Texas Rice
Texas Rice
I only ate Texas Rice once, and that was eight years ago. I still remember how much I liked it! We hadn’t made it since because the little ones didn’t appreciate the zucchini, but, now that most of us are “older,” I decided to make some last Wednesday. I am not sure what it is that makes it Texan, unless perhaps it is the chilies, but it is delicious.
Don’t be deterred by what seems (to me, anyway) a strange collection of ingredients. It all comes together in the end. :) The following recipe will serve 8-10 nicely.
Ingredients
1 Cup of chopped onion
2 Tablespoons of butter
4 Cups of hot cooked brown rice
1 Cup of plain yogurt
1 Cup of cottage cheese
1 teaspoon of garlic powder
1 teaspoon of oregano
1/2 teaspoon of salt
Dash of black pepper
1/4 cup chopped green chili peppers
1 large tomato, diced
3 6-inch zucchini, sliced (I cut my slices in half)
2 Cups of shredded Cheddar cheese
After starting the rice in the cooker (2 cups of rice, 4 cups of water), I chopped and combined the vegetables in one bowl...
... and mixed the yogurt, cottage cheese, and seasonings in another.
I sautéed the onions in a hot pan with the butter. The house began to smell delicious with a combination of frying onion, fresh vegetables, and cheese.
When the rice was finished cooking, I combined it with the onion. I selected a good-sized casserole dish and oiled it. I spread half of the rice on the bottom, followed by a layer of half the vegetables...
...followed by a layer of the yogurt-cottage cheese mixture.
(There are no more photograph—sorry!) I repeated the layering and then top with the shredded Cheddar cheese and baked for 20 minutes in an oven preheated to 350°. I personally dislike browned cheese, but if you like it, then you may need to bake it a bit longer. (If you want to make this dish ahead, keep it chilled and bake it right before dinner time.)
We serve this dish with a fresh green salad. Garlic bread would be a nice complement too. Texas rice is a wonderful option for “meatless nights,” but of course you can serves it alongside a meat dish too.
Hmm... This was delicious - just like I remember it! Even the six year old ate it with gusto.
Photographs: Texas Rice, Etc. © Handmaidens of the Shepherd, May 2008.
Friday, May 16, 2008