Category Archives: Rice

Italian food, Rice

Bacon, Leek and Camembert Risotto

If there’s one thing I’ve learned in the nine years that I’ve been in charge of organizing and hosting Christmas for my little family, it’s that Christmas is a lot of work. All the behind-the-scenes shopping, planning, decorating, wrapping, cleaning and cooking isn’t exactly the stuff of Norman Rockwell paintings, but someone (and we all know who) has to do it. It’s certainly made me appreciate how hard my own mother must have worked to make the holidays magical for me and my brother and sister when we were growing up. That’s why I love the Irish idea of Women’s Christmas (Nollaig na mBan) on January 6th, when women are meant to get the day off while the men do the housework, kind of like an extra Mother’s Day. What I can’t understand is why the idea isn’t spreading like wildfire. Who wouldn’t like a day off from housework, a girls’ night out and an extra present?

If Women’s Christmas was going to be celebrated in my own house (hint, hint Hubby), then this is the dinner I’d request to be made for me as one last calorific holiday indulgence (though I already made it on St. Stephen’s Day as a way to use up some of our leftover Christmas ham). Risotto is one of my go-to winter dishes, and this version is my absolute favorite. The leeks become meltingly soft and mild, the bacon adds its signature salty, smoky depth, and the Camembert in place of the usual Parmesan elevates the whole dish into something special. In fact, it’s the dinner I asked my husband to make me the day I came home from the hospital with our son. But don’t feel that you have to wait for a special occasion to make this. It would also be the perfect rib-sticking antidote to any long, dark, cold winter night.

Bacon, Leek and Camembert Risotto

Serves 4

If you can’t find or don’t care for Camembert, or if you want to make a less rich, more everyday kind of risotto, use 1/2 cup (50 g) of Parmesan instead. You can also use leftover ham instead of the bacon here, or for a vegetarian version, use mushrooms instead of the bacon.

4 tablespoons (60 g) unsalted butter
2 leeks, white parts only, sliced
1 1/2 cups (300 g) risotto rice (Arborio rice)
1 cup (240 ml) dry white wine or extra-dry Martini
2 pints (1 liter) good-quality vegetable or chicken stock
6 to 8 slices of bacon or pancetta, depending on how thickly cut the bacon is
8 oz (225 g) Camembert cheese
salt and freshly ground black pepper

Heat the butter in a wide, deep saucepan and add the leeks. Cook to soften, about 10 minutes. Mix in the rice, stirring to give it a good coating of the butter. Allow it to cook for a minute or two, until the grains of rice start to turn translucent. Add the white wine or Martini and let it bubble away for a few minutes. Meanwhile, heat the stock in another saucepan and keep it at simmering point.

Once all the wine or Martini has been absorbed into the rice, pour a ladleful of the stock into the rice and keep stirring until the stock is absorbed. Then add another ladleful and stir again. Continue doing this until the rice is al dente. You may not need all the stock; equally, you may need to add a bit more hot water. Don’t rush this process — allow the rice to fully absorb each ladleful of stock before adding the next one.

While the risotto is cooking, heat a separate frying pan and cook the bacon or pancetta until crisp. Drain on paper towels, then chop into bite-sized pieces. Set aside.

When you’ve added almost all the stock, test the rice — the risotto is ready when the rice is tender but still has a little bite. When the risotto is done, mix in the Camembert cheese and the bacon. Divide between 4 serving bowls or plates, add seasoning to taste and serve immediately.

Cakes, Rice, Seafood

Salmon Roasted with Herbs, Rice Pilaf with Onions, Almonds and Currants, Maple-glazed Carrots, and Icebox Cake

Today is Sam’s third birthday. We celebrated this weekend with a houseful of kids and a very patient though ultimately frazzled Kindermusic teacher. During our party planning, Sam asked for a whipped cream cake. Not knowing exactly what a whipped cream cake might entail, I turned to the trusted Smitten Kitchen. The resulting concoction, an icebox cake, is straight from the 1950s, piled high with freshly whipped cream, thin chocolate wafer cookies, a dusting of chocolate shavings, and eleven layers of deliciousness. Probably my favorite thing about the cake was the fact that it’s made the day before, leaving plenty of time in the morning to hang balloons and hide the household mess before company arrives. There was no cake left by the time we ate dinner, but it would have tasted just as good with our salmon dinner as it did with our Zaffiro’s pizza lunch.

