FOOLPROOF BROWN RICE
A few words... This recipe isn’t just brown rice but I’ve been asked a million times about how to make it. First, please stop eating minute rice. It’s horrible and horrible for you. Next, you don’t even need a measuring cup to make flawless brown rice every time. Here is the recipe along with my recipe for black beans. Links for my scratch sofrito and plantains (maduros) below also.
Makes about 3 1/2 cups
INGREDIENTS
- 1 cup natural brown rice, I used long grain
- 8 cups vegetable broth or water
- 1 1/2 tsp kosher
DIRECTIONS
1. Rinse the rice with cold water for 30 seconds.
2. Bring the water and salt to a boil over high heat in a large heavy pot with a tight fitting lid.
3. When the water is boiling add the rice, stir and partially cover (don't cover complete or it will spill over) and cook on medium-high heat for 30 minutes.
4. Shut the heat off. Drain the rice in strainer, then quickly return to the pot and cover tightly for 20 minutes so the steam finishes cooking the rice.
5. Uncover the rice and fluff with a fork.
Cuban Style Black Beans
INGREDIENTS
- 1 pound dried black beans, rinsed and drained
- 2 medium white onions, halved lengthwise
- 2 medium green bell peppers, halved
- 4 bay leaves, divided
- 8 cups cold water
- 3 garlic cloves
- 2 tablespoons Tastic spice
- 1 teaspoon lemon pepper
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 6 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
- 1/4 cup dry white wine
- 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
- 1 1/2 teaspoons dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon tomato paste
- Chopped cilantro or flat leaf parsley (optional)
- Lime wedges (optional)
DIRECTIONS
1. Combine black beans, 1 onion half, 1 bell pepper half, 2 bay leaves, and 8 cups cold water in a pressure cooker. Lock lid into place and set pressure to HIGH (15 pounds); bring up to pressure over high heat. When pressurized, reduce heat to medium and cook 15 minutes. Remove from heat, release pressure, and let stand until pressure is completely released. Remove lid. Discard onion, bell pepper, and bay leaves.
2. Meanwhile, finely chop remaining onion and bell pepper halves. Smash garlic on cutting board with flat side of a chef’s knife. Sprinkle with 1 teaspoon salt, then rub salt into garlic with the knife to form a paste.
3. Heat 1/4 cup oil in a large skillet over medium. Add chopped onions, chopped bell peppers, and garlic-salt paste. Cook, stirring occasionally, until onions are translucent, about 8 minutes. Stir in remaining 2 bay leaves, wine, cumin, oregano, and tomato paste. Cook, stirring, until tomato paste is incorporated and wine has evaporated, 2 to 3 minutes.
4. Place uncovered pressure cooker over medium heat. Stir in onion-bell pepper mixture; season with lemon pepper and Tastic. Simmer until beans are cooked through, about 30 minutes. Drizzle with remaining 2 tablespoons oil.
5. Season to taste if necessary with more Tastic and a squirt of lime. Serve with brown rice and Maduros.
* Tastic Spice is available HERE
Do me a favor? If you decide to be great and make this recipe, take a pic and share it on Instagram and tag me (@mrfoodtastic) and use the hashtag #mrfoodtastic so I can see just how amazing you are. I repost my favorite ones
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