with paper towels. Discard the oil or save it for later use in stir-fries. Once cool, the shallots are ready to use. If stored in a jar with a tight lid at room temperature, the shallots will keep up to 1 week.

Serves: 4

Source: Canada Living Magazine: December 2013

• Ingredients

4 portobello mushrooms, trimmed
Pinch each salt and pepper
2 tsp (10 mL) olive oil
2 shallots, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 tsp (2 mL) fresh thyme
10 cups (2.4 L) packed baby spinach, chopped
2 tbsp (30 mL) golden raisins
1/4 cup (60 mL) crumbled Light feta cheese
3 tbsp (45 mL) shreddded part-skim mozzarella cheese
2 tbsp (30 mL) sliced natural almonds

Mixed Lemony Rice:
1 cup (250 mL) 15-minute rice, blend
1/4 tsp (1 mL) salt
2 tbsp (30 mL) chopped fresh chives
4 tsp (18 mL) lemon juice

Lemon Yogurt Sauce:
1 tbsp (15 mL) chopped fresh mint
1/2 tsp (2 mL) grated lemon zest

• preparation

Mixed Lemony Rice: In large saucepan, cook rice with salt according to package directions. Stir in chives and lemon juice.

Meanwhile, arrange mushrooms, stemside up, on lightly greased rimmed baking sheet. Bake in 450 F (230 C) oven until browned and tender, about 15 minutes. Using tongs, tip mushrooms to discard any liquid; pat dry with paper towels. Sprinkle with salt and pepper.

Meanwhile, in skillet, heat oil over medium heat; cook shallots, garlic and thyme until garlic is fragrant, 1 minute. Add spinach; cook, stirring occasionally, until wilted, 3 minutes. Add raisins; cook, stirring, until no liquid remains, about 2 minutes. Remove from heat. Stir in feta cheese. Spoon into mushrooms. Sprinkle with mozzarella cheese and almonds. Bake until cheese is melted and almonds are browned.

Lemon Yogurt Sauce: In bowl, stir together yogurt, mint and lemon zest. Serve with stuffed mushrooms and rice.

Serves: 6

Recipe adaptation and courtesy of Courtesy Ina Garten from her new cookbook Back to Basics.

• Ingredients

1- 1/2 tablespoons good olive oil
1-1/2 tablespoons unsalted butter
3 cups chopped leeks, white and light green parts (2 leeks)
1 cup chopped fennel
1-1/2 cups Arborio rice
2/3 cup dry white wine
4 to 5 cups simmering chicken stock
1 pound thin asparagus
5 ounces frozen peas, defrosted, or 1 1/2 cups shelled fresh peas
5 ounces fava beans
1 tablespoon freshly grated lemon zest (2 lemons)
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
1/3 cup mascarpone cheese, preferably Italian
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese, plus extra for serving
3 tablespoons minced fresh chives, plus extra for serving

• preparation

Heat the olive oil and butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add the leeks and fennel and saute for 5 to 7 minutes, until tender. Add the rice and stir for a minute to coat with the vegetables, oil, and butter. Add the white wine and simmer over low heat, stirring constantly, until most of the wine has been absorbed. Add the chicken stock, 2 ladles at a time, stirring almost constantly and waiting for the stock to be absorbed before adding more. This process should take 25 to 30 minutes.

Meanwhile, cut the asparagus diagonally in 1 1/2-inch lengths and discard the tough ends. Blanch in boiling salted water for 4 to 5 minutes, until al dente. Drain and cool immediately in ice water. (If using fresh peas and fresh fava beans, blanch them in boiling water for a few minutes until the starchiness is gone.)

When the risotto has been cooking for 15 minutes, drain the asparagus and add it to the risotto with the peas, lemon zest, 2 teaspoons salt, and 1 teaspoon pepper. continue cooking and adding stock, stirring almost constantly, until the rice is tender but still firm.

Whisk the lemon juice and mascarpone together in a small bowl. When the risotto is done, turn off the heat and stir in the mascarpone mixture plus the Parmesan cheese and chives. set aside off the heat for a few minutes, sprinkle with salt and pepper, and serve hot with a sprinkling of chives and more Parmesan cheese.

