Spanakorizo (Spinach and Rice)

Spanakorizo (Spinach and Rice)
Side for 4-6

2-3 pounds frozen spinach, thawed chopped and drained
1/4 cup olive oil
1 small onion, chopped
1 head garlic, minced
8oz tomato sauce
1/2 bunch dill, chopped. Or dill/mint mix.
1 tbsp dried oregano
1 cup white rice
3 cups water
1 1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp fresh ground black pepper

Sauté onions and garlic gently in olive oil over low heat. Add salt, pepper, oregano and dill or mint. Stir to combine well. Mix in tomato sauce.

Add rice and cook for 5 minutes stirring often. If rice starts to stick to the bottom of the pan, lower the heat just slightly.

Add spinach and 3 cups water to pot, mix well to combine and bring to a low boil.

Once you’ve reached a low boil, lower to a very gentle simmer and cover. Add water if it's too dry. Cook for 25-30 minutes. Check the rice for doneness at 25 minutes. It may need an additional 5 minutes or so for longer grains.

When rice is completely cooked, mix ingredients well, cover and set aside for at least 15 minutes before serving.

Black Beans and Rice

Black Beans and Rice
Serves 4

1 lbs dry black beans
1 lbs chorizo, diced
1 red pepper, chopped
1 small onion, chopped
1 habanero, minced
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 packets sazon
2 tsp cumin, oregano
1 orange, zest+juice
2 bay leaf
1/2 black olives, sliced
water
cilantro
scallions

Put beans, aromatics, orange peel, and spices in a crock pot. Add water to 1-2 inches above the beans. Cook 10 hours on low, or around that.

Crisp up the chorizo. Once everything is ready, add the chorizo, orange juice, garnishes, and olives into the crock pot. Serve over rice.

Chickpea Paella

Chickpea and Chorizo Paella
Serves 4 to 6

Ingredients
8 oz. Spanish chorizo, ½-inch thick half moons
3 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
1 medium red or yellow onion, minced
8 garlic cloves, thinly sliced, plus 2 garlic cloves, minced
4 tsp. paprika
Large pinch saffron, threads crumbled
1½ cups rice
1 Tbsp. chopped fresh thyme
4 cups chicken broth (or up to 2 cups chickpea cooking liquid)
1 can chickpeas
1 can (14 ounces) diced tomatoes, well drained
7oz roasted red peppers thinly sliced
1 cup frozen peas, defrosted
4 scallions, root ends and tops trimmed, thinly sliced on the bias
1 lemon, cut into wedges for serving

Add the chorizo to a 12-inch skillet and cook over medium-high heat,
stirring frequently, until just beginning to brown, about 5 minutes.
Transfer to a paper-towel-lined plate to drain; remove all but one
tablespoon of the rendered fat from the skillet.

Add the olive oil, onion, sliced garlic, and large pinch salt; cook over
medium-high heat, stirring occasionally, until softened and just
beginning to brown, about 5 minutes. Add the remaining garlic, paprika,
and saffron, and cook, stirring constantly, until fragrant and paprika
has darkened, 1 minute. Stir in the rice; add thyme and broth, and bring
to a simmer.

Stirring occasionally with a rubber spatula to redistribute the broth and
rice, cook for 10 minutes. Sprinkle the chickpeas, tomatoes, and red
peppers evenly over the top. Cook uncovered, without stirring, until the
liquid is completely absorbed and the rice is tender, about 10 minutes
longer. Sprinkle peas, cooked chorizo, and scallions over the rice;
cover, and allow to sit for 5 minutes. Serve with lemon wedges on the
side.

