How to make perfect Brown Rice

This recipe has been conceived and perfected by the mind and hands of none other than renowned chef, author and food critic Muhlio Muhlev.

It is a straightforward and reliable way to cook brown rice at home, without a rice cooker, using a pot, tin (aluminum) foil, and your ability to follow simple instructions. The water to rice ratio has been optimized for absolute perfection. This recipe represents the preferred method of cooking brown rice in the rarefied strata of the culinary elite.


Before you start, determine how much brown rice you want. A cup of uncooked (raw) brown rice contains around 650-700 calories. If you are cooking dinner, it would not be unreasonable to have about 1/2 to 3/4 cups of raw rice per person.  Adjust as needed if you are pigging out,  dieting, or want to have rice left over.

The whole process will take slightly less than an hour.

Things you need:

• a boiling pot.
• aluminum foil
• brown rice
• olive oil
• salt

Steps:

1. Add olive oil to  pot (1-2 tablespoons per cup of rice, or whatever you want.)
2. Add raw rice to the pot once the oil is hot.
3. Add salt (1/2 teaspoon per cup)
4. Stir the rice over the hot olive oil, so that it doesn't burn, but gets cooked slightly for 1-2 minutes.
5. Add 1.5 cups of water per cup of brown rice.
6. Once the water is boiling (this should happen very quickly since the rice and oil are hot),  reduce the stove top heat to low/medium. (settings 4 out of 9)
7. Cover the boiling pot with a square piece of aluminum foil (big enough to cover it completely and stick out) , and place the pot lid on top of the foil.
8. Wait 45 minutes.  There is no need to disturb the rice while it is cooking.
9. Remove the lid and foil, and leave uncovered, so that the moisture/vapor can escape completely.
10. Fluff with a fork.

That's it. If you wish, you can skip the olive oil, but you would sacrifice a lot of flavor in a misunderstood quest to reduce calories.

If you found this recipe useful,  use the comments area to pass your praise and adulation to Muhlio.

ETL: Easy Breezy Tortilla Soup

If you feel under the weather with stuffy nose and scratchy throat like me the only thing you'd need to get better is a hot and spicy soup. I hesitated between a Pho take-out from a near by vegan restaurant and a home made tortilla soup. The tortilla soup won. It took me 15 minutes to cook it and the result was superb. I used a Vitamix blender to cook, but I am sure it can be done with any blender, using some additional prep work and small adjustments.

This is what you need:

• 2 cups vegetable broth, hot
• 1 large Roma tomato or two small, halved
• 3 small carrots
• 1/2 stalk celery
• 1 thin slice red onion
• 1 garlic clove, peeled
• 1/2 yellow bell pepper
• 1/2 jalapeno pepper
• 1/2 cup frozen corn
• 1 can beens, rinsed. It's best to use home cooked, but since I did not plan to cook this soup, I used a can of black beens.
• 1 tsp tortilla soup or taco seasoning. With the taco seasoning you may need to add a dash of cumin and black pepper.
• 1/4 of avocado

Process:
Boil two cups of hot water to speed up the process.

Place the tomatoes, carrots, peppers, onions, garlic, and celery in the blander.

Pour the hot broth and blend quickly to Variable 10 and then High for 3-4 minutes if you are using Vitamix.

When the mix is steaming, add the avocado, beans, frozen corn, the cilantro and spices. Blend to 10-20 sec on very low speed (2 for Vitamix). The goal is to keep the beans and corn almost intact for texture.

Optionally you can add cooked chicken breast, pitted olives and serve with tortilla chips.
Delicious! :)

ETL: Bulgarian style vegan dolmas ( sarmi )

This is a vegan version of one of the most popular Bulgarian dishes. The original dish is cooked with white rice and ground pork, substituted here with brown basmati rice and meatless ground for all fellow vegetarians

This is what you need for ~ 70-80 dolmas:

• 
  
  1 jar of Mediterranean grape leaves, sold at Persian markets like International Food Bazaar
• 1 lb meatless ground from Trader Joe's (optional )
• 2 cups brown basmati rice, soaked
• 1 big onion, chopped
• 1 can diced tomatoes
• 2 carrots, finely chopped
• 5-6 mushrooms, white, baby bella or crimini, chopped
• 1/2 tsp cumini
• 1/2 tsp black pepper
• salt to taste, about 1 full tsp
• 1 tbsp mint
• 1 tbsp savory (chubritza )
• 1 tbsp paprika
• 1/3 tsp hot paper flakes
• 2 tbsp olive oil

