Brown Rice With Fennel And Asparagus Recipes

SUPER-QUICK BROWN RICE WITH ASPARAGUS, CHICKPEAS, AND ALMONDS

Steps:

• Pop Trader Joe's frozen brown rice in the microwave, or make a batch of rice the traditional way.
• While rice is cooking, make the dressing by whisking together half of the chopped garlic, tahini, lemon zest, lemon juice, and 3 tbs. olive oil.
• Add the hot water to thin a bit, and then 2 teaspoons salt. Set aside.
• Add 3 tbs. olive oil to a big skillet over medium-high heat, swirling to coat the pan.
• Be sure the chickpeas are completely dry, or they'll spit at you during this next step!
• Add the chickpeas and a sprinkling of salt. Let the beans saute for a couple minutes, until they get a toasty little crust on them.
• Add remaining garlic and onions. Stir for a minute.
• Stir in the asparagus with another pinch or two of salt, then cover with a lid for a minute to steam until the asparagus softens a touch.
• Uncover and stir in the rice and almond slivers, reserving a few almonds for garnish.
• Adjust seasonings, adding more salt if needed.
• Serve family-style in a big bowl drizzled with a few tablespoons of the tahini dressing, letting each person add more dressing to their tastes.
• Watch as this magical concoction disappears before your eyes!

BROWN RICE WITH FENNEL AND ASPARAGUS

Steps:

• Heat the oil in a heavy two- to three-quart saucepan. Add fennel, onion and garlic and cook very slowly until vegetables are tender and translucent. Stir in rice and cook, stirring, another two to three minutes.
• Add the stock or water, bring to a boil and cook uncovered for three minutes. Lower the heat, season the stock to taste with salt and pepper. Simmer covered about 40 minutes, until the liquid is absorbed.
• Gently stir in the asparagus, cover the saucepan and set aside for 15 minutes before serving. Serve with a dusting of Parmesan cheese on top.

GODDESS BROWN RICE BOWL

Steps:

• For the green goddess dressing: Combine the anchovies, garlic, yogurt, mayonnaise, parsley, basil, chives, tarragon and lemon juice in a blender and blend until smooth and green. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Refrigerate until ready to serve.
• For the rice bowl: Bring a large saucepan of water to a boil. Add 1 teaspoon salt and the brown rice and cook until the rice is tender but still toothsome, about 45 minutes. Drain well.
• Heat 2 tablespoons of the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the fennel, shiitakes and 1/4 teaspoon salt and cook, stirring occasionally, until the mushrooms are golden brown in spots and the fennel is crisp-tender, about 5 minutes. Add the remaining tablespoon oil to the skillet, followed by the sugar snap peas, zucchini and another 1/4 teaspoon salt. Cook until crisp-tender, stirring occasionally, about 5 minutes.
• Divide the rice among 4 bowls. Top with the vegetable mixture and then with the avocado slices. Drizzle with green goddess dressing and sprinkle with the pepitas.

BROWN AND WILD RICE WITH SAUSAGE AND FENNEL

Steps:

• Simmer water and wild rice in small saucepan 20 minutes. Drain.
• Heat heavy large saucepan over medium-high heat. Fry sausage until cooked through, breaking up sausage with fork, about 4 minutes. Using slotted spoon, transfer sausage to large bowl.
• Add 2 tablespoons oil to same saucepan. Mix in fennel, bell pepper and fennel seeds and sauté until tender, about 10 minutes. Add to sausage. Heat remaining 1 tablespoon oil in same saucepan. Add leeks and garlic and sauté until tender and golden, about 8 minutes. Add brown rice and stir 1 minute. Mix in broth and wild rice. Season with pepper. Bring to boil. Reduce heat to low. Cover and simmer until rice is tender and liquid is absorbed, about 40 minutes. Add hot rice to sausage mixture and toss well. (Can be prepared 1 day ahead. Cover and chill.) Serve hot.

CREAMY ASPARAGUS SOUP WITH FENNEL

Steps:

• Separate the fennel fronds from the bulb and stems. Finely mince the fronds to yield ½ cup. Slice the fennel bulb and stems.
• Cut off 1 ½ inches of the asparagus tips and set aside. Using a vegetable peeler, peel the tough skin off the asparagus stalks, then cut into 1-inch pieces.
• Heat oil in large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add sliced fennel stems, asparagus stalks, and onion and sauté for 5 minutes. Add the rice or barley and broth, cover, and simmer over low heat 30 to 40 minutes, or until the rice or barley is very tender.
• Transfer saucepan contents to a blender or food processor and puree to the desired consistency in several batches if necessary. Return the puree to the pan and stir in 1 cup of the milk, the reserved fennel fronds, the asparagus tips, salt, and pepper. IF the soup seems too thick, stir in additional milk. Heat until the asparagus tips are crisp-tender, about 1 ½ minutes.

CHICKPEAS AND FENNEL WITH RICE

Steps:

• Soak rice in pot for ten minutes in enough water to cover. When ten minutes are up, rinse the rice and add 1 cup fresh water. Cover and bring to a boil, then set on low heat to simmer for 8-9 minutes.
• While rice cooks, chop fennel bulb and put in pan with olive oil. Cook on medium heat until fennel begins to soften.
• Add chopped garlic, chickpeas, salt and pepper.
• When rice is finished cooking, turn off burner under rice and leave, covered, for ten minutes more (makes it fluffy).
• Add garam masala to chickpeas and fennel for remaining five minutes of cooking, while the rice is sitting, and add fresh fennel tops (the feathery parts) near the end of cooking (just to warm them up).
• Serve side by side on big plates, and enjoy!

LEMON-DILL CHICKEN AND RICE SOUP WITH CARROTS AND ASPARAGUS

Steps:

• In a small saucepan, combine the rice and 1/2 cup water. Cook using the package directions. Remove from the heat. Set aside.
• Meanwhile, in a medium saucepan, stir together 2 cups water, the chicken, garlic, salt, and pepper. Bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat and simmer, covered, for 12 to 15 minutes, or until the chicken is no longer pink in the center. Transfer the chicken to a cutting board, leaving the remaining soup in the pan. Set the chicken aside.
• Pour the final 2 cups water into the pan. Increase the heat to high and bring to a boil. Add the carrots. Reduce the heat and simmer, covered, for 5 minutes, or until the carrots are tender.
• Meanwhile, dice the chicken. When the carrots are ready, add the chicken and asparagus to the soup. Return to a simmer. Reduce the heat and simmer, covered, for 3 minutes, or until the asparagus is crisp-tender. Remove from the heat.
• Stir in the rice, dillweed, lemon juice, and green onion.
• Cook's Tip on trimming asparagus
• Asparagus has a natural bending point where the tough part of the stem begins. To trim asparagus, hold the spears at the top and the bottom, bend them, and snap at the bending point. Save the tough parts for use in making Vegetable Broth (page 53) or discard them.
• Nutrition Information
• (Per serving)
• Calories: 179
• Total fat: 2.0g
• Saturated: 0.5g
• Trans: 0.0g
• Polyunsaturated: 0.5g
• Monounsaturated: 0.5g
• Cholesterol: 66mg
• Sodium: 256mg
• Carbohydrates: 12g
• Fiber: 3g
• Sugars: 3g
• Protein: 28g
• Calcium: 50mg
• Potassium: 562mg
• Dietary Exchanges
• 1/2 starch
• 1 vegetable
• 3 very lean meat