Shrimp and Asparagus Fried Rice

When rice is on the menu I always steam enough for leftovers so I can make Fried Rice.  (Leftover, cold rice makes the best quality fried rice.)
It's one of my favorite dishes and I usually load it up with healthy things so it is a one bowl meal. Another reason I love it is because it is the perfect opportunity to use up leftovers.
This time I didn't really use leftovers (except the cold rice), as our dear neighbors generously share fresh asparagus from their garden . . . (Thank you P & J!) So I wanted that to be the star of the dish, and I added a few medium size shrimp along with the things I always include in Fried Rice. 
If you've made Fried Rice you know the steps and this never really needs a recipe, but generally I follow this method:
Heat about a tablespoon or so of vegetable oil in a large skillet or wok Yellow or white onion - diced, saute until translucent  Garlic (optional sliced) add when the onions are almost done
Carrots - diced or sliced Celery - diced or sliced (I like lots)
I allow those veggies to saute for just a minute or two  (to retain some crispness)
Next add the remaining ingredients:
Asparagus - or other vegetable (as much or as little as you like), sliced on an angle in small pieces so it cooks quickly Cold rice (may need to add a little more oil to the pan before adding rice) a little salt
Stir the rice until the vegetables are distributed evenly through the rice and all ingredients are hot. 
At this point I push the rice to the side and add a teaspoon or  so of vegetable oil, then add one or two (or more) beaten eggs  to the cleared area of the pan ~ cooking and stirring until the eggs are lightly scrambled,  then stir them into the rice mixture.
Usually if I'm adding shrimp I cook them separately,  (I poach the shrimp in lightly salted water for just one or two minutes until they just turn pink.)
Add the shrimp and fresh or frozen peas, snow peas, or edamame to the rice mixture,  and allow to heat through (usually takes less than a minute.)  If using frozen peas I don't bother cooking or thawing them as the residual heat will do the job.
For best flavor serve the delicious rice up right away  and sprinkle with thinly sliced scallions/green onions-- both white and green parts. 
If desired garnish with cilantro, toasted sliced almond and/or toasted sesame seeds.
Something that you may find surprising?
My Fried Rice is not the usual kind you'll find in most Chinese-American restaurants  - because it isn't cooked with soy sauce.
I learned many years ago from a cooking lesson conducted by a native Chinese woman that authentic Fried Rice is not cooked with soy sauce so I do not add it, but instead pass it at the table for anyone who would like it.  (I usually add some to my bowl at the table because that's the way I grew up eating it.)  ;o)
This is just an outline of how I make  Asparagus- Shrimp Fried Rice,  truly the variety of vegetables and/or protein you can use is enormous.
I usually make some form of Fried Rice about twice a month, many times with brown rice rather than white and we always look forward it. 
Bonus! When you make it yourself, you can be extra generous with the add ins!
If  you give it a try, I hope you love it too.

Do you have favorite version of Fried Rice? I would love to hear about it-- whether you make your own or order it -- I'm always up for new ideas.


Please come visit Foodie Friday over at Rattlebridge Farm blog for more great recipes!

  
Thank you for stopping by today!
Blessings,  ~Mari

Tequila-Lime Grilled Chicken

We're savoring the last bit of the warm weather of the year,  so the outdoor grill is getting quite a workout.  Actually we grill year round (when it's not raining),  but honestly, for me,  it's a lot more enjoyable when  the weather is warm. :)
I made this a few nights ago ~ I think this is the second or third time I've made this chicken recipe  (from Ina Garten, The Barefoot Contessa). Ina suggests using boneless, skin on chicken ~ I had boneless-skinless so that's what I used, and just cut the grilling time so they would still be moist. 
The marinade is also wonderful for grilled shrimp, too which I've done before. But I  happened to have a few uncooked shrimp from the previous  evenings meal so I marinated those, threaded them on skewers  and placed them on the grill a few minutes before the  chicken was done. (Cluck and Surf, anyone?)


