Superfoods Month: Spinach fried rice with furikake by Emery

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Today's Superfood: Spinach
Vitamin K, vitamin A, manganese, folate, magnesium, iron, vitamin C, vitamin B2, calcium, potassium

Erika says: Today's guest post comes from a wonderful cook whom I adore - my 13-year-old son Emery. Furikake is a dry Asian condiment containing seaweed, sugar, salt and sesame seeds, meant to be sprinkled on rice.

So it all started one day when I was reading The Steamy Kitchen Cookbook by Jaden Hair. I saw a recipe called Furikake French Fries. I thought, Hm - this furikake stuff sounds good. I mean, it's just a seasoning blend. What could be so bad about that?

Now, fast forward about two years. Mom had come home from a date with Dad with an array of weird Asian groceries. [Yes, this is what we do on our dates - go grocery shopping.] I was looking through them, as I always do, and I found...furikake! I wanted to use it right away, but alas, there was nothing on which to put it.

Now, fast forward another week. I told Mom I was hungry - we were out after our weekly farmers' market run. She said, "Have a salad." I said, "If I'm going to have a salad, I want spinach." Naturally, she said we didn't have any. I managed to wangle a trip to the 99 Cents Only store to get some bagged baby spinach, and on the way home we constructed this recipe using leftover rice from takeout Chinese, the spinach and the furikake. We added a few more things we happened to have around the house: garlic, red chili flakes, ponzu sauce. It turned into a masterpiece. I've made it a half-dozen times since then, at all hours of the day and night.

Erika again: This photo shows white rice, but Emery usually makes it with precooked brown rice. I like the brown; Emery will take white rice when he can get it.

Click here for a list of all the recipes in this Superfoods Month series

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Spinach fried rice with furikake

by Emery Kerekes January-21-2012

An incredibly healthy snack created by my 13-year-old son Emery. Use more spinach than you think you need - it shrinks a lot as it cooks.

Ingredients

• 1 Tbsp grapeseed oil
• 1 cup cooked brown or white rice
• 1/8 tsp red chili pepper flakes
• 4 cloves garlic, chopped
• 1 5-ounce package baby spinach
• 1 Tbsp furikake seasoning, or to taste
• 1 Tbsp ponzu sauce

Instructions

Heat a wok or large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the oil, rice and chili flakes. Stir-fry until the rice is starting to crisp, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and spinach and continue to stir-fry until the spinach is wilted. Remove the pan from the heat, turn the spinach mixture onto a plate, garnish with the furikake, and sprinkle over the ponzu sauce. Serve immediately.

Details

Prep time: 5 mins Cook time: 7 mins Total time: 12 mins Yield: 2 servings

Superfoods Month: Spanakorizo (spinach rice) from Life in Greek

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Today's Superfood: Spinach
Vitamin A, vitamin K, vitamin C, magnesium, manganese, folate, iron, calcium, potassium


[Erika says: This guest post comes from Dimitra Kessenides, who writes Life in Greek (not strictly a food blog, by the way). Dimitra and I worked together 20 years ago in New York on the editorial staff of a legal magazine. That was long before the world got a glimpse of Greek life in America through My Big Fat Greek Wedding and I was fascinated by Dimitra's stories about her tight-knit family and her mother's cooking.]

Forget super foods - think Mediterranean diet. That's how I see these foods, dishes, and ingredients. They've been in the cupboard, the refrigerator, and on the table my whole life given my family's ethnic roots in Greece. So the spanakorizo (spinach rice) detailed here epitomizes what I think when I hear "super foods." And it's the one dish I've experienced a complete turnaround with.

Mom's version was on the dinner table once every two weeks or so for as long as I can remember (the only exception - summertime, since this really is a cold weather dish). I had zero interest in and appreciation for spinach until after college. The color was off-putting, and the consistency of the cooked vegetable made me squirm - I would try to separate the rice from the spinach and just take a few forkfuls of that. The meal took what seemed liked hours to finish. Flavor factored into my judgment not one bit. Nor did the comfort of the warmth of the dish, and the perfection achieved when accompanied by a hearty piece of whole grain bread (preferably warmed) and a bit of feta cheese (hey, I'm Greek!).

Yes, that all changed. I can't say when - it just happened. It was always there, it wasn't going anywhere, it grew on me - the flavor did, and the perfection with the accompaniments. And its persistent presence made its way into my brain - I realized I felt good when I ate spanakorizo, I was satisfied. I've done my share of not treating my body well, but this dish continues to counter the effects of that. And it does so without a whole lot of fuss and too much time.