Salmon Roasted with Herbs
adapted from How To Cook Everything: Simple Recipes for Great Food by Mark Bittman

Serves 4

2 tablespoons (30 g) butter
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 1/2 lb (680 g) salmon fillet
salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
2 teaspoons fresh thyme
2 teaspoons fresh parsley
1 large shallot, minced

Preheat the oven to 475°F (240°C). Melt the butter until the foam subsides in a medium roasting pan in the oven as it preheats. Add the olive oil to the melted butter.

Season the salmon with salt and pepper, then sprinkle the flesh of the fillet with the herbs and shallot, pressing lightly. Carefully place the salmon in the butter and oil, flesh side down, and put the pan in the oven. Roast for about 5 minutes, then flip the salmon over and roast 4 to 6 minutes longer, until the salmon is done (peek between the flakes with a thin-bladed knife). Serve immediately.

***

Rice Pilaf with Onions, Almonds and Currants
adapted from How To Cook Everything: Simple Recipes for Great Food by Mark Bittman

Serves 4

2 tablespoons (30 g) butter or olive oil
1 small onion, chopped
1 1/2 cups (175 g) rice
salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 1/2 cups (600 ml) chicken broth, heated to the boiling point
1/2 cup (75 g) currants
1/2 cup (50 g) almond slivers
minced fresh parsley leaves, for garnish

Place the butter or oil in a large, deep skillet with a lid over a medium-high heat. When the butter melts or the oil is hot, add the onion. Cook, stirring, until the onion softens but does not brown, 5 to 8 minutes.

Add the rice all at once, turn the heat to medium, and stir until the rice is glossy and completely coated with butter or oil. Cook for 2 to 3 minutes, then stir in the almonds and cook 3 to 4 more minutes, until fragrant and starting to color lightly. Stir in the currants. Season well with salt and pepper, then turn the heat down to low and add the broth, all at once. Stir once and cover the pan.

Cook for 15 to 20 minutes, until nearly all of the liquid is absorbed. Turn off the heat and let rest for another 5 to 10 minutes. Check the seasoning, garnish and serve immediately.

***

Maple-glazed Carrots
inspired by my friend Lindsay

Serves 4

1 lb (450 g) carrots, peeled
4 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons maple syrup
4 tablespoons fresh parsley, minced
salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Preheat the oven to 450°F (230°C).

Cut the carrots into 2‑inch-long pieces, halving or quartering large parts of the carrots so each piece is about 1/2 inch thick. Toss with olive oil, maple syrup, parsley, salt and pepper. Spread the carrots onto a large baking sheet in a single layer. Roast  for 15 to 25 minutes, until the carrots are tender, turning the carrots once or twice to prevent scorching.

***

Icebox Cake
from Smitten Kitchen

Serves 12

3 cups (700 ml) heavy cream
3 tablespoons sugar
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
2 x 9‑oz (250‑g) packages chocolate wafer cookies
unsweetened cocoa (or chocolate shavings)

In a large bowl, beat the cream, sugar and vanilla with an electric mixer on high speed until soft peaks form.

On a flat serving plate, arrange 7 cookies side by side in a circle, keeping 1 cookie in the center.

Spread with 1/2 cup (120 ml) whipped cream, making a 7‑inch circle. Repeat with the remaining cookies and cream, making 11 layers of cookies and ending with a layer of cream (there will be a few cookies left over). Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight. To serve, dust the top lightly with cocoa powder or chocolate shavings.

