Risotto in the Rice Cooker

Someone on the Cooking Light board recommended The Ultimate Rice Cooker Cookbook by Beth Hensperger and Julie Kaufman. I have had relative success using recipe from this book, but find that the rice is often too soft and mushy for my tastes, so I need to concentrate on reducing the liquid for most recipes.

There are several recipes for risotto in this book and I must admit that I was very, very skeptical that one would be able to produce a good risotto from a rice cooker. After all, the secret to good risotto is in the stirring. Skepticism aside, I thought it was worth a go - wouldn't it be nice to have risotto in the summer without having to heat up the kitchen???

My first attempt came out tasty, but quite mushy. Here is the recipe:

Dried Mushroom Risotto
Source: The Ultimate Rice Cooker Cookbook

Machine: Medium (6-cup) or large (10-cup) rice cooker; fuzzy logic or on/off
Cycle: Quick Cook and/or regular or Porridge
Yield: Serves 4 to 5

1/2 ounce dried mushrooms
1 3/4 cups hottest possible tap water
About 1 1/2 cups beef, chicken, or vegetable stock
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
1/2 cup minced onion
1/4 cup dry white wine
1 cup plus 2 tablespoons medium-grain risotto rice (superfine Arborio, Carnaroli, or Vialine nano)

To Finish:
2 teaspoons unsalted butter, or more, if desired
2 tablespoons chopped fresh Italian parsley leaves
1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese, plus more for serving
Freshly ground black pepper
Salt

1. Place the mushrooms in a small bowl and add the hot water. Let stand for an hour or longer. (Or combine the mushrooms and water in a microwave-safe container, cover tightly with plastic wrap, and microwave on high for 5 minutes. Let cool to room temperature.) When mushrooms are soft, remove them from the liquid, squeezing gently to extract as much liquid as possible. Slice the mushrooms into pieces about 1/4 x 1 inch, discarding any tough stems. The exact size is not important, but if you cut them too small, their flavor will not be as intense. Carefully pour the mushroom soaking liquid into a measuring cup, leaving any grit behind. (If the mushrooms were especially gritty, you may want to pour the liquid through a coffee filter-lined strainer, but in general this is not necessary.) Add the stock to the mushroom soaking liquid to equal 2 cups.

2. Set the rice cooker for the Quick Cook or regular cycle. Place the olive oil and butter in the rice cooker bowl. When the butter melts, add the onion. Cook, stirring a few times, until softened, about 2 minutes. Stir in the wine and cook for 1 or 2 minutes. Add the rice and stir until the grains are evenly coated and hot. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the grains are transparent except for a white spot on each, 3 to 5 minutes. Add the stock mixture and mushrooms to the rice; stir to combine. Close the cover and reset for the Porridge cycle, or for the regular cycle and set a timer for 20 minutes.

3. When the machine switches to the Keep Warm cycle or the timer sounds, open the cover and stir with a wooden or plastic rice paddle or wooden spoon. The risotto should be only a bit liquid and the rice should be al dente, tender with just a touch of tooth resistance. If needed, cook for a few minutes longer. This risotto will hold on Keep Warm for up to 1 hour.

4. When ready to serve, add the butter. Close the cover for a minute to let the butter melt. Stir in the parsely, cheese, a few grinds of pepper, and salt to taste. Serve immediately.

The resulting risotto was very flavorful, but too mushy. I cooked it on the porridge cycle and followed the directions closely. I like to have a nice grain to bite into. I'm not sure if the mushiness was due to too much liquid, too long a cooking time or both. Next time I try risotto in the rice cooker, I plan to try a little less liquid and will try cooking it on the regular cycle for 20 minutes.

Cheesy Squash and Rice Pie

Source: Cooking Light, June 2000

1 teaspoon olive oil
3 cups (1/4 inch thick) sliced yellow squash (about 1/2 lb)
2 cups (1/4 inch thick) sliced zucchini (about 1/2 lb)
1 cup chopped onion
1 1/2 teaspoon chopped fresh or 1/2 tsp. dried rosemary
1 1/2 cups cooked rice
3 tablespoons minced fresh chives or green onions
cooking spray
1/2 cup 1% low fat milk (I used skim)
1/2 cuo(4 oz) garlic and herbs reduced fat soft spreadable cheese (Boursin or Rondele) (I used full-fat Alouette - will try Boursin, full-fat or light, next time)
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
2 large egg whites, lightly beaten (I skipped this and used 3 whole eggs total)

Preheat oven to 350.

Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat until hot. Add yellow squash, zucchini, onion, and rosemary; cook 20 minutes or until vegetables are tender, stirring occasionally. Cool.

Combine squash mixture, rice, and chives in a large bowl; spoon into a 9 inch pie plate coated with cooking spray.

Combine milk and remaining 5 ingredients; stir well with a whisk. Pour over squash mixture.

Bake at 350 for 45 minutes or until center is set.

I talked about this recipe HERE.

Rice Primavera

Source: I have no idea. But when I searched to see if this recipe was online somewhere, I found a similar recipe which seems to be a low-fat alternative to the one I have had in my recipe files for years. Interesting.

2 tablespoons olive oil
1 clove garlic
2 cups broccoli florets
1 cup sliced zucchini
1 cup sliced fresh mushrooms
1 cup halved cherry tomatoes
1/4 cup snipped fresh parsley
1/4 cup butter or margarine
3/4 cup heavy cream
2/3 cup freshly grated Parmesan
1/4 teaspoon ground red pepper
3 cups cooked rice

Heat garlic with oil in large skillet over medium-high heat; discard garlic. Cook broccoli, zucchini, and mushrooms in oil until almost tender crisp. Add tomatoes and parsley; cook one minute longer. Remove vegetables; set aside. Place butter in same skillet; stir in half & half, cheese and pepper. Cook over medium heat, stirring until smooth. Add rice; toss to coat. Stir in reserved vegetables; heat through. Serve immediately.

My notes: For tonight's dish, I first cooked 2 chicken breast halves in olive oil and then set aside. I then deglazed the pan with about a 1/4 cup of white wine. I then added about 1 tablespoon of butter, 4 crushed cloves of garlic and about 1/2 teaspoon of dried thyme + salt and pepper to taste. After the butter was fully melted, I added about 3/4 cup of grated Fontina cheese and several tablespoons of freshly grated Parmesan cheese. I then added 1/2 cup frozen corn, 1/2 cup frozen peas, 1/2 cup frozen spinach, and 2 tablespoons of chopped scallions and heated through. I then added the 3 cups (or more) of brown rice and the diced chicken and heated through again.

I talked about this recipe HERE.

Turkey Jambalaya

Source: Cooking Light, November 2001

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 1/2 cups chopped onion
1 teaspoon bottled minced garlic
1 cup chopped green bell pepper
1 cup chopped red bell pepper
2 1/2 teaspoons paprika
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon oregano
1/2 teaspoon ground red pepper
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1 cup uncooked long-grain rice
2 cups fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth
1 (14.5-ounce) can diced tomatoes, undrained
2 cups shredded cooked turkey
6 ounces andouille sausage (or smoked sausage), chopped
2 tablespoons sliced green onions

Heat oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add chopped onion and garlic; sauté 6 minutes or until lightly browned. Stir in bell peppers and next 5 ingredients; sauté 1 minute. Add rice; sauté 1 minute. Stir in broth and tomatoes; bring to a boil. Cover, and reduce heat, and simmer 15 minutes. Add turkey and sausage; cover and cook 5 minutes. Sprinkle with green onions.

Yield: 8 servings (serving size: 1 cup).

Calories 249 (27% from fat); Fat 7.6g (sat 2.4g, mono 3.4g, poly 1.3g); Protein 17.3g; Carb 27.4g; Fiber 2.7g; Chol 42mg; Iron 2.7mg; Sodium 523mg; Calc 37mg. 5 WW Points per serving.

