European Recipes

Sweet & sour lentil dhal with grilled aubergineSpinach, sweet potato

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Wed, 04 May 2016 09:08:00 +0000

PREP: 10 MINSCOOK: 35 MINSEASY

Vegetarian

Healthy

Freezable

Nutrition: per serving

kcal397
fat5g
saturates1g
carbs65g
sugars19g
fibre11g
protein18g
salt0.6g

A comforting vegan one-pot recipe that counts for 3 of your 5-a-day! You can't go wrong with this iron-rich, low-fat, low-calorie supper

Ingredients

1 tbsp sesame oil
1 red onion, finely chopped
1 garlic clove, crushed
thumb-sized piece ginger , peeled and finely chopped
1 red chilli , finely chopped
1 ½ tsp ground turmeric
1 ½ tsp ground cumin
2 sweet potatoes (about 400g/14oz), cut into even chunks
250g red split lentils
600ml vegetable stock
80g bag of spinach
4 spring onions , sliced on the diagonal, to serve
½ small pack of Thai basil , leaves torn, to serve

Method

Heat the oil in a wide-based pan with a tight-fitting lid. Add the onion and cook over a low heat for 10 mins, stirring occasionally, until softened. Add the garlic, ginger and chilli, cook for 1 min, then add the spices and cook for 1 min more.
Turn up the heat to medium, add the sweet potato and stir everything together so the potato is coated in the spice mixture. Tip in the lentils, stock and some seasoning. Bring the liquid to the boil, then reduce the heat, cover and cook for 20 mins until the lentils are tender and the potato is just holding its shape
Taste and adjust the seasoning, then gently stir in the spinach. Once wilted, top with the spring onions and basil to serve. Or allow to cool completely, then divide between airtight containers and store in the fridge for a healthy lunchbox (see tip below).

Sweet & sour lentil dhal with grilled aubergineSpinach, sweet potato Spinach, sweet potato

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Wed, 04 May 2016 09:03:00 +0000

PREP: 15 MINSCOOK: 40 MINSEASYHEALTHY

A hearty budget meal of spiced red lentils with butternut and tomatoes. Add coriander, cumin, turmeric and a dollop of mango chutney

Nutrition: per serving

kcal495
fat12g
saturates2g
carbs58g
sugars14g
fibre9g
protein42g
salt0.6g

Ingredients

1 tbsp sunflower oil
1 onion , finely chopped
1 garlic clove, finely chopped
1 tsp ground coriander
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp ground turmeric
½ tsp cayenne pepper
400g butternut squash, peeled and cut into 2cm (prepared weight)
400g can chopped tomato
1.2l chicken stock
1 heaped tbsp mango chutney
300g red lentil
small pack coriander, roughly chopped
naan bread, to serve

Method

Put the oil and the onion in a saucepan, and cook for 5 mins. Stir in the garlic and cook for a further 1 min, then stir in the spices and butternut squash. Combine everything together.
Tip in the chopped tomatoes, stock and chutney, and season well. Bring to the boil, then gently simmer for about 10 mins. Add the lentils and simmer for another 20 mins until the lentils and squash are tender. Stir in the coriander and serve with warmed naan bread.

Sweet & sour lentil dhal with grilled aubergine

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Wed, 04 May 2016 08:59:00 +0000

PREP: 10 MINSCOOK: 25 MINS

Spice up supper with this superhealthy recipe that's high in fibre, packed with iron and counts as 4 of your 5-a-day - it's cheap too!

Ingredients

100g red lentils, rinsed
1 tsp turmeric
1 tbsp tamarind paste (we used Bart)
2 tbsp vegetable oil
1 medium onion , thinly sliced
1 garlic clove, finely chopped
3cm/1¼ inch piece ginger , grated
1 tsp curry powder
1 medium aubergine , cut into 2 cm slices
cooked basmati rice, lime or mango chutney and a few coriander leaves, to serve, if you like

Method

Cover the lentils, turmeric and tamarind paste with 500ml water. Add some salt and boil for 15 mins or until very soft. Skim off any foam that forms on the top. Meanwhile, heat 1 tbsp of the oil and cook the onion, garlic and ginger until golden, about 5 mins.
Add the curry powder and cook for a further 2 mins. Pour in the lentil mixture and cook for another 10 mins.
Meanwhile, heat a griddle pan until very hot. Rub the remaining oil over the aubergine slices and season. Cook for 2-3 mins each side until cooked through and charred. Eat with basmati rice, lime or mango chutney and a sprinkling of coriander, if you like.