Grains and pulses, Mexican food, Rice, Salads, Vegetarian main dishes

Pumpkin, Feta and Cilantro Quesadillas and Lentil-Rice Salad with Chorizo

Sitting down to think about what to say about pumpkins, the first thing that popped into my head was the time my dad took me to the record store at the mall for my sixteenth birthday and let me pick out a CD as a present. I chose Siamese Dream by The Smashing Pumpkins, which back then was a cool new album. “Smashing … Pumpkins?” he said slowly. “What the heck kind of a name for a band is that?” No doubt I answered by just rolling my eyes. Fast forward another sixteen years, and instead of buying alternative CDs, I’m buying tickets at my daughter’s school for a pumpkin they’re raffling off as a fundraiser. How times change.

pumpkin quesadillas with lentil-rice salad

Pumpkin, Feta and Cilantro Quesadillas 
adapted from Bon Appétit, October 2009

Serves 6

1 lb (450 g) peeled and deseeded sugar pumpkin or butternut squash, cut into 1 1/2‑inch cubes (about 3 cups)
1 jalapeño, deseeded and finely chopped (about 2 tablespoons)
salt and freshly ground black pepper
12 x 8‑inch-diameter flour tortillas
10 oz (280 g) feta cheese, crumbled
1 1/2 cups (45 g) coarsely chopped fresh cilantro
2 limes, each cut into 6 wedges

Cook the pumpkin or squash in a large saucepan of boiling salted water until tender but not falling apart, about 10 minutes. Drain and cool for 10 minutes. While the pumpkin is still warm, transfer to a food processor or blender and puree until smooth. Stir in the jalapeño and season with salt and pepper.

Divide the pumpkin mixture equally among 6 tortillas (about 1/4 cup (60 ml) per tortilla) and spread it evenly across the tortilla. Sprinkle feta over each tortilla. Top each with 1/4 cup (10 g) cilantro and sprinkle with black pepper. Top with the second tortilla.

Heat a heavy, large griddle or skillet over a medium-high heat. Cook the quesadillas until golden and dark char marks appear, about 1 minute per side. Serve with lime wedges.

***

Lentil-Rice Salad with Chorizo
adapted from Mexican Everyday by Rick Bayless

Serves 4

for the dressing:
2 oz (60 g) chorizo, casing removed
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
2/3 cup (160 ml) vegetable oil, olive oil or a mixture of the two
1/4 cup (60 ml) apple cider vinegar
1 teaspoon oregano

for the salad:
2/3 cup (200 g) Puy or brown lentils (not red or yellow, as these will fall apart during cooking)
1/2 cup (90 g) rice (long-grain rice makes the fluffiest salad)
1 tablespoon salt
1 small red onion, thinly sliced
4 oz (110 g) chorizo or good-quality ham, cut into 1/4‑inch cubes
1 red bell pepper, roasted, peeled and sliced
4 oz (110 g) baby spinach

First, make the dressing. Place the chorizo in a small skillet and set over a medium heat. Cook, stirring and breaking up clumps, until the sausage is browned and cooked through, 8 to 10 minutes. Add the garlic and stir for 1 minute, then remove from the heat.

Transfer the chorizo and garlic into a screw-top jar. Add the oil, vinegar and oregano, secure the lid and shake until smooth. Taste and season with salt if you think it needs it (Rick Bayless recommends 1/2 teaspoon). Refrigerate until ready to use. Shake well immediately before dressing a salad. If you want to use this as a warm dressing (as is common for spinach salad), microwave uncovered for 15 to 20 seconds, secure the lid and shake again.

To make the salad, pour about 2 quarts (2 liters) of water into a large pot and set over a high heat. Add the salt. When the water boils, add in the lentils and rice. Reduce the heat slightly, but keep the water at a brisk boil and cook until the lentils and rice are tender (no chalkiness inside) but show no signs of falling apart, about 15 minutes. Pour into a strainer set in the sink to drain completely.

Scoop the lentil-rice mixture into a very large bowl, along with the red onion. Pour in about 1/4 cup (60 ml) of the dressing and mix well. Add the chopped chorizo or ham and red pepper to the lentils and toss to combine. Season to taste.

Scoop the spinach into a large bowl. Shake the dressing throughly to blend, then drizzle on about 3 tablespoons and toss to combine. (Save the rest of the dressing for another salad.) Divide the salad among 4 plates, roughly forming it into nests. Scoop a portion of the lentil salad into the center of each and serve.