My notes: This recipe is my favorite way to help use up leftover Thanksgiving turkey. I like it because the cajun flavors, especially the andouille sausage, are nothing like what we normally (save for this year) have for Thanksgiving dinner and therefore doesn't scream "leftover turkey"! I cut down on the cayenne pepper so that it's not too spicy for us, but especially the boys. If you can't find andouille or you want to lower the fat even more, Healthy Choice Smoked Sausage (or similar) is also very good in this dish.

I talked about this recipe HERE.

Vegetarian Chili

Source: Adapted from Jane Brody's "Chili Without Carne" in her Good Food Book

Serving Size : 6

1 tablespoon olive oil or vegetable oil
1 or 2 small zucchini, chopped
1 medium onion, chopped
3 large cloves garlic, minced
1 green pepper, chopped
1 fresh jalapeno pepper, finely chopped (wear rubber gloves)
2 (28-ounce) cans pureed tomatoes
½ teaspoon coriander
¼ teaspoon whole cloves, or generous pinch of ground cloves
¼ teaspoon allspice berries, or generous pinch of ground allspice
2 teaspoons dried oregano
1 teaspoons black pepper, or to taste
2 tablespoons brown sugar
2 tablespoons mild chili powder
2 tablespoons ground cumin
2 cans cooked kidney beans, rinsed and drained
1 cup uncooked brown rice
2 cups boiling water
(1 lb ground beef, browned)

In a large Dutch oven, heat the oil and sautee the zucchini, onions, garlic, green pepper and jalapeno pepper, until they are softened. Add the tomatoes (and puree), coriander, cloves, allspice, oregano, black pepper, brown sugar, chili powder, cumin, and beans. Bring the chili to a boil, reduce heat, cover the pan and simmer the chili for 30 minutes.

While the chili is cooking, in a medium saucepan add the rice to the boiling water, reduce the heat, cover tightly and simmer the rice for 15-35 minutes, according to package directions. Serve the chili over rice and garnish with items of your choice - such as grated cheddar cheese.

Obviously, skip the meat and/or cheese for vegetarian and/or vegan versions of this recipe!

I talked about this recipe HERE and HERE.

Easy Layered Beans and Rice

Source: posted by Kari on the Cooking Light Bulletin Board

1 cup long-grain white rice, uncooked (I used brown rice)
4 sun-dried tomato halves (not packed in oil), cut into small pieces (I skipped these)
1 can corn (8-oz) drained (I used frozen corn)
1 1/4 cups boiling vegetable broth (I used a whole can to add more liquid for the brown rice)
2 cups reduced-fat, meatless spaghetti sauce (I used my homemade marinara)
1 (1-lb) can pinto beans, rinsed and drained (or 2 cups of cooked beans)
1 cup (4 ounces) shredded reduced-fat mozzarella cheese (I use regular)
1 tablespoon grated Parmesan cheese

Preheat oven to 375º.

Lightly oil a deep 2-quart casserole or spray with a nonstick cooking spray. Spread rice in the casserole. Sprinkle with sun-dried tomatoes. Spread corn evenly over rice. Gently pour broth over corn. Spoon half of the spaghetti sauce evenly over the corn. Spoon beans over the sauce, followed by remaining sauce. Cover tightly and bake 45 minutes.
Uncover, sprinkle with both cheeses, and return to oven until cheese is melted and begins to brown, 5-10 minutes.

Serve-again hint: Here's everything you need for a bean and rice burrito, including the cheese. Just roll leftovers in flour tortillas, heat in an oven or microwave, then top with salsa.

Makes 4 servings.

Per serving: 413 cals, 6g fat (3 g sat), 19g pro, 71g carbs, 938mg sod, 11mg chol

My notes: A meal that's quick, easy and delicious. As someone on CL said, the sum is greater than the parts with this dish.

Other things that have worked well in this dish:

• Muir Glen Pizza Sauce in place of marinara
• smoked turkey sausage
• fontina cheese
• black beans

Butternut Squash Risotto

Source: Williams-Sonoma

This is my altered recipe:

2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1/8 teaspoon dried sage
6 cups vegetable stock
2 cups butternut squash puree* (mine turned out to be a little less)
2 tablespoons olive oil
2/3 cup caramelized onions*
2 cups Arborio rice
/4 teaspoon dried rosemary
3/4 teaspoon dried sage
1/2 cup dry white wine
1/2 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
Salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste

In a small saucepan over medium heat, melt 1 tablespoon of the butter. Add 1/8 teaspoon of dried sage and heat until the butter browns. Cover the bowl to keep the butter warm.

