My name is Paz and I’m a riceaholic. Yup, I love rice. It’s a staple in my home and I have to eat it at least once a week.

In All God’s Children Need Traveling Shoes by Maya Angelou, the author writes about her stay in Ghana, West Africa. I don’t remember why, but for some reason, the cafeteria at the YMCA, where Dr. Angelou ate, did not serve rice. The non-rice menu continued for several days, till one of the other boarders, a dignified-looking woman from Sierra Leone almost went crazy from lack of eating rice.

The next time the cafeteria served lunch and there was no rice in the plate, the woman’s entire demeanor changed. “I want some ri’,” she insisted.

“I want some ri!” She got bolder and crazier.

In order to calm her down the staff had to run out and buy rice, cook it, and serve her on the spot. She wasn’t the same until she got her rice.

Haha, I could relate! I want my rice!

Now that I’m learning to cook, instead of the plain white rice, which I’d normally eat (and the occasional brown rice when my health conscience kicks in), I’m learning to cook different types of rice. My rice repertoire includes Jollof rice, which I used to eat as a child in Africa. I’ve mentioned that my Auntie Toshie made the best Jollof rice (she made the best everything, actually). I’ve made Basmati and Nut Pilaf (I really love this one), Forbidden Rice, Yellow Rice with Corn (Arroz Amarillo con Maiz – I really like this one, too!), Garlicky Rice, Rice and Beans (Moros y Cristianos) Rice Water, and Paella.

When I first made rice it was touch and go because I’d either add too much water or not enough. Uggh! I’m happy to say that things are looking up. My rice turn out pretty good.

I came across an interesting-sounding rice prepared by celebrity chef Daisy Martinez called Rice with Pigeon Peas. It was definitely something I wanted to try.

My cooking adventure wasn’t bad. There were a few things I had to prepare first before making the rice. I had to make achiote oil, which gives the color to the rice. It’s not hard to do – fry achiote seeds in oil and be careful not to leave it in the oil too long otherwise it will turn green and bitter. Second, I made sofrito, which flavors the rice. Oh, how I love to prepare that. I love the smells of the fresh herbs, especially the cilantro. I love the smell and taste of cilantro, which makes me start doing my happy dance in the kitchen when its fragrance is released into the air. Yes! You can buy ready made sofrito from the store but I prefer the homemade one, which is so much fresher and tastier.

The recipe calls for using smoked pork neck bones, smoked turkey wings or smoked ham. With the exception of the occasional bacon and eggs or bacon, lettuce and tomato sandwich, I don’t normally eat ham but I was curious about the taste of the smoked pork neck bones and decided to use that in my rice. Ummm… I didn’t like it.

Next time I make this rice, I’ll use the turkey wings instead. I liked the pigeon peas, the alcaparrado and everything else in the rice.

The recipe also mentions banana or plantain leaves but I didn’t use them because I couldn’t find them at my local grocery store.

So now you know I love rice. I’m curious: What foods do you need to eat? What foods will drive you crazy if you couldn’t eat it after a couple of days?

Rice with Pigeon Peas (Arroz con Gandules)
Daisy Cooks

Makes 10 to 15 servings, as part of a larger meal

1/2 cup Achiote Oil
1 cup Sofrito
3 tablespoons alcaparrado or coarsely chopped pimiento-stuffed olives
3 tablespoons fine sea or kosher salt
1 tablespoon cracked black pepper
2 teaspoons ground cumin
1-1/2 pounds smoked pork neck bones or smoked turkey wings or one smoked hamhock
One 13-ounce bag frozen pigeon peas OR one 15-ounce can pigeon peas, drained
6 cups long grain rice
Beef Broth, homemade or store-bought and/or water as needed (about 8 cups)
1 banana leaf*, optional

*Note: Banana leaves and/or plantain leaves, are large, pliable, dark green leaves that are used quite a bit in Latin American cooking. Here they lend the rice a subtle flavor. They are available, usually frozen in 1-pound packages, in Latin markets and some specialty stores.