How to cook them:

Saute the onions with the garlic in a large pan until the onions start to brown. Add all the spices, and the carrots and saute for 2-3 minutes to allow all the spices to heat up and release their flavors. Stir the veggies with a spoon to prevent burning.
Add the mushrooms and cook for 2-3 minutes, before adding the meatless ground. Cook for 3 more minutes and add the tomatoes and the rice. After 5 minutes turn off the heat and cover the pan with a lid. Let it stay for 30-45 minutes for the rice to absorb all the liquid from the mushrooms and tomatoes.
Meanwhile soak the grape leaves in hot boiling water to make them softer and take out the extra soduim.
Wrap a tablespoon of the mixture with a grape leaf and arrange the dolmas in a big casserole. Add 5-6 cups of water and bake the dolmas in a covered casserole for about an hour at 450F.
Serve the dolmas hot with yogurt and side tomatoes and cucumber salad as a main dish, or cold as an appetizer.

ETL: Mushroom bourguignon

Yes, yes, you are right, this is a remake of the Julia Child’s famous recipe, but without the beef. If you are vegetarian and still crave the luxurious and perfectly balanced taste of beef, mushrooms, onions, carrots, butter, and wine, I promise you this vegan version of the recipe will make you happy :)

Ingredients:

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 pounds portobello mushrooms, in 1/4-inch slices
• 2 carrots, chopped in 1/3 inch slices
• 1 shallot, finely diced,
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 3 cups full-bodied red wine,
• 2-3 cups vegetable broth
• 2 tablespoons tomato paste
• 1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves
• 1 bay leaf, crumbled
• 1/4 tsp black pepper
• 1 1/2 tablespoons whole wheat/all purpose flour
• 1 lb pearl onions, peeled (thawed if frozen)
• parsley sprigs

Instructions:

1. Preheat the oven at 450F.
2. Heat half of the olive oil  in a heavy sauce pan over high heat. Sear the mushrooms until they begin to darken. Remove them from pan.
3. Reduce the heat to medium, add the rest of the oil and toss the carrots, onions, thyme, salt and black pepper into the pan and cook, stirring occasionally, until the onions are lightly browned.
4. Add the garlic and the wine to the pot, then turn the heat all the way up and reduce it by half.
5. Stir in the tomato paste and the broth.
6. Add back the mushrooms with any juices that have collected.  
7. Cover the casserole and set in lower third of the preheated oven. Regulate the heat so the dish simmer and cook for 20 minutes until the juices are reduced and the mushrooms are tender.
8. Sprinkle the flour, add the pearl onions, , and toss the vegetables. Cook for 10 more minutes.
9. When ready decorate with parsley, and serve with baked potatoes, rice or pasta.

  

ETL: Mushroom Heaven

These are my favourite mushroom dishes. You cannot go wrong here.  Any type of mushroom would work. I've cooked these dishes with baby Bella, with white mushrooms, cremini, etc. For the recipes featured in this posting I used chanterelle and oyster mushrooms.

  

Chanterelle (girolle): Vase-shaped; ranging in color from bright yellow to orange; nutty and delicate flavor and texture; expensive when fresh; also available dried and canned. Add late in the cooking process to avoid toughening. Use in salads, sauces and risottos.

 

Oyster: Fluted cap resembles a fan; ranging in color from a soft beige brown to gray; can be eaten raw in salads but more often this mushroom is cooked to bring out its delicate flavor and velvety texture. Some say this mushroom has a faint oyster-like or seafood flavor, to match its likeness in shape to oysters. 

Hash Brown Potatoes and Mushrooms 

 You will need 3 potatoes, cut into small cubes, 2-3 shallots, 2-3 garlic cloves and 1/2 lb chanterelle mushrooms.

