Tuesday, April 13, 2010

Make your rice happy

Spanish Rice
Spanish Rice

Around here the rice du jour is brown. It’s tasty, yet slightly nutty flavour is good enough and it’s very healthy. But let’s be totally honest, some days you don’t want good enough. Some days you want super, over- the-top, lick your ten fingers never mind the company, or colonic benefits good.

On those days we make Spanish Rice or as I like to call it happy rice. Any meal with this as a side dish is sure to involve gargantuan portions and joyful noise. From back yard barbecues,  to beach limes, Sunday lunches and even weddings, you are looking at the rice that gets invited to all the happy occasions.


Spanish Rice


I don’t know that there is anything Spanish about this rice other than the fact that it looks like Paella. Unlike Paella which gets its intense yellow colour from expensive saffron, this popular rice dish is coloured with turmeric and is a heck of a lot easier to throw together. In fact with just a few meat and or seafood additions you can have yourself a terrific one-pot meal.


Spanish Rice Recipe
1 ½ cups cooked long grain parboiled rice
¾ tsp turmeric
Salt
2 tbsps vegetable oil
¼ cup bacon, diced
1 large carrot, finely diced
1 red and 1 green sweet pepper, diced
1 can whole corn
½ cup olives
¼ cup raisins
½ cup chives, chopped

Wash rice until water runs clear and is no longer cloudy. Washing your rice will ensure that your grains are not sticky. Add the rice to the pot with 3 cups of water and ¾ tsp of turmeric and salt.(to your taste) Bring to a boil. Cook for 5 minutes at a rolling boil then simmer over low heat until all the water is absorbed (about 20 minutes). Try not to lift the lid while cooking.

Add oil to another large pot and cook the bacon. Add carrots and cook until tender but still a bit crunchy. Add sweet peppers, corn, olives and raisins. Cook for 2 minutes. Remove from the heat. Add the cooked rice to the vegetables. Add the chives to the rice while it is still warm and mix thoroughly.

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24 comments:

  1. This rice looks delicious!!! I am going to bookmark this recipe. I like what you added to the dish.

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  2. Yum!! Of course I probably would still make it with brown rice because I have issues about white rice! And maybe a splash of coconut cream -what do you think of that?

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  3. happy rice. what an apt and enjoyable name for this tasty grub. :)

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  4. I'm leaving out the raisins, because it wouldn't be happy rice in my house with raisins in it, but otherwise, I'm sold!

    Rice and bacon...mmm.

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  5. TKW - LOL you are not the only one who doesn't like the raisins at least one other person around here picks them out. I love em and since I'm the cook they stay:-)

    Dee - I think it's your rice do whatever makes you and your rice happy girl. IMO coconut cream goes really well with the brown rice taking just enough of the health edge and pushing it more into the realm of tasty. Try the jerk brown rice too I think it's very good even if the pic isn't all that.

    Grace and Memoria - Thanks

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  6. It does look like it could be eaten happily by myself and a host of other people! Love that turmeric!

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  7. hehe I love that name-that's so cute! :D I know what you mean, sometimes calorifically good only will do and when you do it, you may as well make it happy rice!

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  8. Wow thanks for sharing this.
    I'm actually looking for paella recipes and found your blog.
    Thanks for sharing. I just might try this.

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  9. Love Spanish rice and this version does sound extra special! I like the addition of raisins, they're surprisingly tasty in savory food!

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  10. I love Spanish rice, and your version looks wonderful! Although I think I would skip out the raisins :)

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  11. It is happy rice! It looks like a bowl of sunshine. You have some great flavors going on with the olives and raisins. Bet it's delicious.

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  12. Hi Wizzy, this rice looks excellent. I need to dress up my rice more when I make it-I used to all the time. By the way, I love your silverware-it's actually kind of witchy (smile)!

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  13. Happy rice? This looks positively ecstatic! I'm sure a bowl of this would make me a very happy eater. 8-)

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  14. Happy rice in gargantuan portions - you and I would get on!!!

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  15. Wow.. Love the title. looks super yummy and sure it makes tummy happy!

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  16. Haha! Funny title! Lovely pics. The dish looks really yummy!

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  17. I love any good ricedishes and this looks delicious... Love the title of "happy rice too" :))

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  18. I would love to have some of that happy rice..I love the name..it looks delicious too :)

    btw.. it's been a while since I've been here, love the new look of your blog! :)

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  19. That looks so good. I will be putting this on our menu for the upcoming week. Can't wait to try it!

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  20. Solid! This looks amazing. I'm sure it's delicious. Extra raisins for me please.

    happy cooking

    chris

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  21. Excellent looking rice! I love the bacon and raisins in it. It is a very happy looking rice dish, thanks! :-)

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  22. I've been really into mixing raisins into my rice dishes lately. I love biting into a huge plump juicy one. This rice dish looks fantastic! Love the bacon as well.

    Thanks so much for stopping by my blog. I really love yours!

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  23. It looks lovely and the raisins and bacon - heaven on a plate. Love it

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  24. The rice has such beautiful colors! Very appetizing and a great addition to a summer yard party.

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