Basmati Rice & Potatoes

This week on I Heart Cooking Clubs as we continue to cook with Yotam Ottolenghi, the theme is "Going with the Grain."  Ottolenghi has a lot of interesting grain recipes. Unfortuntaely, I really wimped out this week.  I was planning my weekly menu at the last minute and didn't want to make anything time consuming or with ingredients that I thought the kids wouldn't eat.  I ended up making his Basmati Rice & Potatoes, based on his Basmati Rice & Orzo recipe from his cookbook Jerusalem.  This recipe was almost too easy, but it was in his cookbook!  I was set to make the rice with orzo and meant to check my pantry to make sure I had orzo before I went grocery shopping....but I forgot.  Only when I went to make this did I realize that I didn't have orzo.  I was NOT running back out to the grocery store to get some and I didn't have vermicelli noodles which was listed as a substitute.  However, he notes that "other substantial elements - vericelli, potatoes, lentils, nuts - could also be included.  I had some leftover roasted potatoes and went with that!  I'm not sure if cooking method affects the recipe either.  Again, I went quick and easy and used my rice cooker.   Have I mentioned that this was quick and easy?!!  The chicken broth gives the rice some flavor and my daughter loved it.  I thought it was okay and a nice change from plain white rice, though I'm not sure if I'll end up making this again.

                                 

Basmati Rice & Potatoes
recipe inspired by Ottolenghi's Basmati Rice & Orzo recipe in Jerusalem

Ingredients:
2 cups basmati rice
2 1/2 cups chicken stock
1 tablespoon butter
1 cup leftover roasted potatoes, diced

Directions:
1. Put 2 cups of rice in rice cooker.  Add chicken stock to the 2 cup fill line and cook. While rice is cooking, melt butter in large saute pan.  Fry potatoes in butter, turning as needed, until heated through about 10 minutes.  Once rice is cooked transfer to a large bowl and mix in potatoes.

Family Rating: 1 thumb up.