Italian food, Rice

Risotto with Roasted Butternut Squash, Bacon and Blue Cheese

Risotto has an undeserved reputation for being hard work. It’s true that you do have to hang around in the kitchen to add stock and stir every five minutes or so, but it doesn’t need constant stirring and attention the way, say, polenta does, so it’s not as if you’re chained to the stove. Just put on a good CD while you cook. It took me a few tries to find a risotto recipe I liked as much as what I used to have in restaurants, and for me, the wine or vermouth (I always use vermouth) is the key ingredient — without it, I always think the dish is missing something. I always have a bottle of extra-dry Martini in the house, not only because I like to use it in place of white wine in most recipes, but mainly because I make risotto so often.

In the September 25 entry of The Kitchen Diaries*, Nigel Slater says of risotto, “I insist this warming, gooey rice dish has a season, just as porridge does,” and I agree (though I make a lemon risotto in the early Irish summer, when the days are still cool). It’s one of my go-to recipes for the colder months, plus both my kids love it — and why wouldn’t they? It’s total comfort food — creamy and savory — open to endless variations, and easy for my 17-month-old to scoop up with a spoon to feed himself. This is Matt’s favorite version, and it’s just right for autumn. You can expect plenty more risotto recipes from me in the coming months, now that the season for it is well and truly upon us.

*Amazon.com is selling The Kitchen Diaries in hardcover at a bargain price for only $16 (list price is $40). This cookbook is one of my favorites, so you might want to snap it up at this price.

risotto with roasted butternut squash, bacon and blue cheese

Risotto with Roasted Butternut Squash, Bacon and Blue Cheese

Serves 4

If you want to make a vegetarian version of this, just omit the bacon, and perhaps add some chopped toasted pecans when serving (much like this squash side dish).

1 large butternut squash
olive oil
4 tablespoons (60 g) unsalted butter
3 shallots or 1 small onion, very finely chopped
2 sticks of celery, very finely chopped
1/2 teaspoon dried sage
1 1/2 cups (300 g) risotto rice (Arborio rice)
1 cup (240 ml) dry white wine or extra-dry Martini
2 pints (1 liter) good-quality vegetable or chicken stock
6 slices of bacon or pancetta
1/2 cup (50 g) grated Parmesan cheese
1/3 cup (about 1 1/2 oz/40 g) blue cheese, crumbled
salt and freshly ground black pepper

Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C).

Peel and halve the squash and scoop out the seeds. Cut the squash into 1‑inch cubes (you don’t need to be precise, just keep the pieces uniformly small). Place the squash in a roasting tin or casserole dish and drizzle with olive oil. Roast for 30 to 45 minutes, or until tender. Set aside and keep warm.

Heat the butter, shallots, celery and sage in a wide, deep saucepan and cook to soften, about 5 minutes. Mix in the rice, stirring to give it a good coating of the butter. Allow it to cook for a minute or two, until the grains of rice start to turn translucent. Add the white wine or Martini and let it bubble away for a few minutes. Meanwhile, heat the stock in another saucepan and keep it at simmering point.

Once all the wine or Martini has been absorbed into the rice, pour a ladleful of the stock into the rice and keep stirring until the stock is absorbed. Then add another ladleful and stir again. Continue doing this until the rice is al dente. You may not need all the stock; equally, you may need to add a bit more hot water. Don’t rush this process — allow the rice to fully absorb each ladleful of stock before adding the next one.

While the risotto is cooking, heat a separate frying pan and cook the bacon or pancetta until crisp. Drain on paper towels, then chop into bite-sized pieces. Set aside.

When you’ve added almost all the stock, test the rice — the risotto is ready when the rice is tender but still has a little bite. When the risotto is done, mix in the grated Parmesan. Divide between 4 serving bowls or plates and top with the roasted squash, bacon and blue cheese. Serve with more grated Parmesan if you wish, add seasoning to taste and serve immediately.

