Mexican Slaw

I'm excited to share this utterly simple, utterly healthy, utterly delish side dish recipe with you from Rick Bayless's Authentic Mexican cookbook.  This goes perfectly with oven-baked burritos, but I know you'll find many other perfect combinations for it, too. 

Ingredients:

1/2 small head cabbage (about 10 ounces)

2 thin slices of onion, broken into rings

3 T. cider vinegar

2 T. canola oil

1/2 t. salt

Method:

Core the cabbage and slice it very thinly.  Place it in a bowl with the onion.

Mix the vinegar, oil, and salt, then toss with the cabbage and onions.

Voila!  Refrigerate until ready to use.

Serves 4 - 6.

Mexican Rice

Here's a tasty Mexican rice dish from Rick Bayless's seminal cookbook Authentic Mexican, which I bought because I loved Mr. Bayless's PBS series "Mexico:  One Plate At A Time".

This recipe is easy enough for Scott to make.  I know, because he's the one who made it!  Of course, we made a slight modification (which we usually do) to suit my vegetarian diet and our busy lives.

Enjoy! 

 

Ingredients:

1.5 T. canola oil

1 c. long- or medium-grain rice (We use whatever we have at the time.  The dish in the photo was made with basmati rice.)

1 small onion, finely chopped

1 large clove garlic, peeled and minced

1 ripe, medium-small tomato

1.5 c. vegetable broth

salt (about 1/2 t. if using salted broth or 1 t. if using unsalted broth)

1.5 c. frozen mixed vegetables, thawed (We used one with peas, carrots, corn, and green beans.)

Method:

About 40 minutes before serving, heat the oil in a 2-quart saucepan over medium heat.  Add the rice and onion, and cook, stirring regularly, until both are lightly browned (7 - 10 minutes).  Mix in the garlic and cook another minute longer.

While the rice is frying, puree the tomato in a blender or food processor.  Also, pour the broth into a small pan, add the salt, and bring just to a simmer.

Add the pureed tomato to the browned rice and cook for a minute, stirring several times.  Add the simmering broth, stir the rice, and scrape down the sides of the pot.  Cover and reduce the heat to medium low.  Cook 15 minutes, then turn off the heat and let the rice stand, covered, 5 - 10 minutes until the grains are tender but not splayed.

While the rice is cooking, warm the mixed vegetables with a small amount of water in a separate small pan.

When the rice is ready, fluff the grains with a fork.  Drain the vegetables, and stir into the rice.  Serve warm.

Serves 4.

Lemony Orzo with Vegetables

Here's yet another Food Network magazine recipe for a quick, light weeknight dinner.  As you can tell, I've found lots of vegetarian inspiration from that magazine lately!

This recipe originally called for the addition of a can of tuna at the end, which Scott added to his portions only (and enjoyed), but it is perfectly tasty without it.

Ingredients:

2 T. extra-virgin olive oil

1 clove garlic, thinly sliced

4 scallions, thinly sliced

1 14-oz. can petite-diced tomatoes

1/4 t. dried oregano (or 1 t. fresh)

1.5 c. orzo (This is a rice-shaped pasta.)

salt and freshly-ground pepper

1 14-oz. can cannellini beans (or other white beans...I used Great Northern.)

1 small bell pepper, chopped (The recipe calls for sliced, which you'll see in the photo, but you end up cutting these to eat them anyway.)

juice of 1 lemon

2 T. chopped fresh parsley

Method: 

Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium high heat.  Add the garlic and half of the scallions.  Cook, stirring, 1 minute.  Add the tomatoes and oregano.  Cook, stirring, 3 minutes.  Stir in 2.5 c. water, the orzo, 1/2 t. salt, and pepper to taste.  Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to medium-low and stir in the beans.  Cover and simmer until  most of the liquid is absorbed and the orzo is tender, about 10 minutes.

Add the bell pepper and continue cooking, covered, until tender, about 3 minutes.  Stir in the lemon juice and parsley.  Season with salt and pepper.  Top with the remaining scallions.

Serves 4.