With Peas and Sun-dried Tomatoes
Spring is finally here. I think this must be the tenth time I’m writing this phrase. Today I saw the trees on our street, budding. It was so exciting. Soon, green leaves will start sprouting and my so-called “brisk one hour walk” will be taking two hours because I shall be walking and admiring plants and flowers, and taking photographs. I shall be meandering and stopping and forgetting the reason why I take a walk.
I hope you all had a wonderful and ‘orange week’. Orange is the color of enthusiasm, fascination, and happiness. An orange week means it was full of happiness and great things. But in the real world, a week never passes without some bad news. This week, for example, there were two explosions in the US: the Boston Marathon Explosion and the Texas Fertilizer Plant Explosion. To the families and friends of the victims, I offer my sincere heartfelt condolences and to those who were wounded, and are undergoing treatment, I wish you a speedy recovery. To those who were affected in any way, our thoughts and prayers are with you.
Today I want to share a rice recipe. When it comes to rice, I usually follow the philosophy of ‘The Mouse’, from live2EatEat2Live Blog. I rarely cook the same rice twice and I’m always experimenting with all kinds of ingredients. My rice days are fun because I know I can add anything I want and the end result is never disappointing. This week I decided to start documenting my ‘Rice-ventures’. If you love rice then you should watch out for this space and join me.
Today, we start with Spicy chorizo Rice. You can substitute the Chorizo for any other favourite sausage or meat. I leave it to your imagination, or you can eliminate it altogether and make a vegetarian rice. Most times, my rice is vegetarian..
- Ingredients
- 45g butter (1½oz) or 2-3 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 large onion, halved and thinly sliced
- 2-3 cloves garlic, crushed
- 300g (10½ oz) chorizo sausage, thinly sliced (I added only 200g whilst cooking, suit yourself)
- 400g (2 cups, 14oz) basmati rice
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper (optional)
- 1 cup frozen peas
- 80g (½ cup,3oz) sun-dried tomatoes in oil, drained and cut into pieces
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste, mixed with 2 tablespoons water
- 700ml (2¾ cups) water or chicken stock
- 4 spring onions, thinly sliced
- Salt and pepper
- Shaved Parmesan cheese, to serve
Please, always remember to assemble all ingredients before you start cooking.
Start by soaking the rice for 30 minutes, in cold water.
Drain thoroughly.
Melt butter or add olive oil to a large pan over medium heat.
Add onions and garlic.
Cook stirring, until onions are lightly browned.
Add chorizo and cook stirring for 2 minutes.
Stir in rice, bay leaf, paprika and cayenne (if using).
Stir and fry 3 minutes, until rice is fairly dry.
Add frozen peas, sun-dried tomatoes, and tomato paste.
Stir and fry for 3 minutes until thoroughly mixed.
Add stock, season with salt and pepper and bring to the boil.
Cover pan, reduce heat, and simmer for 12 minutes for basmati rice and 15 minutes for long grain rice (if using). PLEASE DO NOT LIFT THE LID. Remove from heat, set aside for a further 12 minutes. PLEASE DO NOT LIFT THE LID.
After 12 minutes, remove the lid, add spring onions and fluff the rice.
Serve, if you like top with shaved parmesan
I love steamed broccoli, so I served mine with broccoli. You can serve it with any other vegetable or just eat it as is.
I enjoyed eating every grain of rice on my plate. It was really nice…
I hope you enjoyed cooking and eating this rice. Please give me a feedback.
Spicy Chorizo Rice with Peas and Sun-dried Tomatoes
Preparation time: 30 minutes; Cooking time: 30 minutes; Serves: 6-8 sides
Ingredients
- 45g butter (1½oz) or 2-3 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 large onion, halved and thinly sliced
- 2-3 cloves garlic, crushed
- 300g (10½ oz) chorizo sausage, thinly sliced ( I added only 200g whilst cooking, suit yourself)
- 400g (2 cups, 14oz) basmati rice
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper (optional)
- 1 cup frozen peas
- 80g (½ cup,3oz) sun-dried tomatoes in oil, drained and cut into pieces
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste, mixed with 2 tablespoons water
- 700ml (2¾ cups) water or chicken stock
- 4 spring onions, thinly sliced
- Salt and pepper
- Shaved Parmesan cheese, to serve
Instructions
- Soak rice for 30 minutes in cold water, drain thoroughly.
- Melt butter or add olive oil to a large pan over medium heat. Add onions and garlic and cook stirring until onions are lightly browned.
- Add the chorizo and cook, stirring, for 2 minutes until onions are coated with chorizo. Increase heat, stir in rice, bay leaf, paprika, and cayenne (if using), stir and fry for 3 minutes, until rice is fairly dry.
- Add frozen peas, sundried tomatoes and tomato paste. Stir and fry for 3 minutes, until thoroughly mixed.
- Add stock, season with salt and pepper bring to the boil, cover the pan and simmer 12-15 minutes, without lifting the lid.