Quick mushroom & spinach lasagne

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Wed, 04 May 2016 08:55:00 +0000

PREP: 10 MINSCOOK: 35 MINS
An easy vegetarian supper that's cheap to make too

Ingredients

1 tbsp olive oil
1 garlic clove, crushed
250g pack mushrooms , sliced
1 tsp thyme leaves, chopped
200g bag spinach
300g tub light soft cheese
4 tbsp grated Parmesan (or vegetarian alternative)
6 fresh lasagne sheets

Method

Heat oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6. Heat the oil in a large frying pan, add the garlic and cook for 1 min. Add the mushrooms and thyme, then cook for 3 mins until they start to soften. Throw in the spinach and stir until the heat of the pan wilts the leaves. Remove from the heat and stir in the soft cheese, 1 tbsp of the Parmesan and some seasoning.
Put a quarter of the spinach mix on the bottom of a medium-sized baking dish, lay 2 pasta sheets on top, then repeat until you have used all the pasta. Finish with the final quarter of the spinach mix, sprinkle over the rest of the Parmesan, then bake for 35 mins until golden and the pasta is tender.

Roast pumpkin & spinach lasagne

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Wed, 04 May 2016 08:51:00 +0000

Nothing is as comforting as a rich creamy lasagne and the sweet, earthy flavours of this veggie classic are well worth the effort

Ingredients

750g Crown Prince pumpkin or butternut squash
2 tbsp olive oil
500g spinach , washed
1 tbsp butter , plus extra for greasing
whole nutmeg, for grating
6 fresh lasagne sheets
100g Parmesan (or vegetarian alternative), freshly grated

For the tomato sauce

1 medium onion , finely chopped
1 tbsp olive oil
1 celery stick, finely chopped
2 garlic clove, finely chopped
400g can cherry tomato
2 tsp light muscovado sugar

For the bechamel sauce

500ml full-fat milk
6 peppercorn
½ onion
1 bay leaf
50g plain flour
50g butter

Method

Heat oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6. Halve the pumpkin or squash, peel, deseed, then slice into 1cm slices. Toss with the oil in a roasting tin, season, then roast until tender and slightly charred at the edges. This can take up to 40 mins.
Meanwhile, make the tomato sauce. In a pan, soften the onion in the oil for 5 mins, then add the celery and garlic and cook for 1 min more. Add the tomatoes and sugar, then leave to simmer, uncovered, for 30 mins. Stir from time to time. You should be left with a thick purée. Season to taste.
Put the spinach in a saucepan with the water that still clings to it after washing, cover and put over a medium heat. Wilt the spinach for about 4 mins – you’ll need to turn it over with tongs every so often to make sure it all comes in contact with the heat at the bottom of the pan. When completely wilted, leave until cool enough to handle, then squeeze the water out with your hands. Chop and put in a pan with the butter. Gently heat, tossing together so the spinach is coated in butter, then season with salt, pepper and a generous grating of nutmeg.
For the béchamel sauce, bring the milk to the boil in a pan with the peppercorns, onion and bay leaf. Set aside for 5 mins to infuse, then strain the milk into another pan. Add the flour and butter, then gently heat, whisking all the while, until you have a thick, smooth sauce.
Heat oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6 and assemble the lasagne. Butter a large gratin or baking dish, roughly 1.4 litres in capacity. Put a layer of pumpkin in the bottom followed by a layer of tomato sauce. Lay lasagne sheets on top of this, cutting them to fit if necessary (you don’t want any overlapping). Now add a layer of béchamel followed by a scattering of spinach and half the cheese. Top with more lasagne sheets, pumpkin, tomato sauce, more lasagne and a final layer of béchamel sauce. Sprinkle the remaining cheese over the top. Bake for 40 mins, or until the lasagne is golden and bubbling.

