Of course, I came upon my favorite cooking mag as of late--Cooks, Illustrated. Always a gem in my book because of the logical explanations and hands-down best recipes ever, I took my time leafing through their newest test-kitchen recipes, trying to find one that I could modify to be heart-healthy and utilitarian (I didn't feel much like shopping today.).
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| Party People's Beans & Rice w/ Chickpea Salsa |
While I didn't have black beans or pork in my kitchen (both of which the recipe called for), I did have a 9-bean soup mix that I had just happened to put to soak in the a.m., and I did have a whole roasted chicken waiting to be devoured. So, voila! Off I went to make a Dutch oven full of not-so-boring rice and beans.
To have:
3-4 tsp canola oil
1 cup beans, pre-soaked for 8 hours
2-3 bell peppers, halved and seeded
1 large onion, halved and peeled
1 whole garlic head, 6-8 cloves removed
3 bay leaves (or 1-2 tsp ground bay)
1-1/2 cups long-grain rice
2-1/2 c chicken broth
2 c water
1-2 c diced chicken (pre-cooked)
2-3 tsp salt
2 tsp Creole seasoning (I make my own; here's the recipe I use)
2 tsp ginger
2 tsp celery salt
2 tsp cayenne pepper
2 tsp cumin
2 tsp dried cilantro leaves (change it up if you wanna)
2 tbsp white or red wine vinegar
lime wedges, for serving garnish
fresh cilantro and/or chives, for serving garnish
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For optional chickpea "salsa":
1 can garbanzo beans/chickpeas
leftover veggies (sans bay leaves) from first step in cooking process
2 tbsp tahini
2 tsp sriracha
2 tsp honey
2 tsp dried rosemary
2 tsp dried thyme
1 tsp celery salt
To do, Beans & Rice:
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| First round of cooking |
If using cooked chicken, add in the chicken and the rest of the chicken broth. Being careful to use pot holders when handling the Dutch oven, remove the bulk veggies and bay leaves (keep these for a veggie broth for later in the week!), and drain the beans, reserving the liquid. You should have around 2-1/2 cups. If not, add broth/water to make the quota. Set the beans on the side. Don't rinse out the Dutch oven, but set it on a cooled burner, unless you are using raw chicken. In this case, return to the burner you've been using, add in 1 tsp of oil, and cook your chicken for around 10 min.
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| Things on the side throughout the process |
Using the remaining bell peppers and onion, food process by pulsing to get 1/4 inch pieces. Adding another tsp of oil, sauté these with the cayenne, celery salt, cumin, ginger, and cilantro. Stirring occasionally, cook for 12 min. Watch carefully during this step, as the water from the vegetables has a tendency to threaten burning on the bottom of the Dutch oven if there isn't enough oil.
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| Right before baking |
Mince/garlic press the leftover cloves of garlic. Add to the vegetable mixture, cooking for around 1 min, stirring frequently. Add in the rice, coating it by stirring for around 30 seconds.
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| Out of the oven, resting |
Pour in the 2-1/2 cups of reserved liquid as well as the beans. Stir a few times, and add in 2 tbsp of white wine vinegar. Stir once more, and then cover and bake for 30-35 min.
When finished baking, set on the stovetop, uncover, and let rest for 5 min. When done resting, stir a few times, add in juice from a few lime wedges, and top with fresh chives/chopped scallions if desired.
For each serving, top with 1-2 tbsp chickpea salsa (recipe below).
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| Finished Beans & Rice, topped with dried scallions |
To do, Chickpea Salsa:
Food process leftover veggies until a puree-like texture is achieved. Put into a small saucepan on medium heat, being careful to stir frequently.
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| Chickpea Salsa |
Add in tahini, sriracha, and honey. Stir well and let cook for another 2-3 min.
Finally, add in the rest of the herbs/spices. Stir, and let cook for 1 more min.
Remove from heat.
