Kitchen Curious: Easy rice pilaf is swell excuse to raid garden or use leftover veggies
I adore rice — be it fried in a wok, smothered with pork-chop gravy or Indian curry, or dolloped in a bowl of red beans or spicy gumbo.
A pot of rice is a smart way to stretch leftovers, or use up excess produce that’s accumulated from a farmers market splurge or Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) share.
Over time, I’ve made simple stews to eat over plain rice. (Okra and tomato, with tons of hot chiles and cilantro garnish, is my classic go-to.) My idea of a “grain bowl” is rather elementary: Top a few scoops of rice with fresh, pickled or sauteed veggies — plus a runny, soft-cooked egg. Then I reach for the hot sauce.
This summer, I found myself with beautiful sugar snaps, chanterelles, oyster mushrooms, and fresh Mexican tarragon with dainty yellow flowers. So I decided to save some steps and cook the veggies and herbs with the rice, rather than on the side.
Voila! My Easy Summer Pilaf.
As tomato season arrived, my rice turned red. Say what? When I make tomato sandwiches, inevitably there are tomato scraps I can’t bear to toss. You guessed it: I chop ‘em up, toss ‘em in the pilaf, perhaps with okra, peppers, and thin slivers of kale, collards or cabbage. Cherry tomatoes, halved or whole, work wonderfully, too.
Got an extra ear of corn you don’t know what to do with? Cut it off the cob, and toss those niblets in your pilaf! Right now, I’m on the prowl for field peas, because there’s nothing lovelier than peas and rice.
To me, a veggie pilaf is a perfect summer lunch by itself. It can also be the heart of a veggie plate, perhaps with sliced tomatoes, summer squash, slaw or salad. Should you want a more substantial meal, there’s nothing to stop you from adding bacon, ham, chicken or shrimp. For even more flavor, stir in the cooked protein after you’ve steamed the pilaf. (Full disclosure: I tested this recipe with tasso.)
- 1 tablespoon olive oil (or other vegetable oil or bacon fat)
- 1/2 cup diced onion
- 1/2 cup chopped pepper (I used a mix of sweet pepper and jalapeno)
- 1 large clove of garlic, finely minced
- 1 1/2 cups thinly sliced kale leaves (I used dinosaur kale)
- 1 cup chopped tomatoes
- 8-10 small okra pods, trimmed and sliced lengthwise
- 1 cup of rice (I like jasmine)
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 1/2 cups water or stock
- Hot sauce (optional)
- Heat olive oil over medium heat in a cast-iron skillet or large saute pan (ideally one with a lid, which you will need later when you add the rice). When the oil begins to glisten, add the onion and peppers. Saute until tender, about 3 minutes. Add garlic, give it a good stir and cook for about 1 minute.
- Stir in kale, tomatoes and okra. Bring to a simmer and cook until the vegetables are just tender and most of the liquid is gone, 5-6 minutes.
- Add rice, salt and water, and stir well. Turn up the heat to medium high and bring to a boil. Give it one last stir from the bottom (the rice tends to stick to the bottom of the pot at this point), turn heat to low, and cover with a lid. Cook for 15-20 minutes, or until the water is completely absorbed by the rice. (If you can’t tell, use a dinner knife to pull back the rice and take a peek.) Remove from heat and allow to rest for 5 minutes. When ready to serve, fluff with a fork. Serve with (optional) hot sauce. Serves 2.
Nutritional information
Per serving: 478 calories (percent of calories from fat, 15), 9 grams protein, 90 grams carbohydrates, 6 grams fiber, 8 grams total fat (2 grams saturated), no cholesterol, 598 milligrams sodium.Read more stories like this by liking Atlanta Restaurant Scene on Facebook, following @ATLDiningNews on Twitter and @ajcdining on Instagram.