Heat the achiote oil in a heavy 5-quart pot or Dutch oven over high heat until rippling. Stir in the sofrito, alcaparrada or olives, salt, pepper and cumin. Cook until the sofrito stops boiling and starts to sizzle, about 5 minutes.

Add the pork bones and stir until they’re coated with oil, then stir in the rice until everything is mixed together and the rice is coated with oil.

Stir in the pigeon peas and enough broth and/or water to cover the rice by the width of two fingers. Top with the banana leaf, folding it up as necessary to fit over the rice. Bring to a boil and boil without stirring until the level of liquid meets the rice. Take the banana leaf off, give the rice a big, healthy stir and put the leaf back on top. Reduce the heat to low, cover the pot, and cook until the water is absorbed and the rice is tender, about 20 minutes.

Remove the banana leaf, give the rice a big stir and fluff it with a fork. Serve hot.

Sofrito
You can find my first homemade sofrito here.
I make it a lot now. It’s very easy!

The other day, I found an interesting-looking recipe – Beef Ribs and Lentil Soup – in Tiempo New York, a local newspaper. What actually caught my eye was the fact that one of the ingredients included plantains – green plantains to be exact. Well, regular readers know how I feel about plantains. I love them. I immediately tore out the recipe and planned to make it for dinner that evening.

I managed to buy all the ingredients; except for the one I craved the most – the plantains. By now, I’ve learned that in all adventures, especially cooking ones, not everything goes as planned and one has to make due with what one has. Too tired to go to the store that sold the plantains, I had no choice but to cook without them.

Still, my Beef Ribs and Lentil Soup turned out well. The beef ribs added a succulent taste to the soup. The potatoes, lentils, celery, carrots were light yet filling. Instead of two small potatoes as the recipe dictates, a friend suggested using the baby potatoes, which is what I used. I liked that much better. The same idea applied to the carrot called for in the recipe. Instead of one whole carrot, I used a handful of baby carrots. I liked their perfect bite-size and the fact that I didn’t have to bother peeling or chopping anything.

So two things were missing from the soup: Plantain and cilantro, an herb I also love. I had the cilantro but by the time the food was cooked I was very hungry and forgot to add it to the soup. Luckily, I was able to spare a few minutes to take a photo before eating.

Plantain, how do I love thee? Let me count the ways… I plan on making this Beef Rib and Lentil soup again very soon. Next time I’ll make sure it contains the plantain and cilantro. I believe those missing ingredients will enhance the soup flavor even more.

In the meantime, after the ingredients had the chance to meld together even longer, I found that my leftover soup tasted even better the next day. Mmm… Mmm good! Very good!

Paz

Ed. Note: I’ve made this recipe again, several times. Those times, I included the plantain (and cilantro), which you can see in newer photos below.

Dish made again in February, this time with plantains and garnished with cilantro (yum!)

Beef Ribs and Lentil Soup
Adapted from Tiempo New York by Viviana Palacios
Dining – page 12 (January 11–24, 2007)

Ingredients
1 tablespoon of butter
1 tablespoon of chopped garlic
½ pound of beef ribs
1 chopped onion
1 chopped carrot*
1 chopped celery strip
2 diced potatoes (small)*
½ diced green plantain
½ cup of lentil
5 cups of water
Salt, pepper and ground cumin
2 tablespoon of chopped cilantro

Preparation
Before chopping your ingredients, set the lentils aide in a bowl of water for at least 20 minutes or more. Preheat a soup pan; add the butter, onions, celery, garlic and beef ribs, salt, pepper and pinch of ground cumin. You brown the ribs for about 5 minute then add the drained lentil, potatoes, plantain, carrots and water. Check for salt and pepper taste and let boil for about 30 minutes, or to the desired thickness. Lastly you sprinkle some fresh cilantro on top and you are ready to serve. I like to add a squeeze of lime for enhanced flavor – try it!

*Paz Note: I used a handful of baby potatoes and baby carrots, instead.

It’s De-Lurking Month!
That means that if you regularly or occasionally read this blog but never leave a comment, here’s your chance to do so. And if you normally comment, please feel free to continue to do so. It’s no fun without you here!