While the recipe has evolved over the years - it's crossed generations and continents -  the foundation remains the same. A modern day superfood with very traditional roots. Enjoy!

Click here for a list of all the recipes from Superfoods Month

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Spanakorizo (spinach rice) from Life in Greek

by Dimitra Kessenides January-14-2012

A flavorful side dish with Greek roots and lots of spinach.

Ingredients

• 1 5-ounce package baby spinach
• 4 Tbsp olive oil
• 1 medium white onion, chopped
• 1 large beefsteak tomato, chopped
• 4 Tbsp tomato puree
• 1/2 cup long-grain white rice (I think Uncle Ben's works best, but basmati works too)
• salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

Rinse the spinach and dry it gently. Set aside.Heat the olive oil in a medium pot over medium heat. Add the onions and saute until tender, about 5 minutes. Add the chopped and pureed tomato and saute another 5 minutes. Add the 1/2 cup rice, salt, pepper, stir; let cook for 10 minutes. (Add some of the boiled water, as needed, if it seems to dry for the rice - just a bit, maybe 1/4 cup.)Add in the spinach; mix everything to evenly distribute. Cook for another 20 to 25 minutes. Taste to be sure rice has cooked fully.Serve as main meal with a piece of a nice whole grain bread; or use as a side dish for a main dish (goes great as a side with most any fish).

Details

Prep time: 15 mins Cook time: 35 mins Total time: 50 mins Yield: 4-6 servings

Zucchini rice casserole

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I was lamenting on the In Erika's Kitchen Facebook page the other day that I can't seem to take a good casserole picture. I finally figured out the two main problems.

The first is a timing issue. In general, I make casseroles for dinner. How much natural light do I get in my kitchen at dinnertime? Not much. Are the overhead lights a necessity? Yep. So my photos end up like the one above: dark and yellow, with weird bright reflective spots. I can Photoshop with the best of them, but I can't do much with pictures like this.

The second is a texture issue. Casseroles mostly look like mush, with few distinct ingredients. Also, notice the similarity between the texture of the zucchini rice casserole above and the granite countertop on which it's sitting. Not much contrast.

I'd like to think that there's a third issue involving ugly baking pans, requiring me to buy some beautiful new casserole dishes, but alas, I don't think that's actually part of the problem.

This is one of the best recipes I know for using up leftover cooked rice. I mix it in a big bowl with shredded zucchini, chopped green onions, grated cheese and some kind of cream sauce for a binder.

Yes, sometimes I go for the canned cream of mushroom or cream of chicken stuff. So sue me. When I have time (or I'm out of the cans) I prefer to take a few minutes to make a roux and add some milk, season it with salt and pepper, and use that to bind the casserole. Bake for about 45 minutes and you've got a warm, cheesy, salty, vegetable-filled dish that everyone will love. Even if the pictures look like crap.

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Zucchini rice casserole

by Erika Kerekes October-13-2011

This is the perfect way to use up leftover cooked rice. Use any cheese you like - I often grate up odds and ends and mix them up for this casserole.

Ingredients

• 2 Tbsp butter
• 2 Tbsp all-purpose flour
• 2 cups milk
• salt and pepper to taste
• 2 cups leftover cooked rice (white or brown)
• 1 pound zucchini, grated (2 large or 5 small)
• 1 1/2 cups grated cheese (any kind - try cheddar, Gruyere, smoked Gouda, mozzarella, etc.)
• 1 bunch green onions, chopped

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Spray a medium-sized casserole dish with cooking spray.Melt the butter in a saucepan. Add the flour and stir 1 minute to make a paste. Add the milk, whisking constantly, and bring to a simmer. The mixture will thicken as it heats up. Remove it from the heat, season with salt and pepper, and set it aside to cool a bit.In a large bowl, mix together the rice, zucchini, grated cheese and green onions. Add the cream sauce and stir to combine. Turn the mixture into the prepared baking dish. Bake the casserole for about 45 minutes; the edges should be bubbling and the top golden brown. Serve hot.

Details

Prep time: 10 mins Cook time: 45 mins Total time: 55 mins Yield: 8 servings

Green garlic risotto

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A few weeks ago I was lucky enough to go to the opening of The Market at Santa Monica Place. The Market, an airy hall filled with gourmet food stalls on top of the recently renovated mall in downtown Santa Monica, feels a bit like San Francisco's Ferry Building. It's got chocolate, cheese, bread, wine, salumi, flowers, cookies, ice cream, fashion-forward small plates - much of it locally sourced, all of it attractive and delicious.

