Category Archives: rice and lentils

October 11, 2009

Ginger and Sesame Rice with Chicken

I would almost say that this dish is the family’s favourite. You’d think I’d make it every week in that case but for some reason it only makes it into circulation about once a month, maybe two. Stupid. This is so good. So very very good. It’s quick, it’s easy but looks fancy, it’s nutritious and best of all – tastes absolutely sensational.

I am known to increase the rice and stock by half because you know, of the rice-eating child. I also make it in my 28cm le crueset so it’s wide enough for the chicken to fit on one level. Just before serving I actually tear up the chicken and mix it through the rice a little but you could always keep the escalopes whole – probably looks more fancy that way.

Ginger and sesame rice with chicken
Bill Granger

2 tbsp peanut oil
4 tsp sesame oil
1 onion, finely chopped
3-4 garlic cloves, crushed
4 tsp freshly grated ginger
500g jasmine rice
1 litre chicken stock
500g skinless chicken breast, cut into thin escalopes (that means, slice across the fillet not down through it) *
Finely sliced long green shallots
Fresh coriander, finely chopped
Freshly chopped red chilli
Soy sauce

Heat the peanut oil and sesame oil in a medium saucepan over a medium-low heat.
Add the onion and stir occasionally for 5-6 minutes or until the onion is soft.
Add the garlic and ginger and stir for 2 minutes more.
Add the rice and stir to coat the grains of rice in the oil.
Add the stock and bring to the boil.
Cover, reduce the heat to low and simmer for 5 minutes.
Place the chicken in a single layer on top of the rice.
Cover again and simmer for a further 7-8 minutes or until rice is just tender and chicken is cooked through.*
Remove from heat and set aside with lid on for a further 5 minutes.
Serve topped with sliced shallots, coriander, chilli and drizzle with soy sauce.
Serves 4-6

* You can use firm white fish fillets instead of the chicken.

6 comments | posted in chicken, family dinner winners, rice and lentils

March 31, 2008

Marinated Lamb Cutlets, Lentil and Rice Pilaff and Ginger Tomato Sauce

By allconsuming

I adore lamb cutlets and believe they are one of the best kid foods around – all except for one small but important point. Cost. Those little buggers are expensive and when you have hordes of children to feed it all just gets ridiculous. But the other day I went fuck it and bought some delightful french trimmed lamb cutlets. And thanks to a Bill Granger recipe they were a taste sensation.

Marinated Lamb Cutlets
From bills, Bill Granger

1tsp crushed coriander seeds
1tsp crushed fennel seeds
1/2 tsp ground cumin
1/4 tsp dried chilli flakes (I used the weeniest bit due to young tastebuds)
3 garlic cloves, sliced
3 tblsp extra virgin olive oil (I used only 1)
salt and pepper
12 French-trimmed lamb cutlets

Place everything in a bowl and marinate for two hours, bringing to room temperature for the last 30 minutes
Heat a frying pan over high heat and cook cutlets fo r 1-2 minutes on each side.

Warm lentil and rice pilaff

1 cup Lentils du Puy
1 cup long-grain rice
1/2 lemon
2 tblsp extra virgin olive oil
1 large onion
salt and pepper
1/2 cup roughly chopped flat-leaf parsley

Bring a large pot of water to the boil and add the lentils, cooking for 10 minutes
Add the rice and lemon and cook for another 12-15 minutes until the rice and lentils are tender
Drain, discard the lemon and place in a serving bowl
Meanwhile, heat oil ina frypan and cook the onion for 10-12 minutes or until the onion is a rich golden brown, stirring frequently.
Sprinkle the pilaff with salt, pepper, parsley and half the onion, toss to combine. Top with remaining onion (I just tossed the lot through)

Ginger tomato sauce

Fry a little chilli, ginger and garlic in some olive oil until fragrant.
Add 600g (4lb5oz) chopped tomatoes and cook gently for 25 minutes.

I loved this little vignette to the recipe – and it really made the dish. I used one biggish garlic clove, about a teaspoon of finely chopped ginger and crumbled in a small dried chilli. It just gently bubbled away while I made the rest of it. Yum.

Leave a comment | posted in family dinner winners, lamb, rice and lentils, vegetarian

May 22, 2007

Baked risotto

By allconsuming

These last two posts are a bit back-to-front, but there you have it.

Taking into consideration the fact I now – as of the weekend – can not stand for too long before I start getting some pretty impressive low abdomen period-like pains, I’m looking for dinners that require minimum effort for maximum reward.

Then in today’s Good Living, Bill Granger did a few risotto recipes. It got me thinking, that I love risotto and haven’t made it in ages. The sole reason for that reality is that Felix doesn’t like it – one of those weird things where he doesn’t like any dish where everything is mixed together – think casseroles, soups, risottos. I know. W.E.I.R.D.

Anyway, one of his recipes was for a baked risotto, which got me thinking even further (yup, let’s pick the chick essentially on bedrest with early signs of labour, two ear infections and enough phlegm to fill a shot glass in one cough) about a baked risotto I used to cook, until the last time when it mysteriously didn’t work and I ended up with a weird glug of crunchy rice and half-cooked cubes of pumpkin. Ble…

So – I noticed in his intro he said that one of his family favourites was to do the baked risotto with some sausages thrown in. Perfect.

Bill – and Kim’s – baked tomato risotto with pecorino (or in this case, parmesan)

2 tblsp extra virgin olive oil
1 onion, finely chopped
1 small bulb fennel, finely chopped
3 fat pork and fennel sausages, chopped into pieces
1 cup aborio rice
1.5cups water
400g can chopped tomatoes
60g freshly grated pecorino chees
freshly ground black pepper

Preheat oven to 200C and heat the oil in a 3 litre ovenproof dish (with a lid) over medium heat
add onion, fennel and sausages and cook for 5 minutes or until the onion is translucent
add the rice, cook for a minute or so
add the water, then the tomatoes and bring to a simmer (I added some chopped parsley and fennel fronds at this stage as well)
sprinkle over the pecorino (or parmesan) and black pepper, put the lid on and cook for 30 minutes.

I foiled Felix and called it “sausages with rice” – he thought it was delicious. Mwahahahahahah.

I also love doing a completely vegetarian version – with diced pumpkin or sweet potato instead of the sausage. Also – mix it up with herbs – sage, rosemary and tarragon are my faves.