When it comes to picking a starch for dinner, we usually vacillate between potatoes and rice. There seem to be a million ways to cook potatoes, but rice is a little bit more straightforward. The problem is, I rarely seem to get it just right. Chef Jerry Pellegrino has some ideas on how to prepare a good bowl of rice.
Rice is a staple food for a significant portion of the world's population, primarily consumed in Asia, Sub-Saharan Africa, and South America. It's a type of grain, specifically the starchy seed of the plant Oryza sativa, a cereal grass belonging to the Gramineae (grass) family. Rice is widely cultivated in warm climates and is a crucial source of carbohydrates and other nutrients.
KEY ASPECTS OF RICE:
Plant Origin: Rice is grass, not a vegetable, and its seeds are the edible part.
Global Importance: It's a primary food source for over half the world's population.
Types of Rice: There are numerous varieties of rice, including white, brown, basmati, jasmine, and many more, each with unique characteristics.
Nutritional Value: Rice provides carbohydrates, and brown rice offers more fiber and nutrients compared to white rice.
Cooking: Rice is typically boiled or steamed, and its texture can vary based on the type and grain length.
Cultivation: Most rice is grown in flooded paddies, a method that has been practiced for centuries.
Although you can cook rice in a pot on the stove, using a rice cooker makes the process so much easier. A rice cooker works by using heat and moisture to cook rice, and it automatically transitions to a "keep warm" setting once the rice is done. It typically involves placing rice and water in an inner pot, which is heated by a heating element. When the water boils and is absorbed by the rice, a thermostat or sensor detects the temperature and switches the cooker to a lower "keep warm" setting.
RICE PILAF
Ingredients
2 cups white rice (preferably long grain)
2 teaspoons of extra virgin olive oil (or chicken fat)
1/2 cup chopped onion - green onion (scallions) or yellow onion
1/2 cup chopped celery
Up to 4 cups of stock (amount depends on the type of rice you are using), either chicken stock or vegetable stock for vegetarian option, or a mix of water and stock
2 teaspoons of salt or seasoned salt
1/4 teaspoon ground pepper
1/8 teaspoon cayenne
1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley
Heat stock in saucepan: Look at the cooking instructions for your rice. If your rice calls for 2 cups of water for every cup of rice then you will need a total of 4 cups of liquid. If your rice calls for 1 2/3 cups of water for every cup of rice, you will need a total of 3 1/3 cups of liquid.
You want to cook the rice in a liquid that is primarily stock—chicken stock or vegetable stock. Up to half of the liquid can be plain water, but at least half of the needed liquid should be stock. Homemade stock is the best, of course, and will make a big difference in the quality of the resulting pilaf. Heat the measured amount of stock needed in a saucepan, at least 2-qt sized.
Brown the rice, add onions and celery: While the stock is heating, heat a large skillet on medium high heat. Add the olive oil (or chicken fat if you have it) to coat the bottom of the pan. When the oil is hot, add the uncooked rice and brown the rice, stirring occasionally, for a couple of minutes.
PRESSURE COOKER MUSHROOM RISOTTO
Ingredients
4 cups chicken stock
1 teaspoon dried porcini powder
1 ½ pounds mixed mushrooms, such as shiitake, and cremini trimmed, thinly sliced
4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 large yellow onion, cut into ¼ inch dice
4 cloves garlic, finely chopped
2 cups risotto rice, such as Arborio or Vialone Nano
3/4 cup dry white wine
¼ cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
Heat olive oil in the base of a pressure cooker over medium high heat until just smoking. Add onion and garlic stirring frequently, until onions are translucent. Add fresh mushrooms, season with salt and pepper, and cook, stirring occasionally, until excess moisture is evaporated, and mushrooms are well browned, about 8 minutes. Add the rice and cook, stirring, until rice is evenly coated in oil and toasted but not browned, 3-4 minutes. Add wine and porcini powder and cook, stirring until most of the wine has evaporated. Pour stock into the pot. Scrape any grains of rice or pieces of onion from side of pressure cooker so that they are fully submerged. Close pressure cooker and allow to pressurize. Once fully pressurized, cook for 7 minutes. Release the pressure from the cooker according to the manufacturer’s instructions. Remove the lid, stir in the grated cheese and season with salt and pepper.
PAELLA DE BARCELONA
Ingredients
4 braised pork shanks
¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
2 Spanish chorizo sausages, thickly sliced
1 Spanish onion, diced
4 garlic cloves, crushed
Bunch flat-leaf parsley leaves, chopped, reserve some for garnish
1 (15-ounce) can whole tomatoes, drained and hand-crushed
4 cups short grain Spanish rice
8 cups chicken stock, warm
Generous pinch saffron threads, steeped in the warm chicken stock
2 tablespoons smoked paprika
12 jumbo shrimp, peeled and de-veined
1 cup fresh peas or sweet peas, frozen and thawed
Heat oil in a paella pan over medium-high heat. Sauté the chorizo until they just start to give up some of their red oils, about 5 minutes. Add the onions, garlic, and parsley. Cook them until they become soft and just browning in the edges, about 8 to 10 minutes. Then, add tomatoes and cook until the mixture caramelizes a bit and the flavors meld. Fold in the rice and stir-fry to coat the grains. Pour in the stock and simmer for 10 minutes, gently moving the pan around so the rice cooks evenly and absorbs the liquid. Add the pork shanks in a symmetrical pattern around the pan. Cook for 5 minutes and turn over, pushing the down into the rice. Add the shrimp in a symmetrical pattern around the pan and gently push them into the cooking rice. Give the paella a good shake and let it simmer, without stirring, until the rice is al dente, for about 15 minutes. During the last 5 minutes of cooking sprinkle the peas over the rice. When the paella is cooked and the rice looks fluffy and moist, turn the heat up for 40 seconds until you can smell the rice toast at the bottom, then it's perfect. (note: The ideal paella has a toasted rice bottom called socarrat) Remove from heat and rest for 5 minutes. Garnish with parsley.
COOKING SUSHI RICE
Ingredients
2 cups sushi or short grain rice
3 cups water, plus extra for rinsing rice
¼ tablespoons rice vinegar
¼ cup sugar
2 tablespoons kosher salt
Place the rice into a mixing bowl and cover with cool water. Swirl the rice in the water, pour off and repeat 2 to 3 times or until the water is clear.
Place the rice and 3 cups of water into a medium saucepan and place over high heat. Bring to a boil, uncovered. Once it begins to boil, reduce the heat to the lowest setting and cover. Cook for 15 minutes or until all of the water has been absorbed. Combine the rice vinegar, sugar and salt in a small bowl and heat in the microwave on high for 30 to 45 seconds. Stir to make sure all of the sugar has dissolved. Transfer the rice into a large wooden or glass mixing bowl and add the vinegar mixture. Fold thoroughly to combine and coat each grain of rice with the mixture. Allow to cool to room temperature before using to make sushi.
