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Monday, August 5, 2013

Rice and Beans with Chile Ginger Salsa


 It doesn’t get much simpler (or inexpensive!) than rice and beans. You’re probably thinking, “How boring! Rice? Beans? Blech.” I see where you’re coming from, though looking through my archives this isn’t the first time I’ve turned rice and beans into a meal and touted it to all of you (here with roasted vegetables, and here with chicken and apple salsa).
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What makes this particular rice and bean dish interesting is the ginger salsa it’s paired with. The ginger adds a spiciness that you can’t get from peppers or chili powder. There are numerous ways to eat this. You can top it with a fried egg, as Ryan did and as you see in the picture above. Or, you can dig in with tortilla chips, as I opted to do the first night we ate this. Leftovers were eaten mixed with wilted spinach and additional toppings (tomato salsa, more avocado, etc.), but you could also throw it in a tortilla.

I promise these rice and beans aren’t boring, at least not like you’re envisioning!

One Year Ago: Rosemary Garlic Biscuits
Two Years Ago: Greek Cheesecake
Three Years Ago: Scrambled Egg Cups

Rice and Beans with Chile Ginger Salsa
slightly adapted from Bon Appetit April 2013

Ingredients:
-2 tbsp olive oil, divided
-1 medium onion, chopped, divided
-1 cup brown rice
-kosher salt
-1/2 cup coarsely chopped fresh cilantro, divided
-freshly ground black pepper
-1 tsp ground coriander
-1 tsp ground cumin
-2 (15 oz) cans black beans, drained and rinsed
-1 cup low-sodium vegetable broth or water
-1 jalapeño, stemmed, halved, seeded
-1 garlic clove
-1 tbsp chopped peeled ginger
-1 tbsp finely grated lime zest
-1/4 cup fresh lime juice
-1 avocado, halved pitta, chopped
-1/4 cup crumbled feta cheese
-lime wedges, for serving

Directions:
1. Heat 1 tbsp oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add 1/4 of the onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 5 minutes. Add rice and stir to coat. Add 2 cups water and season with salt. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to low, cover, and cook until rice is just tender, 40-50 minutes (ours took much less time).
2. Remove from heat and allow rice to stand, covered, for 10 minutes before fluffing with a fork. Fold in 1/4 cup cilantro and season with salt and pepper.
3. While rice is cooking, heat remaining 1 tbsp oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add 1/3 of remaining onion. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes or until onion has softened. Add coriander and cumin and stir for 1 minute. Add beans and water/broth. Season with salt and pepper. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer, occasionally mashing beans, until thickened 8-10 minutes.
4. Pulse jalapeño pepper, garlic, ginger, lime zest, lime juice, and remaining onion in a blender or food processor until a chunky sauce forms. Season salsa with salt.
5. Serve rice with beans. Top with salsa, avocado, cheese, cilantro, and lime wedges.