Desserts, Rice, Salads

Stuffed Green Peppers, Salad with Corn, Tomato, and Goat Cheese, and Sweet Potato Pie

I know I’ve been watching too much Mad Men when I start craving cigarettes and pull out my Betty Crocker’s Cookbook from 1969. I can’t figure out how women ate these dishes and still managed to squeeze into their wool pencil skirts. Good girdles? Maybe it was the chain smoking.

Feeling housewifely after an evening marathon of Season 1 (thank you Netflix), I decided dinner needed a pie finale. Though sweet potato pies are more Mississippi than Manhattan, I couldn’t resist trying out this southern favorite. This was my first taste of sweet potato pie. I enjoyed it, a very nice alternative to a pumpkin pie. Unfortunately, the day after I made it, the pie fell out of my overstuffed fridge so I lost the leftovers as well as my favorite Le Creuset pie plate. I’m sure Betty Draper would be appalled by balancing dessert on top of a dozen ears of corn wedged between nearly expired yogurt.

Stuffed Green Peppers
adapted from Betty Crocker’s Cookbook/40th Anniversary Edition

Serves 6

6 large green bell peppers
1 lb (450 g) ground beef
1/2 small onion, minced
1 clove garlic, minced
1 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups cooked rice
1 x 15-oz (425‑g) can tomato sauce

Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C). Cut a thin slice from the stem end of each pepper. Remove the seeds and membranes; rinse. Cook the peppers in enough boiling salted water to cover for 5 minutes; drain.

Cook the ground beef and onion in a large skillet until the hamburger is light brown; drain. Add the garlic to the pan and cook over a medium-high heat for 1 minute, until fragrant. Stir in the salt, rice and 1 1/3 cups of the tomato sauce; heat through.

Stuff each pepper with the beef/rice mixture, then stand upright in an ungreased 8 x 8 x 2‑inch baking dish  Pour the remaining sauce over the peppers. Cover and bake for 45 minutes. Uncover and cook for 15 minutes longer.

***

Salad with Corn, Tomato, and Goat’s Cheese with Sherry Vinaigrette

Serves 4

2 tablespoons sherry vinegar
1/2 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons olive oil
5 oz (140 g) mixed salad greens
2 ears of corn, cooked and kernels removed
2 small or 1 large tomato, diced
2 oz (60 g) goat’s cheese

To make the vinaigrette, whisk together the vinegar, mustard, salt, pepper, and olive oil (or shake to combine in a screw-top jar).

For the salad, mix together the greens, corn kernels, and tomato. Drizzle the vinaigrette on top and gently toss. Garnish with the goat’s cheese.

***

IMG_6838

Sweet Potato Pie
adapted from Bon Appétit, September 2002

Serves 8

2 large or 3 small red-skinned sweet potatoes (about 1 1/2 lb/680 g)
1 cup (packed) (170 g) golden brown sugar
1 cup (240 ml) whipping cream
3 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 x 9‑inch prepared pie crust (Note: this recipe has a wonderful crust according to the online reviews, but I’m lazy and always use Pillsbury refrigerated pie crusts)
1 large egg white, beaten to blend
freshly whipped cream, to serve

Pierce the potatoes with a fork. Cook in the microwave on high until tender, about 6 minutes per side. Cut open and allow to cool completely. Scrape the potato flesh into a bowl and mash until smooth. Measure enough potato puree to equal 1 1/2 cups.

Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C) and position the oven rack in the bottom third of the oven. Place the puree in a large bowl. Whisk in the brown sugar, cream, eggs, vanilla, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt. Brush the pie crust with the beaten egg white. Transfer the filling to the crust.

Bake the pie until the filling is puffed around the edges and set in the center, about 45 minutes. Transfer to a rack and allow to cool. (Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover; refrigerate.) Serve with freshly whipped cream.

Desserts, Fruit, Poultry, Rice

Spicy Chicken and Rice with Tossed Salad and Raspberry Crumb Bars

Sometimes it’s fun to see what I can pull together for dinner without shopping for any ingredients. I also like having an excuse to use the new Le Creuset brasier my mom bought me as an early Christmas present. I originally thought an arroz con pollo recipe would be fun to try, but there were too many recipes to choose from; Spain, Cuba, Puerto Rico, Mexico and a host of South American countries all have their own versions. If anyone out there has an arroz con pollo recipe that they love, please send it my way. After a long internet search, I found this tasty chicken and rice recipe. It’s quick to prepare (just shy of making our 30-minute meal category) and makes a complete dinner when paired with a simple tossed salad.