Usually if I'm using black beans in a salad for example,  I'll just use canned, but The Pioneer woman recently shared this recipe for Refried Black Beans, cooked from scratch,  as well as the one for the Mexican-Style Rice Casserole  and they are actually quite good. However,  I didn't "refry" the beans, just served them  out of the pot.  
I tweaked the rice recipe by cutting some fresh corn off the cob  and stirred it in, just because I love corn in Mexican-style rice...  it's a textural thing!  (A little bit of turmeric gives the rice a nice  golden yellow color.) The recipe makes 12 servings, so it would be good for a large family or gathering. I reduced the recipe by a third, and there was enough to accompany another meal for the two of us.
Of course you can just scoop the rice onto the plate; this time I lined a couple of oval ramekins with plastic wrap (with a little extra wrap hanging over the rim all the way around, filled the ramekins with the warm rice, pressing down gently, flipped the filled ramekins over onto the plates the removed the plastic wrap ~ it makes a neat presentation and takes only moments if you have just a few plates to serve. 



If you click the links above, they will take you to the recipes  on Food Network.
Thank you for stopping by for a visit today!
~m.

Rice Soubise ~ Julia Child's Recipe

Soubise (noun);  pron. "soo-beez".  Not to be confused with the classic Sauce Soubise (a combination of Soubise and Bechamel sauce pureed and served with vegetables or eggs.) 
Soubise is an utterly delicious dish comprised of copious amounts of sliced onions, a small amount of blanched rice, butter, and seasonings; covered, baked in a 300˚(F) oven, and given an occasional stir now and then. After one hour those onions transform into a delightfully fragrant mass, nearly a puree. To finish the dish a small amount of cream and little grated Gruyere or other Swiss-type cheese is stirred in for enrichment.

I learned this version from Julia Child's "Mastering the Art of French Cooking" years and years ago.  The other day the thought of it popped into my mind and I realized I hadn't made it in at least 10 years; it's a perfect dish for a crisp autumn day. I had a lot of yellow onions on hand . . . so why not?!


If you are interested in the Le Creuset covered terrine, it is available in White, Red, Flame (Orange), and Cobalt blue ---  Scroll down to the bottom of this post to learn more.

It makes a wonderful side dish for meats, chicken, fish, or as part of a vegetarian meal.

You may find it startling that so few ingredients can make such a flavorful and comforting dish ~


Two pounds of onions equal approximately 6 to 7 cups thinly sliced.


What it lacks in beauty, it more than compensates with flavor.  So good and rich, a little goes a long way.  (I could honestly have a small serving of it with a crisp green salad, dressed with vinaigrette and call it a meal.)



Because it doesn't look like much after it has cooked down, I transfer it to a warmed serving dish and bring it to the table so each one can serve themselves.  This time I sprinkled on a little more grated cheese and placed it under the broiler until melted and bubbly, then added a couple of sprigs of fresh thyme.



It might not be beautiful, but it certainly IS delicious!
If you would like a printable copy of the recipe, click HERE.

~ NOTE ~
The Le Creuset covered Terrine is available here, (with FREE  super saver shipping):

Much cuter in person :)
It is available in Red, White, Flame (orange), and Cobalt.  I absolutely love mine and use it for all kinds of things besides pate ~ it's perfect for side dishes, as well as small casseroles for 2 or 3.


Foodie Friday!

Slow-Roasted Chipolte Salmon with Pineapple Rice

When Pam, on her blog Sidewalk Shoes, shared this recipe from "Cuisine at Home" recently I knew I wanted to make it for Saturday Blog Showcase, hosted each Saturday by my friends Ann and Lori.

This week Ann @ Thibeault's Table is hosting.

Please click the logo above to see this weeks participants and learn more about Saturday Blog Showcase.

The layers of flavor in this dish are unbelievably delicious ~

Salmon filets are brushed with a mixture of adobo sauce from canned chipolte chilis

a little brown sugar, and salt then roasted in a slow oven for about 20 to 30 minutes (depending upon the thickness of the filets.)

After roasting the fish is brushed once again with the Chipolte sauce and placed under the broiler for a moment to slightly caramelize the sauce.