Serves: 4

• Ingredients

7 cups vegetable broth
1/2 pound butternut squash, cut into cubes (1 2/3 cups)
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/4 cup minced shallots
1 3/4 cups arborio rice
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup dry white wine
3 cups chopped swiss chard leaves
3/4 cup chopped canned plum tomatoes
2 tablespoons chopped fresh sage
2 tablespoons chopped flat-leaf parsley
1/4 cup grated soy Parmesan

• preparation

Bring broth to boil.
Drop squash into boiling broth, reduce heat and simmer until squash is tender, but still firm.
Remove squash with slotted spoon. Reduce heat and let broth simmer.
In deep skillet, combine oil and shallots, stir to cook without browning. Add rice and salt. Stir until rice is coated with oil.
Add wine and bring to a boil over medium-high heat, stirring, until rice absorbs wine.
Ladle 1/2 cup of broth into skillet and stir until absorbed. Continue with remaining broth, adding 1/2 cup at a time and letting each addition be absorbed by rice before adding more liquid, about 25 minutes total.
Add chard and stir until wilted. Stir in squash, tomatoes, sage and parsley. Add salt and pepper to taste. Stir in cheese and serve hot.

Serves: 4

A most Flavorful meal! Microwave any leftovers the next day.

• Ingredients

FOR SERVING: optional
3-4 cups (474-632 g) cooked brown rice
Steamed broccoli
TOFU
1 lb (450 g) extra-firm tofu
4 Tbsp (60 ml) tamari or soy sauce
1 tsp chili garlic sauce
1 tsp toasted sesame oil
1 Tbsp (15 ml) coconut sugar or maple syrup
4-5 Tbsp (28-35 g) cornstarch
2 Tbsp (30 ml) canola oil

SAUCE
1 tablespoon sesame oil
1 tablespoon cornstarch
3 large cloves garlic, minced (1 tablespoon)
1 Tbsp (6 g) ginger, minced
1 Tbsp (15 ml) rice vinegar (or sub white vinegar)
1/4 cup (48 g) coconut sugar or maple syrup, plus more to taste
3 Tbsp tamari or soy sauce,
1/3 cup water

STIR-FRY
1 Tbsp (15 ml) sesame oil
4 green onions, chopped
1 large red or yellow pepper, thinly sliced.
1 Tbsp red pepper sauce (sriracha sauce) or 1 Tbsp chili garlic sauce
optional: Sesame seeds, for garnish

• preparation

1. Prepare the rice and broccoli.
2. Chop green onions, garlic, and ginger . Set aside.
3. Prepare sauce by combining sesame oil, cornstarch, minced garlic, minced ginger, rice vinegar, coconut sugar or maple syrup, tamari or soy sauce, and water in a small mixing bowl and whisk thoroughly to combine.
4. Unwrap tofu, rinse under cold water; dry well in a towel to remove moisture and cut into even pieces, about 3/4-inch cubes.
5. Add tofu to a shallow mixing bowl and top with tamari or soy sauce, chili garlic sauce, sesame oil, and maple syrup. Toss to combine. Let rest 2-3 minutes, stirring occasionally.
6. Use a slotted spoon or fork to transfer tofu to a quart-size or large freezer bag. Add cornstarch 1 Tbsp at a time and toss to coat. Continue adding more cornstarch and tossing until tofu is coated in a white sticky layer- about 5 Tbsp.
7. Heat a large metal or cast iron skillet over medium heat.
Add 2 Tbsp canola oil and heat for 30 seconds. Then use a slotted spoon or fork to add tofu to the pan.
8. Cook on all sides until light golden brown. Remove tofu from pan. Set aside.
9. Return skillet to burner and increase heat to medium-high. Add 1 Tbsp sesame oil, chopped green onions and sliced peppers . Sauté for 2 minutes, stirring frequently.
10. Add the sauce and tofu with the red pepper sauce or garlic sauce. Cook, stirring frequently, to coat the tofu and vegetables for 2 minutes, or until warmed the sauce has slightly thickened.
11. Remove pan from heat and add sesame seeds (optional). Toss to coat.
12. Serve with rice and steamed broccoli (optional).

