Author: tortminder

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Ingredients

Ingredients

• 1 cup uncooked white rice
• 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
• 1 small onion, chopped
• 1/2 green bell pepper, thinly sliced
• 1/2 red bell pepper, thinly sliced (for added flavor you can substitute roasted red bell peppers or some chopped pimentos)
• 3 cloves minced garlic
• 2 16-ounce cans of black beans, rinsed and drained
• 2 tablespoons white vinegar
• A few dashes of Tabasco or 1/4 teaspoon cayenne powder
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano OR 1 heaping tablespoon chopped fresh oregano
• Salt and pepper to taste
• Optional Lime wedges and cilantro for garnish

Method

1 Cook the rice: Cook rice according to package instructions. White rice usually takes 15 minutes to cook once the water is simmering, and 10 minutes to sit.

2 Sauté onions, bell peppers, garlic: Heat oil in a large skillet on medium high. Sauté onions and bell peppers for 3-4 minutes, until just beginning to soften, then add garlic and sauté a minute more.

3 Add beans, vinegar, Tabasco, then simmer: Add the black beans, vinegar and Tabasco or cayenne. Bring vinegar to a simmer, reduce heat, cover and simmer for 5 minutes.

4 Stir in rice and oregano. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Mixing some chopped up canned green olives, the ones with pimentos in them, for giving an additional boost to basic black beans and rice makes for an interesting addition.

This is a great side dish with grilled chicken.

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Ingredients

3 ears of corn, (or two cans)
1 cup fresh basil leaves, packed, (or the equivalent, dried)
1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese
1/2 cup walnuts
2 cloves garlic
1/4 tsp salt and pepper each
3 Tbsp olive oil divided
(you can substitute a jar of pesto for the previous 6 ingredients)
2 cups cooked white rice

Method
Preheat your oven to 400 degrees F. Trim the husks on the ears of corn and place directly on the oven rack. Roast for 30 minutes. Cool and then remove from the cob. (If using canned corn, sautee’ until browned a bit).
Meanwhile, make the pesto. Combine the basil, parmesan, walnuts, garlic, salt, pepper, and 2 Tbsp olive oil in a food processor.
Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Add 1 Tbsp olive oil. Add the corn, rice and pesto. Stir to combine.

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Ingredients

2 medium potatoes, diced in 1″ cubes
3 tbsp yogurt
2 tbsp minced fresh cilantro
1 tsp ginger, peeled and minced
2 cloves garlic
1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
1/4 c dried coconut
6 whole cloves
1 cinnamon stick
1 bay leaf
1 1/2 tsp cumin seeds
3 tbsp oil
1 cup basmati rice
3/4 tsp ground turmeric
1 tsp light brown sugar
1 tsp salt
1 tsp lime juice
2 cups water
1/2 c frozen peas
1 tbsp butter

Method
Combine yogurt, cilantro, ginger, garlic, cayenne pepper, and coconut. Add potatoes, stir well, and allow to marinate for a few minutes. Heat oil in large pan, and add cloves, cinnamon stick, bay leaf, and cumin seeds. Cook for 1-2 minutes, until cumin turns brown. Add potato and yogurt mixture, and cook for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Once potatoes are nicely browned, add rice, and cook for another minute or two. Add turmeric, brown sugar, salt, lime juice, and water. Bring to a boil, cover with lid, and lower heat to a simmer. Cook, undisturbed, for 15 minutes. Add peas to pot, and do not stir in. Cover with lid and cook an additional 5 minutes. Remove from heat, add butter and fluff with a fork.