Arroz con Pollo

Arroz con Pollo
Yield: 4-6 servings

2 lbs boneless chicken breasts
olive oil
Salt and pepper
4 teaspoons ground cumin
1.5 tablespoons dried oregano
2 teaspoons sweet paprika
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper

1 Spanish onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 green pepper, seeded and chopped
2 bay leaves
2 cups long grain white rice
1 (8-ounce) can tomato sauce
~3 cups chicken broth
1 tsp annato seeds, or some saffron, or some tumeric
1/2c pimento olives, sliced
1 cup frozen peas
Chopped cilantro

Rinse the chicken pieces and pat dry. In a small bowl, blend 2 tablespoons oil, salt, pepper, cumin, oregano, paprika and cayenne. Rub each piece of chicken with the spice paste and refrigerate for at least 20 minutes for the flavor to develop.

In a heavy wide pan, heat remaining 2 tablespoons oil. Place the chicken in the pan, skin side down, and brown on all sides, about 10 minutes Remove from pan and set aside. Make a sofrito by sauteing the onion, garlic, bell pepper and bay leaves; cooking until the vegetables are soft. Stir in the rice so the grains are well coated with the sofrito.
Remove chicken skin, if there is any (will get rubbery).

Add the tomatoes and broth and yellow, season with salt and pepper. Return the chicken to the pan. Bring the mixture to a boil and let simmer covered for about 15 minutes. Stir everything around a few times during this period. Add peas and cook another 10 minutes, or until done. Add olives and cilantro and serve.
Or cook in 350 oven for same time.

Somewhat Indian Somewhat Jambalaya

Eh, it's kind of hard to classify.

Coriander-Crusted Sausage Meatballs in Fennel Rice

Serves 4

1 1-pound package raw chicken sausage with fennel
About 1/4 cup ground coriander, to coat sausage
2 medium onions, chopped
2 huge fennel heads, chopped, fronds reserved
3 ribs celery, chopped
1 tsp fennel seed
1 tsp cayenne
2 cups jasmin rice
4 cups chicken stock
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
Canola or grapeseed oil for cooking

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
Remove sausage from casings and roll into 12-18 balls (2-3 balls per link). Roll sausage balls in coriander to coat.
Place an oven-proof casserole or soup pot over high heat, add oil to coat and sear sausage meatballs until dark golden brown and delicious, about 6-8 minutes. Remove sausage meatballs to a plate.
In the same casserole, add the onions, fennel, celery, and spices. Season and weat until softened and reduced in volume, about 15-20 minutes.
Add rice and stir to combine. Add back the sausage meatballs and pour in chicken stock. Bring to a simmer, cover, and bake in oven for 35-45 minutes, until rice is cooked through.
Let rest 15 minutes covered, garnish with lots of fennel fronds and serve family style.

Cheater Latin Chicken and Rice

This is cheating so bad. But for a weeknight, it works good enough.

Shortcut Brazilian Chicken and Rice

1.5 lbs Chicken Thighs, 1/2inch slices (Don't use much salt)
1 Medium chile pepper, minced. (medium = jalapeno, serrano, thai, etc)
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp Orange Rind, Minced
1 cup water
Juice of 1 Orange
1 Box (Goya) Yellow Rice+Mix
1/2 a jar pimento olives, halved
Pepper
1 cup Peas, defrosted
1 large handful Cilantro, Chopped

In a big skillet, brown the chicken in olive oil. Add garlic, chile, and rind when chicken is close to done browning.
Add water and orange juice to deglaze, bring to a boil.
Add rice, seasoning, and olives and bring to a boil. Cover and simmer 20 minutes (or until done.)
Add peas and cilantro, and stir to mix and warm the peas.

Here is How You Lose Weight

The good kind of health food.

Asiany Tuna on Rice
Takes ~10 minutes
Dinner for One (Makes 2 bowls)

1 Can Tuna (drained, idiot)
1 Scallion, chopped
1t Low fat Mayo
1T Soy Sauce
Dash hot sauce or Sichuan Chili Sauce
Alittlewhateverelseyouhavearound

Brown Rice (~3 cups cooked)
"Rice Seasoning" from Supermarket Asian Section

1. Mix the Tuna Salad
2. Put on hot seasoned rice