Pineapple rice provides a perfect foil for the salmon which has a bit of a spicy kick. Finally a slightly sweet-tart Lime-Ginger and Scallion Sauce is drizzled over ~ it compliments both the rice and the fish wonderfully.

It received raves at my house, 5 out of 5 stars! I would definitely make this one again for the family and I think it would be great on a dinner party menu as well.

If you would like a printable copy of the recipe, click HERE.

Thank you for coming by today ~ I would be so happy if you would leave a comment so I know you've been by. :)

Have a wonderful week friends!

Oven Baked Parmesan Risotto

Oven baked risotto?

When I read this recipe I felt compelled to try it.

Surprisingly, the texture is very much like stove-top, slow-stirred risotto and the Parmesan which is stirred in at the end of baking provides a flavorful nutty richness.

The first time I made it I used imported Carnaroli rice, and since the original recipe yields 12 portions, I halved the recipe for fewer servings. I found the risotto was a little dry, so I stirred in a little additional broth at the end of baking.

The second time I made it I increased the liquid slightly and decreased the baking time by a few minutes. The results much more closely resembled traditional risotto.

The method is really simple; in an oven-safe pot stir the rice into the liquid (I used organic chicken broth), cover tightly and bake at 350* (F) for about 40 minutes.

At the end of baking time, I stirred in a little more broth, the Parmesan cheese, and a bit of butter.

Risotto purists usually do not add butter (or cream) to their risotto, but since this isn't a traditional risotto I had no problem following this method. :)

It was delicious, and I can think of lots of ingredient variations that would lend themselves to the baked version of risotto.

While I'll still make risotto the traditional way, this is a perfectly good alternative which requires less "hands-on" effort especially when risotto may not be the star of the meal, but served as a side dish.

I served it alongside Tyler Florence's Chicken Marsala ~ perfection!

If you would like a PRINTABLE copy of the recipe you can find it on my recipe blog ~ HERE.

If you try this version of risotto I hope you like it, too!

Cinco de Mayo ~ A Darling Baker's Event!

The Darling Bakers are celebrating Cinco de Mayo ~

and here's what's cooking at my house~

Let's start with dessert first, it's light and fat free, fresh Strawberry Granita.

A truly refreshing and a simple pleasure. (I subbed 1/2 Splenda for the sugar.)

For the main course ~ I found this FABULOUS recipe for grilled shrimp, served with an incredible Chipotle ~ Saffron Cream Salsa on line. Psst... If your experiences with salsas have been limited to the chunky vegetable or fruit varieties you're in for a real TREAT if you make this one.

Proclaimed excellent by my taste testers ~ I'll definitely make it again, it would be great on grilled fish or chicken, too.

The method is very simple; shrimp is marinated for a short time in lime juice, ancho chile powder, garlic and white pepper. Then grilled or broiled until just done.

I started the Chipotle-Cream-Saffron salsa ahead and kept it warm while grilling the shrimp. Very flavorful and simple to put together.

The photo is not the best, (that's what happens when I try to pull a "party" mid-week!) but you can get an idea of how it plates up.

I'll post the recipes on my recipe blog a little later.

I served the grilled shrimp with a favorite recipe from " Fine Cooking';

Arroz Verde (Green Rice.)

This is such a great way to incorporate green veggies into your meal.

I prepare it a bit differently than the instructions in the Fine Cooking recipe, adding the spinach and cilantro at the end of cooking time to retain the vibrant color.

Incidentally, if you don't happen to love cilantro, you can easily omit it here.

I've had this recipe is in my permanent recipe file for a couple of years and have made it numerous times, it's that good! I'll post the recipe over on my recipe blog a little later today.

Finally (what I consider the jewel of the meal), the Fresh Strawberry Granita ~ so pretty to look at, and absolutely bursting with fresh strawberry flavor.

I garnished each one with a little sprig of fresh mint ...

. . . and fresh tiny Alpine strawberry blossoms, both from the garden.

Thanks for joining me today ~

I hope if you try any of these recipes you like them as much as we do.

~ * ~*~*~*~

Sending out good wishes and healing thoughts for our Darling Bakers

who are a little under the weather today. Get well soon, friends!