In a large saucepan over medium-high heat, whisk together the stock and squash puree. Bring just to a simmer, 8 to 10 minutes; maintain over low heat.

In a large saucepan or risotto pan (I used my Le Creuset French Oven) over medium heat, warm the olive oil. Add the onion and cook until softened and caramelized, about 45 minutes (see notes below). Add rice and stir until the grains are well coated with the oil and are nearly translucent with a white dot in the center, about 3 minutes. Stir in the remaining 3/4 teaspoon sage and the rosemary. Add the wine and stir until it is absorbed.

Add the simmering stock mixture a ladleful at a time, stirring frequently after each addition. Wait until the stock is almost completely absorbed before adding more. (I almost never use as much stock as they call for. After several ladles, I begin tasting and stop as soon as the rice is tender, but still quite firm. In this case, I froze the leftover stock - about 1.5 cups left - and squash puree for use in a soup recipe later on.)

When the rice is tender to the bite but slightly firm in the center and looks creamy, after about 30 minutes, stir in the remaining 1 tablespoon butter, the cheese, salt and pepper. Add more stock if needed so the rice is thick and creamy. Let stand for 2 minutes. Drizzle with the reserved sage butter and serve immediately. Serves 6.

Williams-Sonoma Kitchen.

*My Notes:

I halved my butternut squash, scooped out the seeds and roasted it, face down, on a foil-lined baking sheet at 350º for minutes. I scooped the flesh off the skin and pureed it in my food processor until smooth.

While the squash is roasting, you can caramelize the onions.

For the caramelized onions, I thinly sliced one large onion. I heated 1-2 tablespoons of olive oil in a French Oven on medium heat and added the onion, seasoned them with a bit of salt and pepper, then reduced the heat to low and covered the pot. I slowly cooked the onions for about 45 minutes, stirring occasionally. You may need to add more liquid to the pot as the onions cook down - I used white wine as needed.

I talked about this recipe HERE.

Parmesan Chicken and Rice

This is a simple, easy, one-dish meal - great for those busy nights during the week. I was afraid that it would be the kind of dish that looked good, but tasted bland. I was pleasantly surprised to find that it had quite a bit of flavor - a homey, comfort-food feel to it. Using a high-quality Parmesan Reggiano is important in a simple dish like this. I have included my notes at the end on how I changed the cooking method in this dish.

Source: Cooking Light, June 2004

Rice and broth are added to sautéed chicken, onion, garlic, and mushrooms for a simple entrée that requires only one pan.


1 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 cup chopped onion
1 teaspoon bottled minced garlic (I use fresh)
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
1 (8-ounce) package presliced mushrooms
3/4 pound skinless, boneless chicken breast, cut into bite-sized pieces (see notes below)
1/2 cup dry white wine
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 cup uncooked instant rice (see notes below)
1 cup fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth
1/2 cup grated fresh Parmesan cheese (2 ounces)
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley

Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onion, garlic, thyme, and mushrooms; sauté 5 minutes or until onion is tender. Add chicken; sauté 4 minutes or until the chicken is lightly browned. Add wine, salt, and pepper; cook 3 minutes or until liquid almost evaporates.

Stir in rice and broth. Bring to a boil; cover, reduce heat, and simmer 5 minutes or until liquid is absorbed. Stir in cheese and parsley. Yield: 4 servings (serving size: about 1 cup)

NUTRITION PER SERVINGCALORIES 395(18% from fat); FAT 8g (sat 2.8g,mono 3.7g,poly 0.8g); PROTEIN 29.9g; CHOLESTEROL 57mg; CALCIUM 171mg; SODIUM 656mg; FIBER 2g; IRON 4.1mg; CARBOHYDRATE 44.4g

Tamar Haspel Cooking Light, JUNE 2004

My notes: I don't like the way chicken breasts dry out when I make soups or one-dish meals like this one, so I always try to cook the chicken breasts separately. For this dish left the chicken breasts intact and cooked them for about 6 mintues on each side; removing them from the pan and then cutting into bite-sized pieces and setting aside.