The night of the grand opening celebration, Good Food host Evan Kleiman and L.A. Weekly food writer Jonathan Gold did a cooking demo in the market's brand-new Gourmandise School of Sweets and Savories. Jonathan, ever the carnivore, did a classic, ultra-manly carbonara, all bacon and slick egg yolks. It was delicious, but it didn't feel particularly local to me, despite the hefty chunks of pork from Los Angeles's new darling butchering duo Lindy and Grundy.

Evan Kleiman prepping for her demo at The Gourmandise School

Evan, on the other hand, embraced the bounty of southern California with a green risotto. Into her food processor went arugula, spinach, green onions and herbs. She added some of the chopped greens at the beginning of the risotto process ("for flavor") and another dollop at the end ("for color"). Snap peas cut on the diagonal went in at the last minute. It looked like grass, and it sort of tasted like grass, too, fresh and mild and a little sneezy. She uses vegetable stock or water when she's making risotto, both to please the vegetarians and because, she says, chicken stock smells like feet if you cook it too long.

Later that week I decided to make my own green risotto. I found myself reaching for the strong stuff, though. Mine had green garlic and dandelion instead of spinach and green onions. And a good, strong, homemade chicken stock, because I like the smell of feet. Same method, same beautiful color, none of the delicacy. My green risotto hits you over the head with spring. It rubs spring in your face. What can I say? Subtlety isn't my strong suit.

This green garlic risotto would make an excellent side with roast chicken, oven-roasted salmon or grilled steak. Don't serve it with anything too complicated. It's assertive. You don't want to make it mad.

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Green garlic risotto

by Erika Kerekes June-9-2011

Use any combination of greens you like for this herb-laden risotto. If you can't find green garlic, substitute a few chopped garlic cloves and double down on the green onions.

Ingredients

• 3 Tbsp olive oil
• 4 large shallots, minced
• 2 cups Arborio rice
• 1 cup white wine, divided
• approximately 8 cups good-quality chicken stock, kept at a simmer on a nearby burner
• 2 stalks green garlic
• 6 green onions
• approximately 4 cups mixed fresh herbs (basil, parsley, dill, tarragon, chives) and/or strong-flavored greens (dandelion, arugula, kale, mustard)
• 2 cups Parmigiano-Reggiano or Romano cheese, grated
• salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

Heat a large pot over medium-high heat. Add the olive oil and shallots and saute about a minute, until the shallots are translucent and starting to color. Add the rice and stir about two minutes, until the rice is coated with the olive oil and starting to change from opaque to translucent.Add 1/2 cup of the wine and stir until it's mostly evaporated. Now start with the chicken stock - add about two cups the first time and stir until it's absorbed. When you draw your spoon along the bottom of the pot and it leaves a trail, add some more stock, one or two ladles at a time.Meantime, in between the first and second addition of stock, put the green garlic, green onions, greens and herbs in a food processor and blitz until everything is finely chopped. It may even turn into a paste - that's fine. When you add the second bit of stock, add a good heaping cup of the chopped greens as well.Continue stirring and adding stock in the same manner until the rice is al dente - this will take 15-20 minutes, so start testing it after 15. When it's just al dente, stir in the remaining half-cup of wine, grated cheese, another dollop of the chopped greens, and salt and pepper. Stir well, cover the pot, and turn off the heat. Let the risotto stand for about 5 minutes, then serve immediately. If the risotto thickens up too much while it stands, stir in a little extra stock.

Details

Prep time: 5 mins Cook time: 25 mins Total time: 30 mins Yield: 8-10 servings

Texmati brown rice pilaf with herbs

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Food bloggers get offered a lot of product samples. I'm picky about what I accept. I turn down stuff I wouldn't want to eat or feed my family: processed food, junk food, candy. I also gracefully refuse products I normally buy, on the grounds that I already know I like it and the samples would be better used on someone else.

When the Rice Select folks offered to send me some of their Texmati rice, however, I was powerless. Texmati is one of my favorite grains and it's been a staple in my pantry for years. Grown in Texas, Texmati has the nutty aroma and chewy texture of imported basmati rice - and it's born and raised in the U.S.A. I buy both varieties. The kids like white. The grownups prefer brown. Either way, we rarely have leftovers.  

 

I love the combination of rice, herbs, lemon and grated Romano cheese in this Texmati brown rice pilaf. I have served it at many dinner parties alongside roast chicken, grilled steak, or oven-roasted salmon. I'm pretty sure my mother made it for one of her recent dinners, too. Use any combination of herbs you like. I grab whatever looks good at the farmers' market (or, if I've been taking care of my backyard, from the garden). Parsley, chives, tarragon, savory, cilantro, garlic chives, dill, fennel leaves...it's all good. 

