I've been preparing vegetarian dishes lately (I think the chicken thighs were the last "meat" item I cooked) and this rice and vegetable casserole is simple to prepare and delicious hot or cold. Yes, that was a terribly punctuated run-on sentence.
The potato pancakes were also easy to prepare, and have the advantage of being made in stages that can be set aside during interruptions (perfect for those times when you're distracted by your two year old standing in the middle of the room peeing on the floor). In fact, the casserole can be assembled in stages as well; making both dishes fairly adaptable to whatever mischief your child (spouse, elderly parent, etc.) decides needs your immediate attention. If however, the people in your life are more accommodating to your time in the kitchen, disregard the prep-ahead directions and cook it all at once.
For the Casserole:
1-pound green beans cut diagonally (no, that's not etched in stone, but it will look nicer)
Boiling salted water
1 cup uncooked rice
2 cups chicken (or vegetable) broth
1-teaspoon salt
1 small onion, finely chopped
3-4 tablespoons butter
1 cup diced celery
2 large tomatoes, seeded, juiced and diced
1-½ cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese
½ cup buttered soft bread crumbs*
Early in the day, cut the green beans, cook them in salted boiling water until just soft. Drain, run under cold water in a strainer to refresh and set aside in refrigerator.
Make the rice by mixing 1-cup rice in 2 cups boiling broth. Reduce to simmer and cook covered 20 minutes until water is absorbed. Fluff with a fork and set aside in refrigerator. Dice the celery and onion. Seed and drain the tomatoes. All can be kept aside until ready to assemble.
Shred the cheese, and grate the breadcrumbs.
When ready to cook:
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
Lightly grease a large casserole. Cook the onions and celery in the butter until soft. Mix in the rice, green beans, tomatoes and 1 cup of the cheese. Turn into the casserole. Top with remaining cheese and buttered breadcrumbs. Bake 20-30 minutes. If it must be kept waiting, keep warm in the turned-off oven. This makes quite a bit of food, so you will likely have plenty to serve the following evening.
For the Pancakes:
Grate 4 medium potatoes into about 1 cup milk (you can add more to cover at the end). Add 1 tablespoon dried, minced onion flakes. Set in refrigerator, lightly covered to prevent discolouration. Heat about 2 inches of oil in a frying pan. Drain the potatoes and add 1-teaspoon salt, ¼ teaspoon pepper, 1 egg, and 4-5 (or more) tablespoons of flour until it is no longer runny (a little drip is ok-but you don't want it soupy). Drop by spoonful into hot fat and fry until both sides are dark brown. Drain on a metal rack placed over a baking sheet (paper towels make soggy potatoes). If dinner will be delayed, keep warm in a small covered casserole dish, once drained).
*I make a Pullman loaf now and then and before freezing it, cut it into four or five hunks. When a recipe calls for soft breadcrumbs I have the perfect bread. It also makes excellent bread puddings, or molded sandwiches (you know, chicken pressed into a terrine with watercress and cream cheese that is then sliced and served. I'm not suggesting you make it-just pointing out that a Pullman is a good loaf for it). The recipe in Beard On Bread is quite good, though you must use all-purpose flour as bread flour will not result in the same delicate crumb and depending on the ash content of the flour, can cause the bread not to rise as expected in the tin resulting in a burned top.
The potato pancakes were also easy to prepare, and have the advantage of being made in stages that can be set aside during interruptions (perfect for those times when you're distracted by your two year old standing in the middle of the room peeing on the floor). In fact, the casserole can be assembled in stages as well; making both dishes fairly adaptable to whatever mischief your child (spouse, elderly parent, etc.) decides needs your immediate attention. If however, the people in your life are more accommodating to your time in the kitchen, disregard the prep-ahead directions and cook it all at once.
For the Casserole:
1-pound green beans cut diagonally (no, that's not etched in stone, but it will look nicer)
Boiling salted water
1 cup uncooked rice
2 cups chicken (or vegetable) broth
1-teaspoon salt
1 small onion, finely chopped
3-4 tablespoons butter
1 cup diced celery
2 large tomatoes, seeded, juiced and diced
1-½ cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese
½ cup buttered soft bread crumbs*
Early in the day, cut the green beans, cook them in salted boiling water until just soft. Drain, run under cold water in a strainer to refresh and set aside in refrigerator.
Make the rice by mixing 1-cup rice in 2 cups boiling broth. Reduce to simmer and cook covered 20 minutes until water is absorbed. Fluff with a fork and set aside in refrigerator. Dice the celery and onion. Seed and drain the tomatoes. All can be kept aside until ready to assemble.
Shred the cheese, and grate the breadcrumbs.
When ready to cook:
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
Lightly grease a large casserole. Cook the onions and celery in the butter until soft. Mix in the rice, green beans, tomatoes and 1 cup of the cheese. Turn into the casserole. Top with remaining cheese and buttered breadcrumbs. Bake 20-30 minutes. If it must be kept waiting, keep warm in the turned-off oven. This makes quite a bit of food, so you will likely have plenty to serve the following evening.
For the Pancakes:
Grate 4 medium potatoes into about 1 cup milk (you can add more to cover at the end). Add 1 tablespoon dried, minced onion flakes. Set in refrigerator, lightly covered to prevent discolouration. Heat about 2 inches of oil in a frying pan. Drain the potatoes and add 1-teaspoon salt, ¼ teaspoon pepper, 1 egg, and 4-5 (or more) tablespoons of flour until it is no longer runny (a little drip is ok-but you don't want it soupy). Drop by spoonful into hot fat and fry until both sides are dark brown. Drain on a metal rack placed over a baking sheet (paper towels make soggy potatoes). If dinner will be delayed, keep warm in a small covered casserole dish, once drained).
*I make a Pullman loaf now and then and before freezing it, cut it into four or five hunks. When a recipe calls for soft breadcrumbs I have the perfect bread. It also makes excellent bread puddings, or molded sandwiches (you know, chicken pressed into a terrine with watercress and cream cheese that is then sliced and served. I'm not suggesting you make it-just pointing out that a Pullman is a good loaf for it). The recipe in Beard On Bread is quite good, though you must use all-purpose flour as bread flour will not result in the same delicate crumb and depending on the ash content of the flour, can cause the bread not to rise as expected in the tin resulting in a burned top.
No comments:
Post a Comment