After the chicken was done, I followed the directions for cooking the rice, only I used brown rice. Another advantage to cooking it this way is that by cooking the rice without the chicken in the pan, you are free to use grains, like brown rice, that take longer to cook without turning your chicken into a dry, tasteless hunk of meat.

Once your grains are finished cooking, just add the cheese, parsley and chicken and heat until warmed through. Still and easy, one-dish meal, but without the dried-out chicken.

Cinnamon-Spiced Rice

Source: Epicurious

1 medium onion, chopped
3 garlic cloves, chopped
3/4 teaspoon cumin seeds
1 (2 1/2- to 3-inch) cinnamon stick
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 1/2 cups long-grain white rice
2 1/4 cups reduced-sodium chicken broth
3/4 teaspoon sugar
3/4 teaspoon black pepper
1 teaspoon salt

Cook onion, garlic, cumin seeds, and cinnamon stick in oil in a 2- to 3-quart heavy saucepan over moderate heat, stirring, until onion is beginning to soften, about 3 minutes. Add rice and cook, stirring, until grains become slightly translucent, about 2 minutes.

Stir in broth, sugar, pepper, and salt and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer, covered, until rice is tender and liquid is absorbed, about 15 minutes. Remove from heat and let stand, covered, 10 minutes. Fluff rice with a fork and discard cinnamon stick if desired.

Makes 6 to 8 servings.
Gourmet
Quick Kitchen
October 2005

My notes: I cooked this in the rice cooker which worked quite well. The rice smells absolutely fabulous while cooking. It tastes fabulous as well, but I found the pepper to be too strong as it was actually spicy. Spicy rice is okay with some dishes, but rice is usually what you use to cut the spiciness of the main dish, so I'd definitely tame it for at least some dishes. This is definitely a repeater.

I talked about this recipe HERE.

Rarebit Risotto

Source: Moosewood Restaurant Simple Suppers

1 quart of vegetable broth
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 1/2 cups of Arborio rice
12 ounces of beer
3 cups chopped broccoli
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
4 cups loosely packed grated sharp cheddar cheese (about 10 ounces)
2 cups of chopped tomatoes, or halved cherry tomatoes
sprinkling of ground black pepper to taste

In a sauce pan, bring the broth to a boil and then reduce the heat to maintain a gentle simmer.

Meanwhile in a large, heavy saucepan on medium high heat warm the olive oil. Add the rice and stir until well coated with oil. Add the beer and stir until the rice has absorbed the liquid, a couple of minutes. Ladle in the simmering broth a cup at a time, stirring often. Let the rice absorb most of the broth before adding the next cup, usually about 5 minutes between additions.

While the risotto is cooking, steam the broccoli until bright green and just tender. Set aside.

When the last of the broth is absorbed, the kernels should be al dente and the risotto moist. (I almost never use the full amount of broth in any risotto recipe. I usually cut the liquid back by 1/3-1/2 and taste after each ladleful is absorbed. I stop adding liquid when the rice is done.)

Add the mustard and cheese to the risotto and stir until the cheese is melted. Stir in the broccoli and tomatoes, season with black pepper and serve.

I talked about this recipe HERE.

Risotto with Porcini Mushrooms and Mascarpone

Source: Cooking Light

1 1/2 cups boiling water
1/2 cup dried porcini mushrooms (about 1/2 ounce)
1 (14-ounce) can less-sodium beef broth (sub veg broth to make recipe vegetarian)
Cooking spray
1 cup uncooked Arborio rice or other short-grain rice (I ran out of Arborio and had to sub about 1/2 cup barley)
3/4 cup chopped shallots
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 cup dry white wine
1/4 cup (1 ounce) grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
1/4 cup (1 ounce) mascarpone cheese (I used between 1/4 and 1/2 cup)
1 tablespoon chopped fresh or 1 teaspoon dried thyme (I used fresh)
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Combine 1 1/2 cups boiling water and mushrooms; let stand 10 minutes or until soft. Drain through a colander over a bowl. Reserve 1 1/4 cups soaking liquid; chop mushrooms.