Roasted vegetable lasagne

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Wed, 04 May 2016 08:48:00 +0000

Young, old and in-betweens will love this vegetarian Italian-style dish

Ingredients

3 red pepper
2 aubergine
8 tbsp olive oil , plus a little for greasing
½ quantity tomato sauce (see below)
300g fresh pack lasagne sheets
½ quantity white sauce (see below)
125g ball mozzarella
handful cherry tomatoes, halved

Method

Heat oven to 200C/fan 180C/gas 6. Deseed the peppers, halve, then cut into large chunks. Trim ends off aubergines, then cut into slices about ½cm thick. Lightly grease 2 large baking trays, then place peppers and aubergines on top. Toss with the olive oil, season well, then roast for 25 mins until lightly browned.
Reduce oven to 180C/fan 160C/gas 4. Lightly oil an ovenproof serving dish (30 x 20cm). Arrange a layer of the vegetables on the bottom, then pour over a third of the tomato sauce. Top with a layer of lasagne, then drizzle over a quarter of the white sauce. Repeat until you have 3 layers of pasta.
To finish, spoon remaining white sauce over the pasta, making sure the whole surface is covered. Scatter mozzarella over the top with the tomatoes. Bake for 45 mins until bubbling and golden.

Simple baked salmon with dill yoghurt

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Tue, 03 May 2016 22:33:00 +0000

DELICIOUS SERVED WITH MY ITALIAN FARRO SALAD

Ingredients

3 kg whole salmon , from sustainable sources, ask your fishmonger, scaled, filleted and pin-boned, or use 2x1.2kg sides of salmon fillet
8 sprigs fresh rosemary
extra virgin olive oil
FOR THE DILL YOGHURT
500 g fat free natural yoghurt
1 bunch fresh dill , chopped
1 lemon , juice and zest of
Method
This is an easy way of cooking whole salmon fillets. It’s simple to serve and just as good cold as it is hot. If you’re not sure how to prepare the fish, get your fishmonger to do it for you.

I’ve cooked it on a wooden plank in my outdoor wood-fired oven, but you can cook it in a large roasting tray in the oven.

Preheat the oven to 200ºC/400ºF/gas 6. Place the salmon fillets skin-side down in a large clean roasting tray – cut each in half if they don’t fit. Lay the rosemary on top and drizzle with olive oil. Gently rub the oil and rosemary all over the fish, and season. Bake for 20 minutes or until just cooked. (Alternatively, place on a clean smooth wooden plank and cook in an outdoor wood-fired oven for 20 minutes.)

Meanwhile, mix the yoghurt and dill with the grated zest of the lemon, a few drops of juice and season. Cut portions of salmon off the skin and serve with the Italian farro salad.

Beef Stew

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Tue, 03 May 2016 18:57:00 +0000

Tender chunks of meat you can cut with a fork… it’s the perfect comfort food. Browning the meat is key and takes time. Homemade beef stock makes a world of difference, or use canned unsalted chicken stock (canned beef stock is too pungent).

Prep Time: 30 minutes

Cook Time: 2 hours, 15 minutes

Total Time: 2 hours, 45 minutes

Makes: 3 to 4 servings

Ingredients:

3 teaspoons olive oil, divided
1 pound beef stew meat, visible fat removed
1 cup chopped onion
1 clove garlic, minced
2 1/2 cups homemade beef stock or canned unsalted chicken stock
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme leaves
1 bay leaf
4 medium red potatoes (about 1 pound) cut in 1-inch chunks
2 large carrots, sliced 1/4-inch thick
2 celery stalks, sliced
2 1/2 Tablespoons flour
1/4 cup stock

Instructions:

Heat 2 teaspoons of oil in a large sauté pan or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Brown the meat on one side for 5 minutes without turning over. Sprinkle with salt & pepper.
Turn meat, add 1 tsp. oil & brown another 2-3 minutes. Sprinkle with salt & pepper. Do not crowd the meat. Brown in two batches if necessary.
With all the meat browned and in the pan, reduce heat to medium. Add onion & garlic. Cook and stir 2-3 minutes until onion is browned.
Add stock (enough to cover the meat), salt, thyme & bay leaf and bring to a boil. Cover & simmer for 2 hours, checking occasionally.
After 2 hours, stir in potatoes, carrots & celery and bring to a boil. Cover & simmer 10-15 minutes until vegetables are done.
Combine flour with 1/4 cup stock or water, whisking until there are no lumps. Stir into stew and cook 5 more minutes until thickened.

