Rice is nice (even with lime)

While leafing through a cookbook a couple of weeks ago I happened upon a recipe for lime rice. It sounded interesting and I wrote up a version of it for myself. I only got around to trying it a few days ago. I used to cook rice in stock or broth as often as I could. But with this plan you can give the rice some lovely flavors with or without the stock.

Lime rice (serves 4 generously)
1 cup long grain rice
1 3/4 cups water or broth
1 Tbs lime juice
2 medium garlic cloves, minced or pressed
1 Tbs butter
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp sugar or Splenda (my preference)
chopped scallion, cilantro and/or parsley (optional)

Cook the rice. Mix the other ingredients in a small bowl. When the rice is done, fluff it with a fork and toss it with the rest of the stuff. Serve right away.

Garlic gravy redux

This one goes back a year and a half to a weekend when Peter was out of town. Such an experimental dish was a little scary to contemplate using him as a guinea pig on. Oddly enough, even though I adored how this came out, I haven’t made it again. Why? The answer to that is why we have therapists.

Here’s how it went:

For several months I have contemplated making a dish that is garlic, garlic, and more garlic. Finally last night I did it. The idea of so much of the pungent little heads of goodness may be unappalling to some. In the end, it was exactly what I had hoped for.

Garlic gravy

3 heads garlic

olive oil, as needed

1 tbsp butter

1 cup chicken broth

1 stalk fresh thyme

1 serrano chile, halved but not seeded

1 cup corn kernels, thawed if previously frozen

¼ cup heavy cream

salt, to taste

white pepper, to taste

1 tsp corn starch

2 tbsp parsley, chopped

Preheat oven to 350.

Cut one garlic head in half across the middle drizzle with olive oil, wrap in foil and roast in the oven for 1 hour.

Peel 8 cloves from another head of garlic. Set aside.

Peel 3 more large cloves from another head of garlic. Slice them across to about 1/16”.

In a sauté pan, heat 1 tsp olive oil and 1 tbsp butter over medium heat. Place the garlic slices in the oil and cook until golden but not brown. Remove with a slotted spoon and place on a paper towel. Save the remaining butter and oil in the pan to saute a piece of meat or something else.

Put the chicken broth, thyme, serrano pepper and peeled whole cloves in the sauté pan and bring to a simmer. Cover and simmer until the cloves are very tender, about 30-40 minutes.Remove the garlic to a small bowl with a slotted spoon. Discard the serrano pepper.

Add the corn to the broth and simmer until very tender, about 10 minutes. Remove to a food processor. Add the cream and puree thoroughly. Strain through a fine mesh sieve, pressing with a wooden spoon. Discard solids.

Return this liquid to the processor, add the roasted garlic (squeeze it) and puree. Put this back in the saute pan. Add the whole peeled garlic cloves, corn starch (dissolve it in a little water first), season with salt and pepper, and bring to a simmer for 5 minutes.

Serve over your favorite kind of rice or Israeli couscous or orzo pasta.

Garlic gravy

For several months I have contemplated making a dish that is garlic, garlic, and more garlic. Finally last night I did it. The idea of so much of the pungent little heads of goodness may be appalling to some. In the end, it was exactly what I had hoped for.

Garlic gravy
3 heads garlic
olive oil, as needed
1 tbsp butter
1 cup chicken broth
1 stalk fresh thyme
1 serrano chile, halved but not seeded
1 cup corn kernels, thawed if previously frozen
¼ cup heavy cream
salt, to taste
white pepper, to taste
1 tsp corn starch
2 tbsp parsley, chopped

Preheat oven to 350.

Cut one garlic head in half across the middle drizzle with olive oil, wrap in foil and roast in the oven for 1 hour.

Peel 8 cloves from another head of garlic. Set aside.

Peel 3 more large cloves from another head of garlic. Slice them across to about 1/16”.

In a sauté pan, heat 1 tsp olive oil and 1 tbsp butter over medium heat. Place the garlic slices in the oil and cook until golden but not brown. Remove with a slotted spoon and place on a paper towel. Save the remaining butter and oil in the pan to saute a piece of meat or something else.

Put the chicken broth, thyme, serrano pepper and peeled whole cloves in the sauté pan and bring to a simmer. Cover and simmer until the cloves are very tender, about 30-40 minutes.

Remove the garlic to a small bowl with a slotted spoon. Discard the serrano pepper.

Add the corn to the broth and simmer until very tender, about 10 minutes. Remove to a food processor. Add the cream and puree thoroughtly.. Strain through a fine mesh sieve, pressing with a wooden spoon. Discard solids.

Return this liquid to the processor, add the roasted garlic (squeeze it) and puree. Put this back in the saute pan. Add the whole peeled garlic cloves, corn starch (dissolve it in a little water first), season with salt and pepper, and bring to a simmer for 5 minutes.

Serve over your favorite kind of rice.