Beef Ribs and Lentils prepared again with plantains (and garnished with cilantro)

There are several musical trees in my neighborhood. Whenever I pass by, I hear cheerful harmonies coming from them. Sometimes it sounds like a jam session. Other times, a well orchestrated set. During the summer and spring season, the trees are normally full of lush green leaves so that I’m never able to see its musicians.

However, since we’re now in the winter season, all the leaves have fallen. As I passed by in the early morning, I heard the familiar sounds and for the first time, I saw the ensemble on a naked tree. About ten musicians sat, perched on different branches, like musical notes on sheet music.

Just as I stopped to take a picture, the musicians seemed camera shy and flew away – all except for two that remained, watching me closely. Then one of the two decided it had enough of the stranger with the camera. It flew away… and then there was one.

Have a good week, everyone.

New York greetings,
Paz

It’s De-lurking Month!
That means if you regularly or occasionally read this blog but never leave a comment, here’s your chance to do so. And if you normally comment, please feel free to continue to do so. It’s no fun without you here!

The Best Vegetable Soup I’ve Ever Tasted (That’s the name of the soup!)

Edna Staebler’s cookbook, Food That Really Schmecks, has been republished. In honor of this occasion, food bloggers are participating in an event called A Day That Really Schmecks. The bloggers will prepare a recipe or two from the book and blog about it. Jasmine of will post a line up of the blogged about recipes on Confessions of a Cardamom Addict on January 15, 2007.

Staebler was an award winning journalist and author. She recently passed away in 2006 at the age of 100. I’m certainly glad that it’s never too late to learn about her and her work.

From the title to its content of Mennonite Country Cooking recipes, I found Food That Really Schmecks appealing. As I read the book on the subway and at work, people who spotted the title made comments. The title alone was a conversation starter. I’m not sure what “schmecks” literally means, but I get the gist that it means something along the lines of “good, great, awesome…” that sort of thing. Anyone out there, please feel free to enlighten me.

I liked how the book is filled with recipes for seemingly everything – from Grape Wine to Milk Toast, sauces for vegetables, pickled eggs, cheese bread, porridge bread, Almond Macaroons, to Angel cake, Sponge cake and more. There are even recipes for candy! I also like that a measurement conversion table is located in the back. And if that’s not enough, there’s also a section entitled ‘A Variety of Things,’ where you can find recipes for sausages, cheese, and home remedies.

Interspersed throughout the book are Staebler’s stories about cooking Mennonites and her family, which I found entertaining. The book really packs a punch and has a lot to offer.

I decided to make the recipe entitled, ‘The Best Vegetable Soup I’ve Ever Tasted’ (another title I like). The ingredients are simple and the recipe uncomplicated.

I’m wondering, though, if there’s a typo in this recipe. ½ cup raw rice is mentioned twice. In any event, I only used the ½ cup rice measurement once and it worked out fine. The soup was light, yet filling.

Best of all, I like how Staebler encourages the reader not to take the recipes seriously but instead have fun with them. “Experiment, improvise, be a little reckless,” she writes. I did have fun and added a little Cajun Spice, which my friend had sent me, to make the soup spicier. Loved it!

There are many recipes, from which to pick. The soup I prepared was a good start and I plan on trying out more of the recipes.

Look, mom! I’m making Mennonite Country food! That really schmecks!

Don’t forget to check out Confessions of a Cardamom Addict, January 15, to see a round up of all the prepared meals that schmeck. Thanks, Jasmine for putting this together.

Paz

Ed. Note: According to Jasmine, “Schmecks” means “tasty” or “tastes very good.” Also it seems that the double posting of the rice ingredient is indeed a typo. The rice ingredient only appears once in the first cookbook printing. So that that means there should only be one listing of 1/2 cup raw rice in the new cookbook version, as well.

The Best Vegetable Soup I’ve Ever Tasted
Food That Really Schmecks – Edna Staebler

It’s Delurking Week!

Have a good week, everyone!

Paz