Going Green

     Rice is the principle food of half the world's population.  And in some areas of south east Asia it constitutes three quarters of the daily protein consumption.  Oryza sativa is native to the Indian subcontinent and northern Indochina and was first domesticated around 7000 BCE in the Yangtze River valley of south central China.

     Rice made its way from Asia to Europe by way of Persia.  But it was the Moors who were the first Europeans to consider it as a crop and grew large quantities of it in Spain in the 8th Century, followed by the Sicilians who developed the technique of cooking the rice slowly with small quantities of hot broth to create risotto in the 15th Century.

     It was the Spanish and the Portuguese who introduced rice to the Americas in the 16th and 17th Centuries.  South Carolina first produced rice commercially beginning in 1686.

     Incredibly there are over 100,000 distinct varieties of rice worldwide.

    
    While rice is plentiful and certainly healthy, to be honest, it can also be somewhat boring.  That's why I was intrigued when I came across a recipe for green rice in the July/August issue of Cuisine at home magazine.  It seemed easy enough so I served it last night with some home made turkey burgers and watermelon cucumber salad.  It was a keeper!  So now I pass along to you this new twist on an age old staple.

GREEN RICE

1 Tbsp EVOO                                                         2 cups packed fresh spinach

1/4 cup minced onion                                            1 cup packed fresh cilantro

1 cup dry converted white rice                               2 Tbsp fresh lime juice

1 tsp minced garlic                                                2 scallions, sliced

1 cup low sodium chicken broth                            1 serrano chile, chopped (optional)

1 cup whole milk                                                    salt to taste

     Heat the oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat.  Add onion and cook 2 minutes.  Stir in the rice and garlic and cook 1 minute.  Stir in the broth and milk and bring to a boil.  Cover and reduce heat to low.  Cook rice until tender and liquid has evaporated, 15-20 minutes.

     While rice is cooking puree the spinach, cilantro, scallions, lime juice and serrano in a food processor.  Stir mixture into the rice and season with salt.

Serves 4

cooking time:  30 minutes