Carefully wash the mushrooms, especially if you use chanterelle like me. They should be rinsed in a large bowl, and drained in a colander. Repeat the rinsing until the water is clear. Note that they should not sit in water for more than a few minutes. Cut the onions, garlic and the potatoes

Brown the potatoes in 1 tbsp of olive oil. Then add the onions, the garlic and the mushrooms at the end. 

 

 Season with salt and pepper. 

Sprinkle with fresh parsley and serve.

Oyster Mushrooms with Chick Peas and Leeks 

You need 3-4 leeks, 2-3 cloves of garlic, 1lb oyster mushrooms and 2 cups of cooked chick peas.

 Saute the leeks and the garlic i 1 tbsp olive oil. Add the mushrooms, and cook for 10 minutes. At the end add the cooked chick peas. Season with salt, pepper and cumin. I add 2 tbsp of balsamic vinegar when I cook white mushrooms or cremini. I prefer the oyster mushrooms plain, the vinegar overpower their delicate taste.

  

ETL: Stuffed Zucchini

This is a very simple and delicious summer dish. This is what you will need:

• couple of zucchini. I prefer the light green type. Washed and cut into 2"-3" pieces.
• few carrots, chopped into small pieces
• a shallot
• two cloves of garlic, chopped
• green pepper, sweet or hot, depending on your taste
• a handful of walnuts
• a handful of chopped dill
• two tomatoes, one chopped, or blended, and the other sliced
• 1-2 tbsp olive oil
• 1 tsp paprika
• 1/2 tsp cumin
• 1/2 tsp black pepper
• salt to taste 

Instructions:

1. First carve the zucchini. I used a coring knife for apples. Chop or mince the internal part of the zucchini.
2. Saute the onions, garlic, peppers and the zucchini mix. Add the paprika, the spice, the walnuts, and let it cook for few minutes. Add the dill.
3. Arrange  the zucchini tubes in a baking dish. Fill the tubes with the cooked filling. Cover the dish with foil or lid and bake at 450F for 30 minutes. Uncover and bake for additional 10 minutes. The cooking time may vary depending on your stove and the quantity you cook.

Fettuccini with Pesto, Mushrooms and Peas

I have always been a fan of tomato based pasta sauces, but this time I decided to experiment a bit and to make a pesto sauce, and it turned out pretty good. The whole dish took less than 30 min with multitasking so it is perfect for making a quick dinner.

PESTO SAUSE:
In a food processor, combine and homogenize the following:

• 1-2 cups loose basil leaves + parseley leaves
• 1/2 cup walnuts (I did not have any pine nuts but Bitman says that walnuts are OK)
• 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• some salt

THE REST OF INGREDIENTS:
1 lb mushrooms, sliced
1 onion, sliced
1 cup frozen peas
2 (9 oz each) packs of fresh pasta

PROCESS:
In a large pan, add some olive oil and sautee the mushrooms on high heat until most of water has evaporated. Add the peas and onion, season with salt, black pepper and cayenne pepper and continue cooking until soft.

In the mean time, heat a pot of water and once boiling, add the fresh pasta. Let boil for 3-5 min or until cooked.

Once the pasta is ready, drain and mix with some of the pesto sauce and with the mushrooms.
Sprinkle some shredded pecorino romano cheese and enjoy!

Aah - The Magic of Zaatar...

With my Indian cooking spell largely behind me, I am now knee-deep in the fascinating world of Sheherezade from A Thousand and One Arabian Nights..."How come?" you may ask...It's all about Zaatar...

I had the good fortune of receiving this magic (...and I guess no longer secret) ingredient from a colleague at work today and couldn't wait to put it good use. 

To my surprise,  zaatar resembles very much a beloved spice from my childhood in Bulgaria called samardala ( [самардала] in Bulgarian ) -  an herb with garlicky flavor called honey garlic (Nectaroscordum siculum ssp. bulgaricum syn. Allium bulgaricum). It turns out Zaatar contains savory - another  Bulgarian staple.

From Wikipedia:

Za'atar (Arabic: زعتر‎, also romanized zaatar, za'tar, zatar, zatr, zahatar, zaktar or satar) related Middle Eastern herbs from the genera Origanum (Oregano),Calamintha (Basil thyme), Thymus vulgaris (Thyme ) and Satureja (Savory).^[1] It is also the name for acondiment made from the dried herb(s), mixed together with sesame seeds, and often salt, as well as other spices.^[2] Used in Arab cuisine since medieval times, both the herb and spice mixture are popular throughout the Middle East and Levant.