The raspberry crumb bars were made of necessity. My regular grocery store, Sendik’s, unbelievably priced their fresh raspberries at $1 a box. These are the same boxes that usually cost $3.99. I bought the raspberries in good faith, hoping I could use them before they spoiled. The berries were gone within a week thanks to these bars and a couple wonderful breakfasts of oatmeal topped with fresh raspberries and maple syrup.

Spicy Chicken and Rice

Spicy Chicken and Rice
adapted from Bon Appétit, September 2007

Serves 4

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
4 large boneless, skinless chicken thighs
salt and freshly ground black pepper
about 1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
1 red bell pepper, deseeded and diced
1 onion, chopped
1/4 cup (40 g) raisins
3 oz (about 1/2 cup/90 g) coarsely chopped pitted imported green olives
2 small bay leaves
2 garlic cloves, peeled
1 teaspoon hot chili paste (such as sambal oelek) or 1 small Serrano chili, chopped
1 1/2 cups (250 g to 280 g) jasmine rice or long-grain white rice , rinsed and drained
2 1/2 cups (600 ml) low-salt chicken broth

Heat the oil in a large skillet over a medium-high heat. Sprinkle the chicken generously with salt and pepper, then lightly with the ground cloves. Add the chicken to the skillet and sauté until brown, about 4 minutes per side. Transfer the chicken to a plate.

Pour off all but 4 tablespoons of fat from the skillet. Add the bell pepper, onion, raisins, olives, bay leaves, garlic, and chili paste to the skillet. Sauté until the vegetables begin to soften, about 2 minutes. Add the rice and stir for 1 minute. Press the chicken into the rice. Add 2 1/4 cups (540 ml) of the broth and bring to a boil. Cover, reduce the heat to medium-low, and simmer until the chicken is cooked through and the rice is tender, about 20 minutes (add the remaining broth if the rice is too dry).

***

Don’t let the “breakfast” in the title of these bars make you think they are overly healthy. Though less sweet than a normal cookie and loaded with fresh, tangy berries, they fit more in the dessert category than breakfast category, in my opinion.

Raspberry Crumb Breakfast Bars
adapted by Smitten Kitchen from Baked: New Frontiers in Baking

Makes about 24 bars

for the crust and crumb:
1 1/2 cups (180 g) all-purpose flour
1 cup (170 g) firmly packed dark brown sugar
1 1/4 cups (100 g) rolled oats
3/4 teaspoon salt
3/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks/165 g) unsalted butter, cut into 1‑inch pieces

for the raspberry filling:
1/4 cup (40 g) firmly packed dark brown sugar
1 tablespoon grated lemon zest
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 lb (450 g) raspberries, fresh or frozen
1/4 cup (60 ml) fresh lemon juice
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and cooled

To make the crust and crumb, preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C). Butter the bottom and sides of a 9‑by-13-inch glass or light-colored metal baking pan. Put a long piece of parchment paper in the bottom of the pan, letting the parchment extend up the two short sides of the pan and overhang slightly on both ends. (This will make it easy to remove the bars from the pan after they have baked.) Butter the parchment.

Put the flour, brown sugar, oats, salt, baking powder, baking soda, and cinnamon in a food processor. Pulse in short bursts until combined. Add the butter and pulse until loose crumbs form. Reserve 1 1/2 cups of the mixture and set aside. Pour the rest of the mixture into the prepared pan and use your hands or the back of a large wooden spoon to push the crust into an even layer at the bottom of the pan. The crust should touch the sides of the pan. Bake until golden brown, 12 to 15 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack and let the crust cool. Keep the oven on while you make the raspberry filling.

To make the raspberry filling, in a medium bowl, whisk the sugar, lemon zest, cinnamon and flour together. Add the raspberries, lemon juice and butter and use your hands to toss gently until the raspberries are evenly coated.