Bring reserved soaking liquid and broth to a simmer in a small saucepan (do not boil). Keep broth mixture warm over low heat.

Heat a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Coat pan with cooking spray. Add rice, shallots, and garlic to pan; sauté 5 minutes. Add wine; cook until liquid evaporates (about 2 minutes).

Add 1 cup broth mixture to rice mixture; cook over medium heat 5 minutes or until the liquid is nearly absorbed, stirring occasionally. Add remaining broth mixture, 1/2 cup at a time, stirring occasionally until each portion of broth mixture is absorbed before adding the next (about 25 minutes total). Add mushrooms, Parmigiano-Reggiano and mascarpone cheeses, thyme, salt, and pepper; stir gently just until cheeses melt. Serve warm.

Yield: 4 servings (serving size: 1 cup)

Nutritional Information: CALORIES 198 (28% from fat); FAT 6.1g (sat 3.2g,mono 1g,poly 0.3g); PROTEIN 8.9g; CHOLESTEROL 15mg; CALCIUM 113mg; SODIUM 449mg; FIBER 1.2g; IRON 1.9mg; CARBOHYDRATE 27g

Kathleen Kanen , Cooking Light, SEPTEMBER 2007

I talked about this recipe HERE.

Curried Red Lentils with Caramelized Onions

Source: A Year in a Vegetarian Kitchen, by Jack Bishop

Serves 4 as a main course

For the Curried Red Lentils:
2 tablespoons canola oil
4 medium garlic cloves, minced
1 tablespoon minced gingerroot
2 teaspoons curry powder
3 1/2 cups water
1 cup unsweetened coconut milk (I used one whole can and cut back on the water)
1 1/2 cups dried red lentils, rinsed and picked over to remove any stones
salt
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro leaves (I skipped)

For the Quick Caramelized Onions:
2 tablespoons unsalted butter (for a vegan version, use oil)
3 medium onions (about 1 pound), halved and thinly sliced
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon sugar

For the Rice Pilaf:
1 1/2 cup basmati rice (or long grain white rice)
2 tablespoons unsalted butter or canola oil (for a vegan version, use oil)
6 green cardamom pods, lightly crushed with the side of a chef's knife (or one cinammon stick)
2 1/4 cups water
1 teaspoon salt

(Note: I did the rice in the rice cooker. If you have a fuzzy logic cooker, you can set the rice cooker to "Quick Cook" and heat the butter or oil. Follow the directions for the cardamom pods and rice and when finished sauteeing, add the water and simply reset the cooker to the proper setting for whatever rice you are using.)

1. For the rice pilaf: Place the rice in a medium bowl and fill with cold water. Swish the rice around in the water with your fingers. Carefully drain off the water, keeping the rice in the bowl. Repeat the rinsing and draining steps until the water is no longer cloudy, 4 or 5 more times. Set the rice aside.

Heat the butter in a medium saucepan, preferably nonstick, over medium heat until foaming. If using, add the cardamom pods (or cinnamon stick) and cook until it (for cinnamon stick: begins to unfurl slightly and) is aromatic, about 30 seconds. Add the rice and cook, stirring constantly, until the rice smells toasted but has not colored, about 3 minutes. Add the water and salt and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to low, cover, and cook (without opening the lid), until all the liquid has been absorbed, about 15 minutes.

Remove the pot from the heat and set aside, covered, for 10 minutes to allow the rice to finish cooking. Fluff the rice with a fork and serve.

(Note: In order to get the onions really caramelized, I started the onions first, then moved on to the lentils.)

2. For the lentils: Heat the oil in a large saute pan over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add the garlic, ginger, and curry powder and cook, stirring often, until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add the water, coconut milk, lentils, and 1/2 teaspoon salt and bring to boil. Reduce the heat to low, cover, and simmer, stirring once or twice, until the lentils have fallen apart, about 20 minutes. Uncover, raise the heat, and simmer until the lentils thicken a bit (they should be loose but not liquidy), about 5 minutes. Stir in the cilantro and adjust the seasonings, adding salt to taste.