Serves: 4

• Ingredients

1 pound boneless chicken thighs
1/2 cup beef broth
2 teaspoons dry sherry
2 teaspoons soy sauce
1 teaspoon white vinegar
1 teaspoon sugar
1 teaspoon grated ginger
1 teaspoon cornstarch
2 teaspoons vegetable oil
2 sliced green onions
1 chopped garlic clove
1 sliced green pepper
1/2 cup chopped walnuts
2 cups cooked rice

• preparation

Rinse chicken thighs. Pat dry and cut into 3/4 inch pieces. Remove any visible fat. Place thigh meat in medium sized bowl. In another bowl, combine beef broth, dry sherry, soy sauce, vinegar, sugar and ginger. Pour enough of the mixture to moisten the thigh meat. Stir well. Marinate 10 minutes. Add cornstarch to remaining broth mixture. Set aside.
In wok or large skillet over high heat, heat oil. Add thigh meat, green onions, and garlic. Stir fry for 3 minutes or until browned. Add green pepper; stir fry one minute longer.
Stir remaining sauce and add to wok. Boil one minute, stirring constantly. Stir in walnuts. Serve immediately over hot rice.

Serves: 4

• Ingredients

4 8-ounce boned chicken legs
2 teaspoons butter
2 ounces chopped onions
2 ounces chopped shallots
1 cup cubed mushrooms
3/4 cup cooked wild rice
to taste salt and black pepper
2 tablespoons Cognac

• preparation

Bone chicken legs leaving the thighs attached.
Heat the butter in a skillet and add the onions and shallots. Cook and stir until wilted. Add mushrooms. Cook for a minute.
Sprinkle the cognac then mix in the rice. Season. Stuff chicken legs with equal portion of filling.
Carefully fold over the boned thighs to enclose filling.
Wrap each chicken leg in a square of plastic wrap.
Steam the chicken legs over a steamer for about 20 minutes.
Remove the plastic wrap and place the stuffed chicken legs on plates. Serve with a cream sauce or other chicken sauce.

Serves: 6

• Ingredients

3 cups chicken stock
3 medium white onions
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 1/4 cups arborio rice
2 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
2 tablespoon butter
coarse salt and pepper to taste
1/2 cup cornmeal
1/2 cup flour

• preparation

Bring stock to a boil. Lower heat to just keep hot. Line a baking sheet with sides, with wax paper.
Peel onions and cut into fine dice. Heat olive oil, add onions and saute for 5 minutes, until slightly browned. Add the rice and stir to coat with oil. Add 2 cups of stock and bring to a simmer.
Simmer for 20 minutes, adding stock, 1/2 cup at a time, every 3 minutes, until you have used all the stock. Stir in parsley and butter. Taste and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper.
Pour out into lined pan and smooth top. Set aside to cool. Place cornmeal on a plate, set aside. When rice is cool, divide it into either six or twelve equal portions.
Press each portion into a 3-inch ring mold or pastry cutter to form a firm cake. Place cakes in cornmeal to coat each side generously.
Heat vegetable oil in a large saute pan over medium heat. Add the cakes and cook for about 2 minutes per side. until crisp and golden.

Serves: 4 to 6

• Ingredients

2 1/2 cups long grain basmati rice, rinsed and soaked in water with 1 tablespoon of salt for a couple of hours. Drain.
1 1/2 cups plain yogurt
3 egg yolks
1/2 teaspoon ground saffron, dissolved in 3-4 tablespoons of hot water
A pinch of turmeric
Salt to taste
2-3 tablespoons strained vegetable stock
Butter or vegetable oil
Water

Garnish: barberries, slivered almonds or pistachios

• preparation

Bring 6 cups of water to a boil in a large pot on medium-high heat, add the rice and boil for about 8-10 minutes or until rice grains are soft on the ends and firm in the center. Drain and pour some cool water over it to wash away the starch and to separate the rice grains. Set aside.
Preheat oven to 350F.
In a large mixing bowl combine yogurt, yolks, salt, saffron, water and turmeric. Mix well.
Add the rice to the yogurt mixture, blend well.