To assemble and bake the bars, spread the raspberry filling evenly on top of the cooled crust. Sprinkle the reserved crust mixture evenly on top of the filling. Bake for 35 to 45 minutes, rotating the pan every 15 minutes, until the top is golden brown and the filling starts to bubble around the edges. Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely, then cut into squares and serve. The bars can be stored in the refrigerator in an airtight container for up to 2 days.

Mexican food, Poultry, Rice

Chipotle Lime Chicken Salad Wraps with Potatoes and Avocado and Mexican Red Rice

When Kelly and I decided to start this blog earlier this summer, we weren’t sure what the copyright implications of sharing recipes online might be. I’ve been reading cooking blogs for years and had always wondered about it, never for a minute believing that all the bloggers out there were writing off to Gourmet or Ina Garten’s publisher to formally ask permission to use their recipes. But when it came time to start my own blog, would I lie awake at night like the Amateur Gourmet, fretting that the Barefoot Contessa would bring the full weight of the law down on me for posting her lemon fusilli recipe?

We set our minds at rest after reading the US Copyright Office guidelines and this Washington Post article, but what about adapting a recipe to the point where you can call it your own? Where do you cross the line from having to acknowledge the source to you being the source? Take these chicken salad wraps, for example. I was looking through my Mexican Everyday cookbook and saw Rick Bayless’s recipe for Chipotle Chicken Salad Tacos with Avocado, Red-Skin Potatoes and Romaine. I liked the sound of most of it, but decided to ditch his vinaigrette with oregano for a dressing of mayo, chipotle, lime and cilantro instead. I also used flour tortillas instead of corn, turning these into wraps instead of tacos. I played around with the quantities specified in the ingredients list and pretty much wrote the instructions from scratch too. Is all that enough to call this recipe my own? Or should I stick with the guidelines issued by the International Association of Culinary Professionals and use the words “adapted from,” “based on” or “inspired by?” In the interests of sleeping soundly, “inspired by” sounds good to me.

Chipotle Lime Chicken Salad Wraps with Potatoes and Avocado
inspired by Mexican Everyday by Rick Bayless

Makes 8 wraps

for the wraps:
2 large potatoes or 6 small new potatoes
8 large flour tortilla wraps
3 handfuls sliced romaine leaves, sliced 1/4 inch across
1/2 red onion, finely chopped and deflamed (optional)
2 ripe avocados, cut into 1/4‑inch cubes

for the chipotle lime chicken salad:
1 tablespoon minced canned chipotle chillies (or 1 teaspoon dried chipotle chillies, available from Seasoned Pioneers, or a few dashes of chipotle Tabasco, to taste)
juice of 2 limes (you could add the zest too if you want an even stronger lime flavor)
1 cup (30 g) cilantro, chopped
1 cup (240 ml) mayo
4 chicken breasts, poached and coarsely shredded (or about 3 cups of any shredded chicken, such as leftover roast chicken)
salt and freshly ground black pepper

Cook the potatoes in boiling salted water until fork tender, about 7 to 10 minutes, depending on their size. Drain and allow to cool, then cut into 1/4‑inch cubes.

To make the chipotle lime chicken salad, add the chipotle chillies, lime juice (and zest, if using) and cilantro to the mayonnaise, stirring well to combine. Add the shredded chicken to the chipotle lime mayo, mixing well to make sure all the chicken is coated with mayo. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

To assemble, spread some of the chicken salad on a tortilla, then top with potatoes, lettuce, onions and avocado. Roll up tightly and cut in half on the diagonal. Repeat with the remaining wraps.

***

Mexican Red Rice
from Mexican Everyday by Rick Bayless

Serves 6 to 8

Rick Bayless also gives a few riffs on this dish: halved garlic cloves, chopped red, white or green onion and sliced mushrooms can be sautéed along with the raw rice. Cubed peeled carrots, parsnips, butternut squash, even Jerusalem artichokes or kohlrabi can go in with the salsa. Chopped snow peas or green beans can replace the peas. Or boost the flavor with a roasted poblano pepper, fresh corn kernels and a handful of chopped cilantro, arugula or watercress leaves, all added along with the peas.

