I grew up eating rice fairly often. My parents were missionaries in the Philippines, where rice is served with every meal, even if the meal is spaghetti. I still love rice, but my family doesn’t agree! This is a recipe I created in an attempt to convince my most finicky eater that brown rice is yummy. I based the recipe on one I remember reading in a Bon Appetit magazine many years ago.
I usually serve this with pan-seared chicken. While my chicken is resting, I make the sauce in the same saute pan I used to cook the chicken. That way, I can scrape up all the leftover bits of chicken when I cook the shallots, making for an even more flavorful sauce.
Ingredients:
4 c. soaked and cooked brown rice
¼ c. shallots, minced (about 2 med)
1 T. olive oil
1 sprig fresh rosemary
1 t. freshly ground pepper
3 c. chicken broth
1/8 c. white wine
½ t. sea salt
1 T. lemon juice
Zest from one lemon
2 T. fresh chopped parsley
1 c. pistachios, shelled and coarsely chopped
Directions:
In a heavy-bottomed sauté pan, cook the shallots in the olive oil. Add the rosemary sprig and pepper. Cook until the shallots are translucent and beginning to brown, being careful not to burn them. Add the stock, scraping up the browned bits with a spatula. Bring to a boil. Turn the broth down to medium and allow to reduce by half. Add the lemon juice, wine, and salt, seasoning more if necessary. Simmer for 3 minutes longer. Remove from heat. Stir in the parsley. Allow to cool slightly. Meanwhile, grate the lemon zest over the rice. Add the chopped pistachios. Pour sauce over the rice and mix gently until all ingredients are incorporated. Season with salt and pepper if necessary. Serve.
*Beef broth may be substituted for chicken broth if you’re serving it as a side dish to red meat. In this case, I often substitute grated orange peel for the lemon zest but keep all the other ingredients the same.