SPANISH RICE WITH ZUCCHINI

Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

This variation on Spanish rice is wonderful with spicy Southwestern dishes.

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 onion, chopped fine

2 garlic cloves, minced


1 cup basmati or other long-grain rice

2 cups chicken broth

1 medium zucchini, cut into 1/4-inch dice

Preheat oven to 350°F.

In a 2-quart flameproof casserole or saucepan heat oil over moderately high heat until hot but not smoking and add onion and garlic. Reduce heat to moderately low and cook onion mixture, covered, stirring occasionally, about 4 minutes, or until softened. Increase heat to moderate and add rice. Cook rice, stirring, 3 minutes. Add broth and bring to a boil, covered.

Bake rice, covered, in middle of oven about 20 minutes, or until liquid is absorbed. Stir in zucchini and let stand, covered, 5 minutes.

Serves 4 to 6.

ROSEMARY RICE

3 tablespoons unsalted butter

1 shallot, thinly sliced

1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt

Freshly ground black pepper

2 cups basmati-style long grain rice

3 cups low-sodium chicken broth

1 bay leaf

1 sprig fresh rosemary


Melt the butter with the shallot in a medium saucepan over medium-low heat. Season with the salt and pepper and cook until the onions are soft, about 5 minutes. Add the rice and stir until coated with the butter. Increase the heat to medium-high. Let the rice cook until toasted, stirring occasionally, about 5 minutes more.

Stir in the broth, bay leaf, and rosemary. Bring to a simmer over low heat, cover, and cook until all the broth has been absorbed by the rice and the rice is tender, about 15 to 18 minutes. Remove from the heat and let set for 5 minutes. Discard the rosemary and bay leaf. Fluff the rice with a fork and serve.

MUSHROOM RICE

Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

1/2 cup long-grain rice

1 cup water

1/2 teaspoon salt


1/2 pound mushrooms

2 scallions

1 tablespoon unsalted butter

1/4 cup dry white wine

In a 1 1/2-quart heavy saucepan bring rice and water with salt to a boil. Stir rice once and cook, covered, over moderately low heat 15 minutes. Remove pan from heat and let rice stand, covered, 5 minutes.

While rice is cooking, cut mushrooms into 1/4-inch-thick slices and chop scallions. In a skillet heat butter over moderately high heat until foam subsides and sauté mushrooms with salt to taste until golden and any liquid mushrooms give off is evaporated. Add wine and simmer, stirring occasionally, until wine is evaporated.

Fluff rice with a fork and stir in mushrooms and scallions.

Serves 2.

CURRIED RICE WITH CAULIFLOWER, BELL PEPPER, AND GREEN ONIONS

“My grandmother was a reporter in New York before she got married and moved to Montana to start a new life on a ranch,” writes Joyce Litz of Albuquerque, New Mexico. “At the time she didn’t know how to cook, and learning wasn’t easy — the place didn’t even have running water. Still, she appreciated good food, so she persevered and became a great cook. Later my grandmother taught me ranch-style cooking, a lot of which involved getting simple but flavorful, hearty meals ready in a hurry.”

Serve with diced cucumber mixed into yogurt.

1/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter

1 tablespoon finely chopped peeled fresh ginger

1 1/4 teaspoons curry powder


1/2 teaspoon grated lemon peel

2 cups small cauliflower florets

1/2 cup diced red bell pepper

1/2 cup chopped green onions

1 1/2 cups long-grain white rice

2 cups water

3/4 teaspoon salt

1 cup frozen peas, thawed

Melt butter in heavy large saucepan over medium heat. Add ginger, curry powder, and lemon peel; stir 30 seconds. Mix in cauliflower, bell pepper, and onions, then rice. Add 2 cups water and 3/4 teaspoon salt; bring to boil, stirring occasionally. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer until water is absorbed and rice is tender, about 18 minutes. Remove from heat. Mix in peas; season with pepper. Cover and let stand 5 minutes.

Makes 4 to 6 servings.

Coriander Rice

This adaptation of a Persian dish is a perfect party recipe because it is so seductive — and it can be done ahead.