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Texmati brown rice pilaf with herbs

by Erika Kerekes April 6, 2011

This sunny pilaf goes well with roast chicken, grilled steak, or any simple fish.

Ingredients

1 cup Texmati brown rice2 1/4 cups chicken stock2 Tbsp olive oil3/4 cup chopped mixed herbs (parsley, tarragon, chives, savory, dill, etc.)1 lemon, juice and zest1/2 cup grated Romano cheese salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

Combine the rice, chicken stock and olive oil in a saucepan. Bring to a boil, cover the pot, turn down the heat, and simmer 45 minutes. Remove from the heat and let stand 10 minutes. (Alternatively, combine the rice, chicken stock and olive oil in an electric rice cooker and cook until done.)Add the herbs, lemon juice, lemon zest, grated cheese, salt and pepper, and stir to combine. Taste, adjust the seasoning, and serve immediately.

Details

Prep time: 10 mins Cook time: 55 mins Total time: 1 hour 5 mins Yield: 6 servings

Pumpkin rice pudding recipe

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Here's a little quiz, pumpkin lovers: What tastes like pumpkin pie, smells like pumpkin pie, contains Libby's 100% Pure Pumpkin, but has no crust and is gluten-free?

I might have given it away with that first photo. Oh, and the title of the post. Oh well. The cat's out of the can.

When I was invited to participate in this Nestlé Kitchens Deconstructed Pumpkin Pie event by KitchenPlay, it took me about 10 seconds to decide what I was making. I love pumpkin pie just as much as the next girl, but rice pudding is my passion. Pumpkin pie rice pudding, creamy, smooth and spicy - doesn't that sound like a great alternative to the classic pumpkin pie? And the basic recipe is gluten-free to boot!

I always use medium-grain white rice for rice pudding. You can make rice pudding in the oven, but I prefer cooking it on the stovetop. It cooks over a very low flame for about an hour and requires only occasional stirring, and the end result is melt-in-your-mouth creamy. This pumpkin rice pudding is cooked with Carnation evaporated milk (another Nestlé product) and Libby's canned 100% pure pumpkin puree, so the pumpkin flavor gets absorbed into the rice as it's simmering. Adding traditional pumpkin pie spices like cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg and allspice really makes it taste like pumpkin pie - and as a side benefit, your house will smell terrific.

A dash of liqueur stirred in at the end gives the rice pudding a little kick. I topped my pumpkin pie rice pudding with crumbled cinnamon graham crackers, but for a fully gluten-free version, serve it plain, topped with whipped cream, or sprinkled with chopped roasted pecans.

Pumpkin pie rice pudding 

• 1 cup uncooked medium-grain white rice
• 1 12-ounce can Carnation evaporated milk (whole, lowfat or fat-free)
• 4 cups milk
• 1 cup dark brown sugar
• 1 15-ounce can (1 3/4 cups) Libby 100% pure pumpkin
• 3/4 tsp cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp ground cloves
• 1/4 tsp nutmeg
• 1/4 tsp allspice
• 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/4 cup triple sec, armagnac or brandy
• Garnish (optional): crumbled cinnamon graham crackers, whipped cream, or chopped roasted pecans (or any combination thereof)

Combine the rice, milks, sugar, pumpkin, spices, vanilla, and salt in a heavy bottom saucepan. Bring the rice mixture just to a simmer; watch it carefully, because it will boil over given half a chance (and trust me, you do not want to clean that pot). Turn the heat down to low and stir the rice mixture well. Cover the pan most of the way and simmer the rice pudding gently for about an hour, stirring every 10 minutes or so to keep the rice from sticking to the bottom of the pot.

When the rice is tender, remove the pot from the stove and stir in the liqueur. Cover the pan and let the rice pudding cool at least 30 minutes before serving. Garnish as desired. It's best served slightly warm or at room temperature.

Disclosure: This post is sponsored by Nestlé Kitchens. I was paid for my work developing and photographing this recipe as part of the KitchenPlay SideCar event.

Recipe: Risotto with Oregon white truffle oil and wild mushrooms

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In case you were wondering, my complete obsession with the truffles of the world is going strong. It's white truffle season, and I can't stop thinking about the toothsome and extremely expensive nuggets my friend at Sabatino Tartufi showed me a few weeks ago. In fact, thanks to his generosity, I'm hosting a multi-course truffle dinner fundraiser for my kids' school, and he's coming to the dinner to talk about my favorite fungi. More on that another time.

But the truffles in my kitchen this week are somewhat more local, and also somewhat more affordable. Did you know that white truffles grow in Oregon? They're not the same as European truffles, but it's not really a question of better or worse, to my mind. They have their own magical powers. And the fact that they grow right here in the U.S. continues to blow my mind.