- Remove the pan form heat, and leave undisturbed for a further 10-15 minutes. (do not lift the lid)
- Remove lid, add spring onions and fluff the rice. Serve topped with shaved Parmesan, if you like.
Points to note:
- The water will drastically reduce in the first six minutes. Just lower the heat and make sure it doesn’t burn at the bottom- Do not lift the lid.
- If you prefer less oil, reduce it.
- Long Grain Rice: will require 750ml (3 cups) of water and slightly longer time (15-18 mins simmering and 15 minutes aside).
myfavouritepastime.com
My Favourite Pastime 
Wow lovely. Cooked it again today
Hi Sheila,
What a lovely surprise. Did you enjoy eating it? Please give me a feedback and thanks for visiting after such a long time. Have a wonderful week!!!
Yummy!! You used Basque chorizo with this recipe Liz? If you are able try the Mexican chorizo..it’ so good. Here is a link to a soup I use it in: Spicy Chorizo and Bean Soup: https://www.dropbox.com/s/ihsaf5pjjd4qd1g/Spicy%20Chorizo%20and%20Bean%20Soup.docx .
Randall
http://www.savorthefood.com
I can’t remember the chorizo I used. Thanks for the link. Hope to see you again soon!
Stamp of approval: very meaty, very filling and best for carnivores. Thanks for popping by. Wish you a wonderful week!
Will try out this for lunch tomorrow. Ive taken your advise and printed out the recipe in-order to assemble ingredients before starting to cook.
Haha you are teasing me like my Irish friend Katie, she always reminds me how I tell everybody to to assemble all ingredients. I’m so happy that you are cooking with me. It gives me more motivation and energy to continue posting. I shall post more rice recipes, specially for you. Thanks and take care!!! And remember you can always substitute ingredients to suit your palate and mood!
Looks great, Liz….. a lovely idea! Would you ever consider using the raw cooking chorizo, you could pan fry slices first and then add?
Hi nice to hear from you after such a long spell of silence, what’s cooking at Alfredo’s? As I mentioned in the post, you can add anything to rice, even the raw cooking chorizo and of course pan fry the slices or beef, veal, lamb..that’s the beauty of rice. It goes with everything!!!
‘Back to workitis’ has slowed me down a little! Just finding time to keep up my blog – but enjoying it very much. Poached chicken for supper today – with lemon grass and lots of other herbs etc. Also bought a fantastic piece of belly pork from the farm where I buy my meat – that will be tomorrow’s supper! Enjoy the rest of your day, Liz! Cheers!
Cheers mate! it reminds me of the good old days when I was a student in UK. I met lots of nice people there, and had a lot of Pub lunches. My favourite was ‘steak and kidney pie’ just loved it. You have a way with words, you make even the simplest meal sound so exciting. Enjoy your poached chicken with Lemon Grass (I love lemon grass tea) and pork belly, I adore pork, some people don’t like it but for me pork is always the best. Cheers again, mate!
Keep in touch!!
I have to keep in touch, that’s the whole purpose of blogging. To link up people with the same interests and keep the conversation and learning and exchange going. Have a pleasant week.
Oh this looks and sounds really amazing! I’m getting hungry looking at it!
I really enjoyed eating, every grain of rice. Your current bento is so nice. Thanks for stopping by. I was wondering where you were. Have a pleasant weekend!
This looks like it tastes amazing – similar to paella, which I just adore. I could seriously eat rice every day.
It tastes amazing especially for rice lovers like me and you. Thanks for stopping by, I saw some really nice recipes on your blog, I intend to try them. have a pleasant weekend!
Sounds scrumptious!
Ii tasted really good. I ate every grain of rice on my plate…give it a try with your favourite meat of veggies!!!
Looks great! Now this’ in my list of Must Try Dish… Thank you for great recipe 🙂
If you do try please some feedback and also how was the wedding? did it go well? Hope your friend had a great wedding. Have a great weekend.
As usual, the photos are phenomenal! And I find I so look forward to, ‘Please, always remember to assemble all ingredients before you start cooking.’ It is comforting for me to see that … is that weird of me? lol.
And while I am not quite the meat lover … I can see making this and substituting chorizo for shrimp like your other blog commenter mentioned nod nods.
I look forward to the rice-ventures *smiles*
Finally, you are here, I wondered what happened to you this week. As I said, when I cook rice I never follow any particular recipe, I just add different things each time and the results are always phenomenal so give it a go with shrimp, I’m sure it will taste awesome. I also look forward to the rice ventures. thanks for being here and do have a wonderful weekend!!! and thanks for reading my posts, I really appreciate!
We might have that this weekend….I bit more kid friendly and with shrimp too! Looks great!
I think it will really taste nice with shrimps too. Been to your blog, sorry about the fall. Wish you a wonderful weekend!!
Yum! Same method works with other whole grains. We particularly like bulgur and quinoa.
I love quinoa too, but I love rice best. Thanks for stopping by and for liking my post. I really appreciate you taking your time. Have a great weekend!!