Getting Started...

April 13, 2012

So I've decided to start a blog...though if by some strange happenstance someone is actually reading this, that fact is evident. I don't know that I have anything new and fascinating to share with the world, but I like to cook and I like to garden, and I do both by trial and error, so if someone somewhere can learn from my mistakes, offer advice, tell me I'm fabulous, or teach me how not to write run-on sentences, then this forum has served its purpose. 

I would like to start by relating a recipe that I tried the other day. It was one of those quick, thrown together things that actually ended up being pretty tasty. Let's call it:

Spring Pesto Rice

Ingredients:

1 C uncooked brown rice

2 Spring Onions chopped

1 Bunch Asparagus, woody ends trimmed off *

4 Hard Boiled eggs **

1/2 C Spring Herb Pesto (see below)

• Bring rice, 2 cups water and a pinch of salt to a boil. Reduce to medium low heat and simmer until all water has been absorbed. about 45 minutes.
• Steam asparagus and chop into 1-2 inch pieces.
• Mix pesto, onions and asparagus into rice. Salt to taste.
• Garnish with crumbled hard boiled eggs.

 

Spring Herb Pesto

Ingredients:

One Bunch Fresh Mint, stems removed

One Bunch Fresh Parsley, stems removed

1/2 C Roasted Almonds, roughly chopped

1/4-1/2 C Olive Oil 

Put all ingredients in food processor and process until smooth. The amount of olive oil depends on your pastiness preference. 

* For trimming asparagus: hold woody end and bend stalk until it snaps. I've heard that you can then use that stalk as a guide to chop all of the others, but I like to snap them all individually :)

* Easy Hard Boiled eggs:  Put eggs in a pot. Fill pot with cold, salted water about 1 inch above eggs. Cover. Bring to a boil. Remove pot from heat and let sit, covered for 13 minutes. Transfer eggs to cold water. I find the eggs easier to peel if they are somewhat old. 

Makes 4 Servings 

I happened to have the pesto left over from another recipe and hard boiled eggs already made so it was very quick and easy to put together!