SPINACH RICE MOLDS

SPINACH RICE MOLDS

with a roasted pepper and sun-dried tomato white wine sauce with orange zest!  Delightfully refreshing with a subtle cheesy flavor!

Serves 4-6

9 oz. bag fresh flat leaf spinach

Sauce:

2 c. diced sweet red roasted peppers including a little bit of the liquid from the peppers

12 plain sun-dried tomatoes

2 lg. or 3 med. fresh garlic cloves, peeled

1/3 c. vegan (nutritional) yeast

1/2 t. salt

1 t. sugar

1/8 t. red cayenne pepper

freshly ground black pepper

1/3 c. dry white wine

zest of 1 med. orange plus strained juice from the squeeze

Rice:

1-1/2 c. water

3/4 t. salt

1 T. corn oil

1-1/2 c. parboiled Canilla Golden Rice

1/4 c. margarine

Place spinach in a large pot with about 2 inches boiling water. Submerge spinach, then turn often in pot using tongs, till tender but still bright green. This only takes a few minutes. Drain in colander. When cool enough to handle, form into a ball and squeeze repeatedly to remove the bulk of the liquid. Place in large bowl and separate leaves. Set aside.

In blender container place roasted peppers plus a little pepper liquid. Blend till smooth.

Add sun-dried tomatoes and garlic. Blend again till as smooth as you can get it.

Add the vegan yeast, salt, sugar, red cayenne pepper and freshly ground black pepper to taste. Blend to thoroughly incorporate, scraping down insides of container with spatula.

Add white wine, orange zest plus juice from orange. Blend till very smooth. Set aside.

In large saucepan bring water, salt and corn oil to boil. Add rice, stir, return to boil. Stir again, cover tightly, reduce heat to low and cook 10 minutes. Remove cover, stir well, then cover and cook 10 minutes longer. Remove from heat, fluff with fork.

While rice cooks, melt margarine in large skillet over low heat. Add sauce. Stir well, then keep on low heat till rice is done.

When rice is done, raise heat to medium under the sauce to cook till very hot. Salt to taste.

Add rice to spinach. Toss to distribute evenly. Spoon about 1/2 of the sauce into rice/spinach and mix well.

To serve: Spoon 2-3 tablespoons sauce onto centers of individual plates. Moderately firmly pack rice into custard cups to the rim. Invert onto sauce, tap bottom, lift cup off gently.

Notes: Locate vegan yeast in stores that sell bulk foods. When added to a recipe it imparts a subtle cheesy flavor to the dish.