I made a classic Middle Eastern tomato and cucumber salad with Tahini dressing:

Tahini dressing:

- 1 teaspoon tahini

- 1 teaspoon water

- juice of one lemon

- a bit of sea salt

- 1 large clove of minced garlic

Stuffed Bell Peppers

Here is another interpretation of one of my very favorite BG dishes. Can be made vegetarian as well as with ground beef/pork (although I like the vegetarian version way better). Here is what you'll need (as always the recipe can be scaled up or down):

INGREDIENTS:

• 9 red bell peppers, tops removed
• 2 cups of rice (brown, wild, white ... pick your favorite)
• 1 onion, chopped
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 3-4 carrots, peeled and chopped
• 1lb mushrooms, sliced
• 1/2 cup corn, fresh or frozen
• 1/2 cup peas, fresh or frozen
• 2-3 zucchini or summer squash, peeled and sliced
• 2-3 good sized potatoes, peeled and cut into thin round slices
• 2 cans of diced tomatoes (i like to blend them and get a homogenized mixture)
• season with thyme, savory, salt, red paprika, black pepper, cayenne pepper to taste

PROCESS: 

0. To speed things up, I like to pre-cook the rice, especially if I use brown or wild rice, since these take ~ 45 mins to cook. In a boiling pot, mix 2 cups of rice with 4 cups of water and bring to boil. Then reduce to light simmer and cook until rice is almost done (brown rice ~ 45 min, white rice ~ 15 min).
Also preheat oven to 425C.

1. While the rice is cooking start working on the vegetables (you can also add ground beef/pork as well in addition). In a large pan over medium heat put some olive oil and saute the onions and the garlic until translucent. Add the carrots and keep cooking until tender, or for another 5 min. Then add the sliced mushrooms and cook until soft and all the water has been released. Add the corn and peas and the sliced zucchini last and cook for 5 min. Lastly, add the canned tomatoes (pre-blended to avoid large chinks) and cook for another 5 min and add the seasonings (thyme, savory, salt, black and red pepper, cayenne etc...).

2. Add the almost cooked rice to the vegetables and stir well to mix. It is a good idea to taste the rice mixture and add additional seasonings if necesary.

3. Then arrange the bell peppers (washed and tops removed) into an appropriate size baking dish and add ~ 1 inch of water at the bottom of the dish. Stuff the peppers with the rice+vegetable filling and "cap" each stuffed pepper with a slice of potato. If you have extra filling, then you can put it between the peppers in the baking dish. Then tilt the peppers so that they are laying on their side and cover with aluminum foil and bake at 425C for 1h. Then remove the foil and broil for ~ 10 minutes until the skin of the peppers is slightly burned.

4. Serve and top with a spoon of plain yogurt and enjoy!

Couscous Salad

Delicious, nutritious, fast and easy dish!!! Can use it as a main course or as a side salad to your favorite meal. Here is what you would need (of course can be scaled up or down depending on how much you would like to make):

INGREDIENTS:

• 2 cups dry couscous
• 1 english cucumber
• 5-6 tomatoes
• 1 small red onion
• 1/2 small jar kalamata olives
• 1/2 bunch parseley
• 1/2 bunch basi
• salt, black pepper and some olive oil

PROCESS:

1. Cook the couscous following the instructions on the box. If you use the Trader Jose's brand you can use a large saucepan and put 2 cups of water + 1 spoon olive oil and some salt and bring to boil. Then add the dry couscous and stir well. Remove from heat, cover and let sit ~5 min. Then remove the cover and fluff with a fork and let it cool down for ~ 10 min (if the couscous is too hot then the vegetables will get a bit mushy).
 

2. In a separate bowl, combine the finely chopped red onion, cucumber, tomatoes, parseley, basil and the olives (pretty much all the ingredients should be chopped into small cubes).

3. Finally, mix the cooled couscous with the chopped vegetables.
Add a little bit of olive oil (optional but i've found that it adds a nice flavor... also lemon juice goes well with this salad as well so you can use that instead), some salt and black pepper to taste and enjoy big time!