SHARON’S HAPPY FAMILY RICE

SHARON’S HAPPY FAMILY RICE

Jasmine rice combined with fresh spinach, grilled cubanella peppers and sautéed onion, celery and shredded carrot. Served as rice molds with a green peppercorn and thyme gravy sauce!

Serves 6-9

9 oz. bag fresh spinach, washed, then steamed till tender and still bright green; when done, place steamer insert in a lg. bowl of cold tap water till spinach is cold, drain well and squeeze just a bit to remove excess liquid

3 fresh cubanella peppers, cored and sliced from end to end into 3rds; grill on stove-top grill pan, lightly oiled, over medium heat, turning every few minutes till they begin to soften. As they soften, push them flat onto the grill to grill more evenly. When tender and charred sporadically, turn heat off and let set. They’ll soften more on their own.

To broil peppers in lieu of grilling them: Place on baking sheet further away from broiler heating element than you would if you were roasting them – we’re not peeling the skins. Turn on baking sheet to slightly char most sides. Remove from broiler, place in small bowl and cover tightly to continue the softening process from the heat of the peppers.

1 entire bulb fresh garlic, peeled and pan-roasted; Peel each clove, place in cast iron skillet, over medium heat, that will fit a cover/lid from a saucepan down into the skillet, not on the rim. When cloves begin to brown, turn heat to low and cook till tender but not mush, about 5 minutes. If you don’t have a lid that will fit into the skillet, then use an aluminum can. Tuck garlic under the can and place can onto skillet. The can gets hot, so use pot holders. The skillet browns the garlic and the can steams the garlic using the garlic’s own moisture. Remove garlic immediately and set aside.

Rice:

3 c. water

2 t. sea salt

3 c. Jasmine rice

In large saucepan combine water and salt. Bring to boil, add rice, stir, return to boil, stir well again. Cover tightly, reduce heat to low and cook exactly 15 minutes. Remove cover, fluff with fork, remove from burner and set aside.

Green Peppercorn Sauce makes 3-1/4 cups:

15 oz. can peas including liquid

10-3/4 oz. can condensed tomato soup

½ c. unsweetened organic soy milk, I used Silk brand

1 T. extra virgin olive oil

1 T. margarine

½ t. sea salt

1 t. brown sugar

½ c. additional soy milk

1 t. liquid smoke

1 T. dried green peppercorns; place in baggie, seal (removing most air from bag), then pound with flat broad surface of large knife, or with rolling pin, on cutting board till crushed – no whole pieces

½ c. water

2 t. ground coriander

¼ t. dried thyme, crushed

½ t. onion powder

½ t. garlic powder

In blender container combine peas including liquid, tomato soup and soy milk. Blend till smooth. Transfer to small saucepan, over medium heat.

Add olive oil, margarine, salt, brown sugar, liquid smoke, crushed green peppercorns, water, coriander, thyme, onion powder and garlic powder. Stir well, bring to soft boil, then reduce heat to low and simmer 15 minutes, stirring often.

3 T. corn oil

1 c. sliced celery, ¼ inch wide

1-1/2 c. peeled, diced yellow onion, 3/8 inch squares

1 t. sea salt

3 carrots peeled and shredded over lg. holes of hand grater

finely chopped fresh cilantro for garnish

In extra large skillet, over medium heat, melt corn oil. Add celery, sauté till edges soften.

Add onion, salt, and sauté till wilted and brown-tinged.

Add shredded carrot, stir and saute till tender.

Take spinach ball and cut through it into 1 inch blocks, and add to sauté. Stir with fork to separate spinach and distribute evenly. Cook 3 minutes.

Coarsely cut pan-roasted garlic. Add to skillet and stir in.

Cut peppers into ½ inch squares. Add to skillet and evenly distribute.

Now add rice all at once to skillet. Stir well to evenly disperse all ingredients. Saute till very hot and rice grains become charred on some surfaces.

To serve: Place 1/3 c. gravy onto each serving plate.

Fill a 1 cup measuring cup or custard cup moderately firmly, to the rim, with rice. Invert carefully onto middle of sauce on plate. Tap bottom, lift cup off gently. Top with finely chopped fresh cilantro sprinkled sparsely on the rice, gravy and plate edge. Serve.

Notes: I had a little leftover sauce and served it over pan-fried potato patties the next day and it was delicious!