Here’s to Toasting the Rice
By Julie Cader
During the cold winter months, there’s nothing better than a creamy, sumptuous rice dish that warms the heart and tummy. In this recipe, cooking rice in hot olive oil before slowly adding the broth helps the brown rice absorb the liquids without becoming soggy. This is called “Toasting the Rice”. It’s all about the heat in this medley.
Creamy Pumpkin Rice Medley
Ingredients:
3 tablespoons Extra-Virgin Olive Oil
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 large yellow onion, chopped
1 pound hot Italian sausage links, sliced thin
4.5 ounce bag of Dried Chili Mango Slices, chopped
2 cups short-grain brown rice
1⁄4 teaspoon chili powder
1⁄4 teaspoon ground black pepper
3 bay leaves
2 cups canned Libby’s Pumpkin Pie Mix
6 cups chicken broth, heated
1⁄4 cup salted pepitas
In a large heavy pot, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add onion, garlic and sausage and cook until onions are translucent and sausage is cooked through, about 10 minutes. Transfer mixture to separate bowl and set aside, leaving remaining oil in the pot. Into the pot, add brown rice and stir, coating rice with oils. Toast rice over medium heat for about 5 minutes. Add back onions, garlic and sausage. Stir in chili mango pieces.
In a separate saucepan, mix broth, pumpkin pie mix, chili powder, pepper and bay leaves, and bring to a slow boil. Slowly stir broth mixture back into pot, 1⁄2 cup at a time, and bring rice to a boil. Reduce heat to medium low, cover and cook until liquid is absorbed and rice is cooked through, about 45 minutes. Remember to stir rice to keep it from sticking to the bottom of the pot.
Transfer rice to a serving dish, discard bay leaves, sprinkle with pepitas, and serve immediately on preheated plates or warm shallow bowls.
Julie is Finance & Administration Manager for the California Rice Commission, and a big proponent of trying new recipes- especially if they feature California rice.