In a nonstick pan, add 3 tablespoons oil and a tablespoon of liquid saffron. Move the pan in a circular motion to cover the bottom uniformly. Ladle the rice into the pan, flatten with a wooden spoon while pressing down. Pour 2-3 tablespoons strained vegetable stock, 2 tablespoons oil or melted butter and the remaining liquid saffron over the rice.

Place the pot on medium-high heat. When you notice a steam coming up, lower the heat, cover and bake for 30 minutes.
To serve this dish let it cool for a few minutes, this way the crust comes off easier. Place a round serving platter that is larger than the diameter of the pan. Hold firmly while wearing mittens, then gently turn the pan over. Garnish as you like.

Serves: 10

Wild rice is the seed of an aquatic grass. Although much of it is now cultivated and harvested by machine, it can still be found wild along the shorelines of lakes and rivers in the American Midwest, particularly in Minnesota. There, Native Americans working from canoes still gather the rice by hand. Jumbo-grade grains are the longest and most desirable for this dressing. The rice is done when it is cooked until the ends of the grains have split with a cooking time ranging from 40 to 50 minutes

• Ingredients

3 cups water
3/4 cup jumbo-grade wild rice, rinsed
3 teaspoons salt
8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter
2 cups finely chopped yellow onion
2 cups finely chopped fennel bulb
1 tablespoon poultry seasoning
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1/2 teaspoon fennel seeds
1 pound sliced whole wheat bread, 2 to 3 days old, toasted and cut into 1/2-inch cubes
1 jar (15 oz.) steamed chestnuts
3 eggs
2 1/2 cups turkey stock
1/4 cup finely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
1 1/2 teaspoons freshly ground pepper

• preparation

In a heavy pot, bring the water to a boil over high heat. Add the wild rice and 1 teaspoon of the salt. Cover partially, reduce the heat to low and cook, stirring occasionally, until the rice is tender, about 45 minutes. Drain the rice and let cool. Preheat an oven to 325°F. Generously butter a large, shallow baking dish.
In a large fry pan over medium heat, melt the butter. Add the onion, chopped fennel, poultry seasoning, thyme and fennel seeds. Cover and cook, stirring once or twice, until the vegetables are tender, about 15 minutes. Let cool.
In a large bowl, combine the bread, chestnuts, the onion mixture and the wild rice. In another bowl, whisk the eggs until blended. Whisk the stock into the eggs, then stir the egg mixture into the bowl with the bread mixture. Stir in the parsley, the remaining 2 teaspoon salt and the pepper. Spoon the dressing into the prepared baking dish, cover tightly with aluminum foil and bake for 1 hour. Uncover and bake until the dressing is lightly browned on top, 20 to 30 minutes more.

Note: This dish can also be packed loosely in the body of the turkey and served as a stuffing. Tying the legs together will help hold the stuffing in the body cavity. For turkeys weighing 16 lb. or less, add 30 minutes to the total roasting time.
For turkeys weighing more than 16 lb., add 1 hour to the total roasting time.

Serves: 8

• Ingredients

6-14 ounce cans vegetable broth
2 cups wild rice
1 cup dried apricots coarsely chopped
1/2 cup dried currants
1 cup blanched slivered almonds, toasted
2/3 cup chopped red onion
1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley
6 tablespoons tarragon vinegar
4 teaspoons Dijon vinegar
2 garlic cloves

• preparation

Bring broth to boil in heavy saucepan. Mix in wild rice. Reduce heat to medium-low. Simmer uncovered until rice is tender, stirring occasionally, about 50 minutes. Drain rice well. Transfer rice to bowl.
Mix dried apricots and currants into rice mixture. Cool completely.
Mix toasted almonds, chopped red onion and parsley into rice. Whisk vinegar, Dijon mustard and minced garlic, gradually whisk in olive oil.
Mix enough dressing into salad to season to taste. Season with salt and pepper. (Can be prepared 8 hours ahead. Cover and refrigerate).