Note: For my homemade beef stock recipe, follow my chicken soup recipe but use beef marrow bones instead of chicken.

Fall-Off-The-Bone Ribs

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Tue, 03 May 2016 18:54:00 +0000

This is a never-fail recipe and it’s so easy. Rub and cook ribs right away or rub and refrigerate for a few hours. Using a disposable foil pan or a foil-lined pan means no cleanup. These amazing ribs are equally delicious finished in the oven or on the grill. Don’t expect leftovers! - Jenny Jones

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 2 hours, 30 minutes

Total Time: 3 hours

Makes: one rack of ribs

Ingredients:

one rack of pork baby back ribs
juice of one lemon
1/4 cup dry rub
1/2 cup barbeque sauce

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 300° F.
Remove excess fat from ribs. Peel the silver skin off the back of the ribs - lift with a sharp knife and grab with a paper towel to remove.
Cut ribs apart into individual pieces.
Rub ribs all over with lemon juice.
Coat ribs with dry rub. Place meat side down in large baking pan, & cover tightly with foil, shiny side out.
Bake in the oven for 2 1/2 hours.
Remove from oven & pour off liquid.
Brush bbq sauce over all sides of ribs.
Grill: To finish ribs on the grill, remove from the pan and place ribs on the grill (I use a basket over direct but low heat) basting and turning a few times for about 10 minutes.
Oven: To finish ribs in the oven, set oven to broil and return ribs to the same oven rack, basting and broiling about 5 minutes per side, watching so they don’t burn. They will be so tender, it’s best to turn them using gloved hands.

Homemade mozzarella sticks!

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Tue, 03 May 2016 18:44:00 +0000

Ingredients

16 pieces String Cheese, Removed From Wrappers
½ cups All-purpose Flour
2 whole Eggs
3 Tablespoons Milk
1 Tablespoon Dried Parsley Flakes
Canola Oil, For Frying
Marinara Sauce, For Dipping
2 cups Panko Bread Crumbs

Directions

Slice string cheese pieces in half, for a total of 32 pieces.

Place flour in a small bowl.

In a separate bowl, whisk eggs and milk.

In another separate bowl, combine panko bread crumbs with parsley flakes.

TO ASSEMBLE: One by one, roll mozzarella sticks in flour, then dunk in egg/milk mixture, then place in panko crumbs. Use your hand to sweep crumbs all over the mozzarella stick. Gently remove and place on a tray or cookie sheet. Repeat until all mozzarella sticks are coated.

***Place tray in freezer for 20 to 30 minutes to flash freeze.***

TO COOK: Heat 1 1/2 inches canola oil in a large skillet over medium heat. When hot, add mozzarella sticks 8 at a time. Watch closely and turn over to evenly brown, cooking less than 2 minutes. Do not allow cheese to bubble and leak.

Remove to a paper towel-lined plate.

Serve immediately with warm marinara sauce.

Spiced Meatballs with Egg, Red Pepper and Tomato

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Tue, 03 May 2016 18:41:00 +0000

Ingredients

You'll need some bread with this. Whack some flatbread in the oven with paprika, oil and salt and let it crisp up. It gives a nice contrast to the soft eggs and juices.

300g/10oz lamb mince
½ onion, finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, crushed
Large handful fresh breadcrumbs
1 tsp ground cinnamon
Handful parsley leaves, roughly chopped
1 tbsp olive oil
400g/13oz can chopped tomatoes
2 grilled red peppers, torn
1 tsp caster sugar
1 tbsp harissa
4 eggs
1 tsp sumac

Directions

Put the mince in a large bowl with the onion, garlic and breadcrumbs. Add the cinnamon, parsley, salt and freshly ground black pepper. Using your hands, squeeze the ingredients together until well combined. Wet your hands and roll the mixture into 12 small meatballs.