1 1/2 cups basmati rice

3 qt water

1 1/2 tablespoons salt

5 tablespoons unsalted butter


1 tablespoon coriander seeds, coarsely crushed

1/4 teaspoon black pepper

3 (4- by 1-inch) strips fresh lemon zest

Rinse rice in several changes of cold water in a large bowl until water runs clear. Drain in a large sieve.

Bring 3 quarts water and salt to a boil in a 4- to 5-quart heavy pot, then add rice and cook, uncovered, stirring occasionally, 5 minutes from time water returns to boil. Drain parboiled rice in a sieve. Clean and dry pot.

Melt butter with coriander seeds and pepper in pot over low heat, stirring to combine, then sprinkle rice into pot, mounding it in center. Make 5 or 6 holes in rice to bottom of pot with round handle of a wooden spoon and sprinkle rice with zest. Cover pot with a kitchen towel and a heavy lid. Fold edges of towel up over lid (to keep towel from burning) and cook rice over low heat, undisturbed, until tender and a crust forms on bottom, 30 to 35 minutes. Remove from heat and let rice stand, tightly covered and undisturbed, 30 minutes.

Discard zest (or save for garnish) and spoon loose rice onto a platter. Season rice with salt, then break crust into pieces and scatter over rice.

Cooks’ note:

Rice can be parboiled and drained 4 hours ahead and transferred to a bowl. Keep, covered with a dampened paper towel, at room temperature.

Makes 6 servings.

Peanut Butter and Carob Doggie Cookies

1/4 cup peanut butter (unsweetened)

1 egg

1/3 cup honey or maple syrup


1 Tbsp fruit juice (apple, pear, orange, peach, etc.)

1 tsp vanilla extract

3/4 cup brown rice flour or gluten-free flour mix (in place of the flour/arrowroot)

1/4 cup tapioca flour

1/4 cup arrowroot powder

1 Tbps wheat-free baking powder

1 tsp cinnamon

1/2 cup unsweetened carob chips (Never chocolate!)

Combine the dry ingredients and mix well. In a separate bowl, combine all the wet ingredients and blend thoroughly. Mix the dry ingredients into the wet very slowly. The batter should look similar to regular chocolate chip cookie batter.

Expert Tip: Place the bowl of batter in the freezer for 10 minutes. It will make the spooning of the cookies on to the cookie sheet much easier.

Preheat the oven to 325°F. Take about 1 tsp size drops and place them on a well-oiled cookie sheet. You can try rolling these in a ball in your hand and placing the ball of dough on the cookie sheet, gently pressing your thumb to slightly flatten the cookie.

Bake at 325°F for 10 minutes. These cookies should be moist and bite-sized, perfect for training or an after dinner treat. Store in an air-tight container.

YES!!!

This made me *extremely* happy today!  I’ve been a huge fan of Tabasco sauce for years.  I have some fabulous recipes that I used to do with Tabasco from many moons ago that I would like to make again.  However, I wasn’t sure if Tabasco was gluten-free.  So I wrote the company to ask and here was the reply I received today.

Thank you for your interest in our TABASCO® and McIlhenny Farms® products.  All of our products that contain vinegar as an ingredient, use high quality distilled vinegar.  Distilled vinegar is produced by fermenting a grain based alcohol. The principal grains used to produce the alcohol are wheat and milo.  Gluten and other proteins are completely removed during the alcohol fermentation and distillation process.

According to the definitions set forth by the Codex Alimentarius Commission, a joint standards program of the World Health Organization (WHO) and the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United States (FAO), the following TABASCO® Brand products are considered “Gluten Free”:

TABASCO® Brand Pepper Sauce

TABASCO® Brand Chipotle Pepper Sauce

TABASCO® Brand Habanero Pepper Sauce

TABASCO® Brand Garlic Pepper Sauce

TABASCO® Brand Green Pepper Sauce

TABASCO® Brand Garlic Basting Sauce

TABASCO® Brand New Orleans Style Sauce


TABASCO® Brand Caribbean Style Steak Sauce

These products were analyzed for Gluten by the Food Allergy Research and Resource Program (FARRP) at the University of Nebraska –Lincoln.  FARRP was not able to find any detectable amounts of gluten in these products.  If the McIlhenny Company can be of further assistance please do not hesitate to ask.