Vegetable Baked Rice with White Beans & Leeks

Baked rice is quick and easy to prepare and is really delicious. This baked rice dish was inspired by prasorizo, the classic Greek rice-and-leek dish. It makes a great vegetarian main dish or a phenomenal side. We ate it as a main dish with rotisserie chicken on the side. 😉 The freshly grated Parmesan really added richness to the meal.

This recipe was adapted from The New York Times, contributed by Ali Slagle. Almost any vegetable can be incorporated into the dish.  I added my beautiful CSA Romanesco cauliflower (with its greens) as well as baby spinach. The original recipe suggests alternatively adding tomatoes, zucchini, and/or broccoli with the leeks, or arugula and/or sliced sugar snap peas after the dish is removed from the oven.

Yield: Serves 4 to 6

• 4 to 5 leeks (about 2 pounds), trimmed, white and pale green parts, cut lengthwise & sliced 1/4-inch thick
• 1 lemon
• chopped tomatoes, zucchini, broccoli florets, and/or cauliflower florets, optional (I used Romanesco cauliflower florets)
• 1/4 cup raw almonds (I used raw slivered almonds), or more, to taste
• 1/2 teaspoon red-pepper flakes
• 5 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1 1/2 cups uncooked white basmati rice
• 1 (15-ounce) can white beans (such as cannellini or great Northern), drained and rinsed
• 2 1/2 cups boiling water or stock
• coarsely chopped spinach and/or arugula, or sliced sugar snap peas (I used 2 cups chopped baby spinach)
• 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan, plus more for serving
• 1/4 cup thinly sliced or chopped basil, chives, mint or fennel fronds, plus more for serving

1. Heat the oven to 400 degrees, preferably on convection.
2. Soak sliced leeks in a bowl of water, remove with a slotted spoon or spider, then shake or pat dry.
3. Using a vegetable peeler, peel 1-inch-thick strips of lemon zest, then cut the lemon in half. Cut one half into four wedges and reserve the other half.
4. In a 9-by-13-inch baking pan, combine the leeks, lemon zest strips, almonds, red-pepper flakes and olive oil. (I used an enameled cast iron baking dish.)
5. If adding chopped tomatoes, zucchini, broccoli, and/or cauliflower, add to the pan with the leeks. (I added Romanesco cauliflower florets.)
6. Season generously with salt and pepper, and arrange in an even layer. Roast until the leeks start to caramelize, about 20 minutes.
7. Remove and finely chop the lemon zest strips, then stir the zest back into the leek mixture. Arrange in an even layer.
8. Sprinkle the rice evenly over the leeks, then top with the beans and 1 teaspoon salt.
9. Add the boiling water or stock, then seal the pan tightly with foil.
10. Bake until the rice is tender, 20 to 22 minutes.
11. Remove from the oven, and let sit, covered, for 5 minutes, then fluff with a fork.
12. If adding spinach and/or arugula, or sliced sugar snap peas, add them in at this time. (I added the Romanesco cauliflower greens, ribs removed and finely sliced, as well as 2 cups of baby spinach leaves, coarsely chopped.)
13. Squeeze the lemon half over the rice, then stir in Parmesan and herbs.
14. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
15. Serve with lemon wedges, and more Parmesan and herbs, as desired.

Wide Green Noodles with Cauliflower & Mustard-Shallot Butter

I have to share this dish because it was a reminder of an important lesson: Not every dish will be a complete success. It’s the risk taken when trying new recipes- even if they are from a trusted resource.

I am also sharing this dish because I think it can be rescued! I have updated the recipe below. The fresh pasta was lovely, with wonderful color and texture, so that portion of the dish has remained untouched. The mustard-shallot butter was overwhelmingly potent in the finished dish, so the proportions have been modified; I reduced the mustard and shallots by at least one-half.

This dish was so pretty and loaded with wonderful flavors! I was really disappointed that it wasn’t as delicious as it sounded or looked. Especially because it was particularly time-consuming to prepare. 😦 This recipe was adapted from The Greens Cookbook: Extraordinary Vegetarian Cuisine from the Celebrated Restaurant by Deborah Madison with Edward Espé Brown.