1 1/2 tablespoons vegetable or olive oil
1 1/2 cups (270 g) white rice
1 cup (240 ml) good-quality tomato salsa
1 cup (240 ml) chicken or vegetable broth
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups (210 g) frozen peas

Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C).

Set a medium ovenproof saucepan or casserole dish over a medium heat. Add the oil and rice. Stir frequently until the grains of rice turn from translucent to milky-white, about 5 minutes – don’t worry if some of them brown. Add the salsa, broth and salt. Stir a couple of times, then let the mixture come to a full boil.

Cover the pan and set in the middle of the oven. Bake for 20 minutes. Uncover, add the peas and re-cover. Bake for 5 minutes longer, then remove from the oven and let stand for 5 minutes. Fluff the rice, releasing the steam and mixing in the peas.

Rice

Barbeque Chicken, Zucchini Rice Gratin, and Grilled Corn on the Cob

Zucchini bounty in August is a mixed blessing. The zucchini is at peak flavor, but can one really enjoy eating pounds of it week after week? Though tempted to try Kristin’s Chocolate Zucchini Cake from last week, I knew my currently dieting husband would not touch cake. In search of something less sweet, I stumbled across a well-reviewed Zucchini Rice Gratin recipe on Epicurious.com and gave it a try. Let me tell you, the reviewers were not wrong. This casserole-type dish is amazing.

I have not posted a barbeque chicken recipe since everyone seems to have their own favorite method, but I will share three tips for good chicken. One, don’t bother with chicken breasts; they dry out too fast and have minimal flavor. Two, use indirect heat to ensure even cooking without charring. Three, apply sauce only after the chicken has been cooked.

Zucchini Rice Gratin

Zucchini Rice Gratin
from Gourmet, March 2008

Serves 6 (side dish servings)

1/3 cup (60 g) long-grain white rice (or about 3/4 cup cooked rice)
1 1/2 lb (680 g) zucchini (about 3 medium), sliced crosswise 1/4 inch thick
6 1/2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
1/2 lb (225 g) plum tomatoes, sliced crosswise 1/4 inch thick
1 medium onion, halved lengthwise and thinly sliced
3 garlic cloves, finely chopped
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
1 teaspoon chopped thyme
1/2 cup (60 g) grated Parmigiano-Reggiano, divided

Preheat oven to 450°F (230°C) with racks in upper and lower thirds. Cook rice according to package instructions. (Note: I used 3/4 cup cooked, leftover rice.)

While rice cooks, toss the zucchini with 1 tablespoon oil and 1/2 teaspoon salt in a shallow baking pan. Toss the tomatoes with 1/2 tablespoon oil and 1/4 teaspoon salt in another baking pan. Roast the zucchini in the upper third of the oven and the tomatoes in the lower third, turning the vegetables once halfway through roasting, until tender and light golden, about 10 minutes for tomatoes and 20 minutes for zucchini. Leave the oven on.

Meanwhile, cook the onion and garlic with 1/2 teaspoon salt in 2 tablespoons oil in a large heavy skillet, covered, over a low heat, stirring occasionally until very tender, 15 to 20 minutes.

Stir together the onion mixture, cooked rice, eggs, thyme, 1/4 cup (30 g) cheese, 1 tablespoon oil, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Spread half the rice mixture in a shallow 2‑quart baking dish, then top with half the zucchini. Spread the remaining rice mixture over the zucchini, then top with the remaining zucchini. Top with tomatoes and drizzle with the remaining 2 tablespoons oil, then sprinkle with the remaining cheese. Bake in the upper third of the oven until set and golden brown, about 20 minutes.

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Grilled Corn on the Cob

Grilling corn is a great way to bring out its natural sweetness and to avoid heating up your kitchen on a hot day. To prepare, soak ears of corn (as fresh as possible) in a sink of cold water for 20 to 30 minutes. Drain. Cook ears on the grill over a medium heat for 10 to 15 minutes, or until tender, turning once or twice while cooking. Remove husks from corn. Serve with salt, pepper, and butter.