August 2, 2013

The Perfect Pesto Rice

When plain white rice just doesn't cut it..


So while I enjoyed my Foil Baked Summer Tilapia from the previous post with a spinach and arugula salad, I knew my sister would prefer something a little bit more hearty to pair with the fish. Nothing is of course heartier and more comforting than a nice bowl of rice after a hard day at work. But to jazz things up, I opted to make her Pesto Rice with takes only minutes to make.

The Perfect Pesto Rice

INGREDIENTS:
1 cup plain white rice, uncooked

2 cloves garlic, minced

2 tbsp Olive Oil

2 tbsp Pesto

1 cup water or chicken stock
Salt and Pepper to taste


PROCEDURE: 

- in a small pot, sautee the garlic in olive oil






-once garlic has crisp and infused enough flavor into the oil, mix in the uncooked rice

make sure to coat each piece of rice with the garlic oil






-add in the pesto






-once the pesto is thoroughly incorporate, add in the water of chicken stock






-bring the mixture to a boil.






-once boiling, cover the pot and turn the fire to low and let the rice simmer and cook, about 10-15 minutes






 -You'll end up with perfectly cooked, fluffy pesto rice

Season with salt and pepper. You can also add a little bit of grated Parmesan for more flavor.




I know some might be thinking that I could have always just stirred in pesto into cooked rice. However, I find that this way of cooking rice which is like a shortcut risotto, actually gives the rice a more even flavor while keeping the grains intact and maintaining a light, fluffy consistency.


Make sure to have a good dinner!

Miks