Green Brown Rice

You know when you get a bunch of cilantro (fresh coriander, for the Brits!) to make salsa and all you have left are the stalks?  Well, I’ve come up with a recipe that uses those leftovers.  So, save them from the fait of the garbage bin and try out this recipe!

Green Brown Rice

1 T olive oil

4-5 cloves of garlic

1/2 jalapeno pepper (more if you like it hot!)

1/4 large white onion

1/2 california pepper (this is a mild, long, light-green pepper)

a couple of pinches of dried oregano

salt and pepper

leftover cilantro stalks/leaves

juice of 1/2 a lime

1 can of veg stock

water

2 cups of brown rice

2 dried bay leaves 

Chop up the peppers and onion into medium pieces.  It’s all going to get blended up, so don’t worry if they’re all different sizes.  Sauté the garlic, jalapeno, onion, california pepper in olive oil.  Add oregano and salt and pepper.  Cook until everything is soft and slightly browned.  This will make the garlic sweeter and mellow the heat of the peppers.  

Put sautéed pepper mix in the food processor and add the cilantro, lime juice and veg stock.  Whiz it all up in the food processor until very smooth.  It will be very watery.  You may not have enough liquid, 4 cups, for the 2 cups of brown rice, so add enough water to make up the difference.  

Now combine the 2 cups of rice with the 4 cups of pepper/water liquid and drop in 2 dried bay leaves.  Bring to a boil on high, then reduce heat to very low.  Cover and simmer 40 minutes.  Don’t open that lid!  

When it’s done, you may have a little liquid left over in the bottom of the pot.  If so, just simmer for a few more minutes with the lid off and this will evaporate most of that leftover liquid.  Take out the bay leaves and fluff the rice with a fork.  Be careful, it’s hot!

So, there you have it.  A great savory grain dish you can eat with a nice delicate white fish, like tilapia or large sautéed shrimp and a simple side salad.  Mmmmmmm.