Yield: Serves 2 to 4

For the Fresh Herb Pasta:

• 1 cup loosely packed herb leaves (I used a mixture of basil and parsley)
• 1 cup unbleached all-purpose flour
• large pinch coarse salt
• 1 large egg, lightly beaten
• 1 tsp olive oil
• water, as needed

To Complete the Dish:

• 1 recipe Fresh Herb Pasta, about 7 oz (recipe above)
• 7 T unsalted butter, room temperature, divided
• 1 T strong Dijon mustard
• 1 large shallot, finely diced
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 tsp balsamic vinegar, or more, to taste
• large handful of arugula, roughly chopped
• 1 cup bread crumbs
• 2 sun-dried tomatoes, cut into small pieces
• 4 cups cauliflower, broccoli, and/or romanesco cauliflower florets, cut into small pieces
• thin strip lemon peel, very finely slivered
• coarse salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
• freshly grated Parmesan, for garnish

To Make the Fresh Herb Pasta:

1. Wash the herbs and dry them as thoroughly as possible.
2. Chop them very finely, I used a mini-food processor, and measure out no more than 3 T.
3. Combine the herbs with the flour and salt.
4. Add the egg and the oil, and combine until distributed throughout.
5. Press together to form a dough. If it is too dry, add drops of water, a few at a time, to moisten it and help it come together. (I used 2-3 tsp of additional water.)
6. Turn the dough out onto a counter- I put it onto a piece of plastic wrap. Form into a ball.
7. Knead the dough for about 10 minutes, until it feels smooth and supple. (I added a little bit more water while kneading as well.)
8. Wrap tightly in plastic wrap and set it aside to rest for at least 30 minutes, preferably for one hour.
9. Roll the dough through the pasta machine, starting at the widest setting, and reducing until desired thickness is achieved. ‘(I rolled mine out to level 6.)
10. Cut the strips into desired noodle length, typically 12-inches. Then cut the dough into 1/2-inch wide noodles. (I actually chose to cut mine crosswise into shorter 1/2-inch wide noodles.)
11. Dust with semolina flour or flour, cover with plastic wrap, and set aside.

To Finish the Dish:

1. Bring a large pot of water to a boil.
2. Cream 4 T of the butter with the mustard, shallot, garlic, vinegar, and arugula. (This can be done ahead of time, covered, and set aside until needed.)
3. Melt the remaining 3 T butter in a small frying pan, add the bread crumbs, and fry them until they are crisp and browned.
4. When you are ready to cook the pasta, salt the boiling water.
5. Melt the mustard butter over a low flame and cook to soften the shallots. Add 1/2 cup pasta water and the sun-dried tomatoes.
6. Steam the cauliflower and/or broccoli in the microwave for 3 to 4 minutes, until tender. Alternatively, the cauliflower and/or broccoli can be dropped into the boiling pasta water, returned to a boil, and cooked for about 1 minute, until tender.
7. Add the cooked cauliflower and/or broccoli to the butter.
8. Next, cook the pasta for about 2 to 3 minutes, until al dente. Add it to the butter.
9. Add the sliced lemon zest to the butter.
10. Toss well with tongs, season with salt and pepper.
11. Serve garnished with the bread crumbs and freshly grated Parmesan.

One Year Ago: Garlicky Spaghetti with Mixed Greens

Two Years Ago: Tropical Carrot, Turmeric, & Ginger Smoothie

Three Years Ago: Spinach-Potato Soup

Four Years Ago: Creamy Mushroom Pappardelle

Five Years Ago:

• Tortilla Española 
• Cannellini Beans with Cabbage and Pasta

Roasted Vegetables with Pomegranate Vinaigrette

Several years ago, I served this side dish for Thanksgiving. I loved the pop of color from the pomegranate seeds! The seeds also add a contrasting texture and freshness.

This recipe calls for a Romanesco cauliflower which I was unfamiliar with. Ironically, I received my first Romanesco cauliflower in my CSA box the day before Thanksgiving. It was so beautiful I used it as a centerpiece on our table instead of roasting it! 🙂 I substituted my CSA broccoli.

This recipe was adapted from Martha Stewart Living. I roasted the vegetables after taking the turkey out of the oven. Fabulous.

Yield: Serves 12

For the Roasted Vegetables:

• 1 large head regular cauliflower (about 2 pounds), cut into small florets
• 1 pound baby Romanesco cauliflower, or regular, cut into small florets (I used broccoli instead)
• 2 medium sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch wedges
• 1 pound brussels sprouts, halved if large
• 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper

For the Vinaigrette:

• 1/2 cup pomegranate juice
• 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
• Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper
• 1 cup pomegranate seeds

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees, preferably on convection.
2. Place vegetables on parchment paper-lined rimmed baking sheets, grouped by cooking times. (I used 3 baking sheets.)
3. Drizzle vegetables with olive oil, season with salt and pepper, and toss.
4. Spread vegetables evenly on the baking sheets, and roast until golden, mixing halfway through, about 25 to 30 minutes. (I check the broccoli and cauliflower after 15 minutes.)
5. Meanwhile, make the vinaigrette. Put pomegranate juice to a bowl or measuring cup. Pour in oil in a slow, steady stream, whisking until emulsified. Season with salt and pepper.
6. Just before serving, drizzle vinaigrette over warm vegetables, and toss with pomegranate seeds.

Romanesco Cauliflower

One Year Ago:

• Swiss Chard and Leek Gratin & Roasted Brussel Sprouts