Spinach, Pea, and Mint Risotto

Risotto is a very versatile dish, and we like it a lot. When I say I'm going to make risotto, everyone seems to perk up and listen. I make a lot of different varieties of risotto, depending on what I have in my refrigerator at the time. This risotto was simply a way to use up what was left of a bag of frozen peas, some fresh spinach, and a few leaves of fresh mint.

Chile Cilantro Rice

We love rice.  We eat it a lot.  Usually I just cook up a batch of plain white or brown rice and use it as a bed for some sort of stew or stir-fry.  But recently I thought to myself, why does the rice have to be plain?  Why can't it have some flavor as well?  How can I have flavorful rice without using a packet loaded with salt and a bunch of other things I can't pronounce?

This recipe is a very simple way to serve rice that has a lot of flavor.  As the rice cooks, it absorbs the flavor of the chiles, then I stir in the cilantro right before I serve it.  If you add the cilantro too early, it takes over the dish and loses a lot of its vibrant color in the finished product.  You could make this with brown rice if desired, just increase the water to 5-1/4 cups and let it simmer for 40 minutes instead of 20.

I like to serve this rice with Mexican food, but you could also replace the green chiles with 1 Tbsp chopped fresh hot red chiles to serve this rice with Thai food.


Chile Cilantro Rice

4 cups water
1/2 tsp salt
2 cups long grain white rice (not quick or instant)
1 small can chopped green chiles
2 Tbsp chopped fresh cilantro

In large saucepan, bring water, salt and green chiles to a boil over medium high heat.  Add rice and return to a boil.  Reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for 20 minutes, or until all water is absorbed.  Stir in cilantro and serve immediately.