Heat the oil in a large non-stick, heavy-based frying pan over a medium-high heat. Fry the meatballs, turning frequently, until golden-brown. Tip in the chopped tomatoes, peppers, sugar and harissa and simmer until the sauce has thickened and the meatballs are cooked through. Season.

Use a wooden spoon to clear four holes in the mixture and crack an egg into each one. Alternatively, divide the meatballs and their sauce between 4 individual frying pans before adding the egg. Cook on the stove until the whites of the eggs have set and sprinkle with sumac to serve.

Roast Sticky Chicken-Rotisserie Style

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Tue, 03 May 2016 18:37:00 +0000

Ingredients:

4 teaspoons salt

2 teaspoons paprika

1 teaspoon onion powder

1 teaspoon dried thyme

1 teaspoon white pepper

1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper

1/2 teaspoon black pepper

1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

2 onions, quartered 2 (4 pound) whole chickens

Instructions:

In a small bowl, mix together salt, paprika, onion powder, thyme, white pepper, black pepper, cayenne pepper, and garlic powder. Remove and discard giblets from chicken. Rinse chicken cavity, and pat dry with paper towel. Rub each chicken inside and out with spice mixture. Place 1 onion into the cavity of each chicken. Place chickens in a resealable bag or double wrap with plastic wrap. Refrigerate overnight, or at least 4 to 6 hours.
Preheat oven to 250 degrees F (120 degrees C).
Place chickens in a roasting pan. Bake uncovered for 5 hours, to a minimum internal temperature of 180 degrees F (85 degrees C). Let the chickens stand for 10 minutes before carving.

Hawaiian Fried Rice

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Tue, 03 May 2016 18:27:00 +0000

Ingredients

3 tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce
1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil
1 teaspoon hot sauce (like Tapatio or Sriracha), more or less to taste
1 tablespoon vegetable, canola or peanut oil
2 cups cooked, chopped ham
1 red bell pepper, stemmed, seeded and chopped
6 green onions, chopped, white and green parts separated
3 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 tablespoon minced fresh ginger
5 cups cooked rice, white or brown, cold
3 large eggs
1-2 cups pineapple pieces

Directions

In a small bowl or liquid measuring cup, whisk together the soy sauce, sesame oil and hot sauce. Set aside. In a large nonstick skillet or electric frying pan (which is what I use), heat 1 teaspoon of vegetable oil until rippling and hot. Add the ham, red bell pepper, and the chopped white parts of the green onions. Cook, stirring often, until lightly browned and the red pepper is tender (but not mushy), about 5-7 minutes. Stir in the garlic and ginger and cook another minute. Scrape the mixture onto a plate and set aside.

Heat another teaspoon of oil in the skillet until hot. Add the cold rice and cook, breaking up large clumps, until the rice is heated through, 5-6 minutes.

Push the rice to one side of the skillet and heat the last teaspoon of oil on the empty side of the skillet. Crack the eggs into the hot oil and stir lightly with a spatula or wooden spoon, cooking until the eggs are lightly scrambled and set. Stir the eggs and the ham mixture into the rice. Pour the soy sauce mixture into the rice and cook, stirring, until thoroughly combined and hot.

Off the heat, stir in the pineapple and green parts of the onions. Serve immediately.

Smothered Pork Chops

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Tue, 03 May 2016 18:24:00 +0000

Ingredients

5 slices bacon, chopped
6 bone-in pork loin chops, about 3/4-inch thick
Salt and Pepper
2 yellow onions, peeled, halved and sliced into 1/2-inch thick half moons
1 teaspoon plus 1 tablespoon light brown sugar
1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons cold water
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 teaspoon dried thyme
3 cups low-sodium chicken broth
1 tablespoon soy sauce
2 bay leaves
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1 tablespoon cider vinegar
2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped

Directions

In a large skillet over medium heat, fry bacon until lightly browned, about 5-6 minutes. Transfer bacon to a plate lined with paper towels, leaving the drippings in the pan. If you have more than 2 tablespoons drippings, drain the excess. If you don’t have quite that much, supplement with canola oil. When the bacon is cool, transfer to a small bag or tupperware and refrigerate until later.

