“Spanish” rice and Sausage

2 posts in 1 day? Mon Dieu!

I’ve been trying to shake off a rut of making the same things I always make (and eating out too much).  I also don’t make many good rice dishes, especially ones that reheat well.  So I got the idea I’d like some hearty “Spanish” rice.  I have no idea who I would offend if I took away the quotes, but it came out pretty great.  H/T to Martha (and Lu) for getting me started. Here ya go.

Calorie Estimate: 2300

Ingredients

• 3 T cooking oil
• 1 onion, diced
• 4 cloves garlic
• 1 red bell pepper, diced 1/4″
• 1 lb. smoked sausage, sliced into bite-size rounds (“fully cooked” hot links or andouille, (or kielbasa, portuguese, lop cheong(?)….))
• 1 1/2 cups rice (white, light brown)
• 2 cups chicken broth/stock
• 2 cups water
• 8 oz can tomato sauce
• 1 t ground red pepper
• 2 t white (or black) pepper
• 2 t ground cumin
• 1.5 T dried oregano
• salt to taste
• (You should also keep at least 2 cups of water near a boil in case the rice is slow to cook, especially if not using white rice.)

Preparation

1. In a large (12″, walls at least 2.5″ high) skillet, sautee the onions and garlic in the oil.  Add a small pinch of salt to start releasing the water.
2. After a few minutes, add the sausage rounds and diced bell pepper.  Sautee until the sausage starts to brown.
3. Add in spices and seasoning and cook the spices for a couple minutes.
4. Add in the tomato sauce and cook a few minutes.
5. Fold in the rice.
6. Mix in broth and 2 cups water. Lower the heat to a simmer (between 1 and 2 on my stove), stirring occasionally.
7. Simmer until the rice is cooked.  If it’s starting to dry out before the rice finishes, add water a half-cup at a time like a risotto until it’s done.  Salt to taste (although I doubt you’ll need more).

Note: I used a light brown Thai rice (brand Aroy-D Extra Quality AAA) and needed to add about 1.5 cups of water from the hot water pot.  Somehow this took 90 minutes from start to finish.  I should consider using a covered cooking vessel next time.

Sardines and Potatoes

I’ve been trying to incorporate more sardines into my diet for awhile now.  If you get reasonably good ones, they are very tasty,very healthy, environmentally sound (low on the food chain, plentiful), and rather affordable.  Just when I’d grown weary of using them as salad protein, Edward Schneider to the rescue.

Make whatever potatoes you like: home fries, hash brown, mashed, steamed, roasted.  Doesn’t matter.  I went with some home fries this time.

Calorie Estimate: 800

Ingredients

Homefries

• 1 T butter
• 1/2 onion diced
• 1/2 lbs. potato, 1/4″ slices
• 2 anaheim peppers, seeds removed, 1/4″ crosscut strips
• salt and pepper to taste

Fish and finish

• can of sardines packed in olive oil or (butter if you can find it)
• splash olive oil (from the sardines if tasty, otherwise drain and use new)
• squeeze of lemon juice

Preparation

1. Boil a little water.  Take it off the heat and put the unopened can of sardines in to warm them.
2. To a skillet over medium heat, soften the onions in butter for 2 or 3 minutes.
3. Add the potatoes, salt and pepper.  Toss the potatoes so that they get pretty good contact with the skillet.  Cook 7-10 minutes, tossing occasionally.
4. Add the peppers.  If the pan is dry, splash a little water in and toss.  Cover and cook 8-10 more minutes.
5. Adjust salt, plate the potatoes.
6. Take the sardines out of the can.  If there oil is tasty and not too fishy, dump the sardines and oil over the potatoes.  Otherwise, drain the sardines first and then splash dish with a little olive oil to freshen.
7. Squeeze a little lemon juice over the top and dig in!

Bean and Feta salad

Calorie Estimate: 800

Ingredients

• 1 can mixed beans, rinsed and drained
• 1 1/4 cup crumbled feta
• 1 bunch green onions, sliced
• juice of half a lemon
• lots of black pepper to taste

Preparation

1. Mix everything together and enjoy.  Season as you like.  I’m sure I’ll get better at this as it goes.