I first discovered the Oregon whites at the Santa Monica farmers market, where the mushroom forager sometimes sells marble-sized white truffles from up north in small styrofoam containers with plastic lids. I think he got in trouble for it - Santa Monica has strict rules about "local" when it comes to selling at the markets - but they do appear sometimes, if sub rosa. I'd buy a small container, an ounce or two for $20, take them home, make some pasta or scrambled eggs, and shave the whole thing over for a luxurious lunch for one. Or two, if my husband happened to be home. I remember calling him once from the market, discovering he hadn't left for work yet, and telling him to stay right where he was until I got home with the loot.

So I met Jack Czarnecki on Twitter (@TruffleOil), which is how I ended up with the unbelievably aromatic bottle of Oregon white truffle oil pictured above. Jack, who runs the Joel Palmer House Restaurant in Dayton, Oregon, and won a James Beard Award for A Cook's Book of Mushrooms in 1996, forages for truffles. And makes this amazing Oregon white truffle oil, right in the kitchen of his restaurant. And sells cases and cases of it, every year. When I opened the bottle and put my nose above it, I was literally moved to tears. I've been drizzling it on everything: salad, pasta, scrambled eggs, toast with melted cheese. It's not that I like it more or less than the beautiful Italian stuff - it's just different. A little more forceful, somehow. Kind of like the difference between a Rolls Royce and a Corvette.

In case you're wondering what to do with Oregon white truffle oil, Jack's site has a list of possibilities. Including a non-culinary suggestion, and I'll just leave it at that - you can click through for details. But here's one recipe from his restaurant I can't wait to make. Oh, and you can buy Jack's Oregon white truffle oil online, of course - I can't imagine a better gift for a fellow food lover.

Joel Palmer House wild mushroom risotto with Oregon white truffle oil

• ½ ounce dried porcini
• 1 quart water
• 1 tsp sugar
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 Tbsp soy sauce
• ¼ lb unsalted butter
• 1 cup long-grain rice
• ½ ounce dried onion
• Grated parmesan cheese
• 2 ounces Joel Palmer House Oregon White Truffle Oil

In uncovered saucepan, bring water, dried mushrooms, sugar, salt and soy sauce to a boil. Add rice and reduce heat to simmer. Strain out the liquid and reserve. Chop the mushrooms finely.


In a medium sauté pan melt the butter and add the dried onion and rice. Stir for 1 minute, then add the reserved mushroom liquid. Cook uncovered and stir gently until water is absorbed and evaporated, about 15-20 minutes.

Portion rice, drizzle lightly with Parmesan cheese and truffle oil, and serve. Serves 10 as a small starter or 4 for a main course.

Recipe: Taco rice casserole, lunch for a rainy day

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I have a few quick, easy, one-pot meals in my stable on which I rely again and again. This dish, which can be called Spanish rice, Mexican rice, taco rice, and probably many other things, is one of my family's favorites. It takes only a few minutes to prepare, can be made days ahead and reheated, freezes fine, and is fun to decorate with various condiments (always a hit with the kids).

Taco rice

serves an infinite number of people (because I always make a lot)

• 3 lbs ground turkey or beef
• 2 onions, chopped
• 2 bell peppers, chopped
• 4 cloves garlic, chopped
• 4 Tbsp chili powder or taco seasoning
• 2 cans tomato sauce
• 2 cans diced tomatoes with juice or puree
• 2 cups rice (I use brown medium-grain, but any rice will do)
• 1 large bunch scallions, chopped
• 1 large bunch cilantro, chopped
• salt and pepper to taste
• accompaniments: shredded cheese, sour cream, guacamole, crushed tortilla chips

Brown meat in large pot over high heat. Add onions and peppers; stir about five minutes, until vegetables are softened. Add garlic and chili powder; stir one minute. Add tomato sauce, tomatoes, rice and three to four cups of water. You want it to look soupy at this point, because the rice will absorb a lot of the liquid as it cooks.

Bring to a boil, turn down the heat to low, cover the pot, and simmer until the rice is cooked and has absorbed the liquid. Stir in the scallions and cilantro. You'll want to check it every 20 minutes or so while it's cooking, and stir, to make sure there's enough liquid in the pot. If, at the end, the rice is cooked and there's still a lot of liquid, take off the lid and simmer it uncovered for a while.

Serve at this point with accompaniments, or turn off the heat and let it sit on the stove for a while. It keeps well. Reheat over low, adding more liquid if necessary so it doesn't burn on the bottom.

Note: This also makes an excellent filling, the next day, for quesadillas or burritos.