Heat the skillet with the drippings over medium or medium-high heat until rippling and hot. Meanwhile, pat pork chops dry with paper towels and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Cook pork chops until they are golden brown on each side, about 2 minutes per side, cooking them in batches in the skillet if your skillet isn’t big enough to hold all six at a time in a single layer. When golden on each side, transfer the chops to the slow cooker and repeat with remaining pork.

Pour off all but 1 teaspoon of fat from the skillet; add onions, 1 teaspoon brown sugar, 1/4 teaspoon salt and 1/4 cup water to empty skillet. Using a wooden spoon, scrape browned bits from bottom of the pan and cook over medium-high heat until onions are soft, about 4-6 minutes. Stir in garlic and thyme and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Pour onion mixture over chops in the slow cooker. Add broth, soy sauce and remaining 1 tablespoon brown sugar to skillet, bring to a boil and add bay leaves. Pour mixture over onions in slow cooker.

Cover slow cooker and cook on low until pork is tender, about 8 hours (or cook on high for 4 hours).

When ready to serve, carefully transfer chops to serving platter with a large spoon and tent with foil. Discard bay leaves and pour liquid through a mesh strainer into a saucepan, reserving the solids. Transfer solids to a food processor or blender with 1 cup liquid and blend until smooth. Stir the blended mixture back into remaining liquid in the saucepan. In a small bowl, mix cornstarch and remaining 2 tablespoons water together in a small bowl and stir into sauce. Cook over medium heat until thickened and bubbly, about 5 minutes. Stir in vinegar, season with salt and pepper, pour over chops and sprinkle with reserved bacon and parsley. Serve.

Country-Style Pork and White Beans

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Tue, 03 May 2016 18:21:00 +0000

Ingredients

1 pound dried great northern beans
3 pounds country style pork ribs (about 12 ribs), trimmed of excess fat
Salt and ground black pepper
2 tablespoons canola oil
1 medium onion, chopped
6 medium garlic cloves, finely minced
3 cups low-sodium chicken broth, divided
2 tablespoons tomato paste
½ teaspoon celery seed
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1 bay leaf
1 pound chicken or turkey kielbasa sausage, cut into 1-inch chunks
2 (14.5 ounce each) cans diced tomatoes
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley

Directions

Eight to 24 hours before assembling in the slow cooker, rinse the white beans and place them in a large bowl with cold water to cover by at least 2 inches. Let the beans soak anywhere from 8 to 24 hours.

Eight to 9 hours before eating, drain the beans and transfer them to the slow cooker. Dry the pork ribs thoroughly with paper towels, then season generously with salt and pepper. Heat 2 teaspoons of the oil in a 12-inch skillet over medium heat until the oil is hot and rippling. Add half of the ribs and brown on all sides, 4-5 minutes. Transfer them to the slow cooker. Return the skillet to medium heat and heat 2 more teaspoons oil until hot and rippling. Brown the remaining ribs and transfer them to the slow cooker.

Return the skillet to medium heat and heat the remaining 2 teaspoons oil until shimmering. Add the onion and ¼ teaspoon salt; cook, stirring occasionally, until beginning to brown, about 2 minutes. Add the garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add 1 cup of the chicken broth, tomato paste, celery seed, thyme and bay leaf, scraping up the browned bits from the bottom of the skillet. Turn the heat to high and bring the mixture to a boil. Transfer the onion mixture to slow cooker.

Add the kielbasa, tomatoes and chicken broth to the slow cooker. Cover and cook on either low or high, until the meat is tender, 7 to 8 hours on low or 5 to 6 on high. Before serving, discard the bay leaf, stir in the parsley, and season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve over hot, steamed rice, if desired.