3. For the onions: Meanwhile, melt the butter in a medium skillet over medium-high heat. Once the foaming subsides, add the onions, salt, and sugar and cook, stirring occasionally, until the onions soften and begin to color slightly, about 5 minutes. Reduce the heat to medium and continue to cook, stirring occasionally, until the onions are very tender and nicely brown, about 15 minutes. (If the onions start to burn at any point, reduce the heat)

4. To serve: Spoon some rice pilaf into individual shallow soup or pasta bowls. Spoon some lentils over the rice, top with a tangle of caramelized onions, and serve.

I talked about this recipe HERE.

Mushroom Wheat Berry Pilaf

Source: Moosewood Restaurant Low-Fat Favorites

1/2 cup raw dark wheatberries, soaked overnight (I think mine were white or soft)
1 cup brown rice (2 1/2 cooked)
1 large onion, chopped (about 1 1/2 cups)
5 garlic cloves, minced or pressed
2 teaspoons olive oil
1 pound mushrooms, sliced (about 5 cups)
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1 teaspoon minced fresh rosemary (1/2 teaspoon dried)
3 teaspoons soy sauce
1/2 cup dry red wine

Using a colander or a large sieve, drain the soaked wheatberries. Return them to the saucepan with fresh water to cover. Bring to a boil, lower the heat and simmer for about an hour, until tender.

In a separate pot, add 2 cups of cool water to the rice, cover tightly, and bring to a boil on high heat. When steam escapes from below the lid, turn off heat and let stand for 5 minutes. Return to very low heat and simmer for about 35 minutes, or until all the water has been absorbed.

While the grains cook, saute the onions and garlic in the oil in a large, covered skillet on low heat for about 10 minutes, until golden. Stir occasionally to prevent sticking. Ad the mushrooms, thyme, rosemary, and soy sauce and cook for 5 minutes. Pour in the wine and continue to simmer until the wine evaporates. Set aside.

When the wheatberries are soft, drain any excess liquid and then add to the sauteed mushrooms. Stir in the cooked rice, mix thoroughly and serve immediately.

I talked about this recipe HERE.

Tomato and Sausage Risotto

Source: Martha Stewart's Everyday Food

1 can (28 ounces) diced tomatoes in juice
1 tablespoon olive oil
3/4 pound sweet or hot Italian sausage, casings removed (I used turkey sausage - both hot and sweet)
1 small onion, finely chopped
Coarse salt and ground pepper
1 cup Arborio rice
1/2 cup dry white wine
1 bunch flat-leaf spinach (10 to 14 ounces), washed well, tough stems removed, chopped (about 7 cups)
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese, plus more for serving (optional)
2 tablespoons butter

1. In a small saucepan, combine tomatoes (with their juice) and 3 cups water. Bring just to a simmer; keep warm over low heat.

2. In a medium saucepan, heat oil over medium. Add sausage and onion; season with salt and pepper. Cook, breaking up sausage with a spoon, until sausage is opaque and onion has softened, 3 to 5 minutes.

3. Add rice; cook, stirring until well coated, 1 to 2 minutes. Add wine; cook, stirring until absorbed, about 1 minute.

4. Add about 2 cups hot tomato mixture to rice; simmer over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally, until absorbed, 4 to 5 minutes. Continue adding tomato mixture, 1 cup at a time, waiting for one cup to be absorbed before adding the next, stirring occasionally, until rice is creamy and just tender, about 25 minutes total (you may not have to use all the liquid).

5. Remove pan from heat. Stir in spinach, Parmesan, and butter; season with salt and pepper. Serve immediately (risotto will thicken as it cools), and sprinkle with additional Parmesan, if desired.

Per serving: 411 cal; 19.4 g fat (8.6 g sat fat); 23 g protein; 33.5 g carb; 2.1 g fiber

I talked about this recipe HERE.