The Loving Your Leftovers Series: #4 Rice

[Kerry Beal]

Realizing as I'm heating up some paella that I made at work yesterday for a do over - that I often make extra rice with exactly the intent of using it from cold. I rarely make fried rice - but I often store away cooked rice in the freezer to be reheated in the microwave by hubby when I'm away so he can feed himself.

 

The one dish that I make most often with leftover rice is what I call 'rice and peas'. I put together this dish first when hubby and I were in Barbados in a self catering cottage and my options were a bit limited. It turned out very well and has in the regular rotation for many years since.

 

Chop a couple of big onions into a coarse dice and saute until soft in some oil and butter. Add a pound or so of ground beef - saute until pink is gone. A bit of onion powder, lots of salt and pepper. Cold rice added - lid put on until a bit of steaming happens and the rice gets warmed through. At this point I add (sacrilege I know) a drained can of peas. You could add frozen instead I'm sure (but it wouldn't be the same!)

 

I'll grab a picture next time I make it - although it's not particularly photogenic.

 

 

[Anna N]

Thanks.  You have mentioned rice and peas many times and it sounded about as boring as it could possibly get! No mention of onion or ground beef whatsoever.  This sounds not only doable but quite good provided we ditch those canned peas in favour of something edible.

[jayt90]

Canned peas have a special unique flavor and texture. Especially tiny Le Seur peas. I usually think of rice and peas using dried cow peas or other affirmative dried beans,  but I am definitely going try Kerry's recipe.

[Anna N]

1 hour ago, jayt90 said:

Canned peas have a special unique flavor and texture. Especially tiny Le Seur peas. I usually think of rice and peas using dried cow peas or other affirmative dried beans,  but I am definitely going try Kerry's recipe.

Exactly -- dried beans and rice - horrors!  As to canned peas ...  The less said the better.  No one could possibly argue with your assertion that they have "a special unique flavour and texture".   That does indeed say it all.

[kayb]

Been a long time since I've made them, but leftover rice is always an opportunity for calas. Been a long time. May have to actually gear up to deep fry, here soon.

[Anna N]

12 minutes ago, kayb said:

Been a long time since I've made them, but leftover rice is always an opportunity for calas. Been a long time. May have to actually gear up to deep fry, here soon.

 What an interesting recipe. Thanks for sharing as it's completely new to me.

[ElsieD]

Whenever we have mushroom risotto, we usually have some left and I like to make arancini.

[Kerry Beal]

I know I've mentioned it before - but as a child after we had rice with dinner - we often had a bowl of rice with some maple syrup or brown sugar and cream for dessert.

[liuzhou]

1 hour ago, Anna N said:

 What an interesting recipe. Thanks for sharing as it's completely new to me.

 

Agree.

 

I mainly use leftover rice as does @Kerry Beal, by freezing and defrosting in the microwave on the many occasions I get home late and desperate to eat NOW! In downright emergencies, I've been known to mix it with flaked tuna from a can, throw in some chopped, pitted olives, capers etc.

 

Also, I do often make fried rice in many variations.

 

And while I'm here, may I add my opinion of canned peas, reached after long, calm, sober reflection.

 

 

 

[Nauticus]

Reused rice is a staple for me, I always - intentionally - make too much. But there is so much that you can do with it.

 

I do "fried" rice - it's actually less fried and more sauteed - and turn it into a pilaf. Sweat garlic and onions, add orange bell pepper (thai chilles if you want heat) and turn the heat up to medium when you add the rice. Add some dried Greek oregano and a squirt of lemon near the end (too early and it'll burn), and you've got a wonderful side dish.

 

I also spice the rice lightly while cold, and sometimes use it in place of potatoes when serving stews, or braised dishes where you serve some of the braising liquid as a sauce or a jus. Cooked rice shouldn't absorb much of the excess liquid, especially if it's fried, the sauce becomes more of a glaze. 

[dcarch]

Leftover rice and whatever I could find in the refrigerator.

 

Shiso, and daikon  were from my garden.

 

dcarch

 

[Nauticus]

That looks delicious.

 

I cannot wait for the weather to improve so that I can start harvesting from my garden....

[Toliver]

My mom would make Rice Pudding (yes, with raisins ) with leftover rice. 

Though once she took Chinese cooking lessons, leftover rice became fried rice. 

I'd eat either one, happily.

[Anna N]

 I am pretty sure Pepin has a recipe for rice pudding using leftover rice.   Cannot remember where I saw it.   Don't have time to search at the moment.

Edited April 17, 2017 by Anna N (log)

[Chris Hennes]

I don't know if this is where you saw it, but he's got a recipe for "Rice pudding with dried cherries and blueberry sauce" in Heart & Soul in the Kitchen that uses leftover rice.

[Arey]

I always make enough rice to freeze a couple of one cup containers,  Right now I have saffron rice, curried rice, wild rice and white rice mix (I use Near Brand original flavor, and trash the flavor package) pinenut-parsley-pilaf and plain white rice in my freezer.  I need to make a batch of rice with peas since I'm out of it right now.  For the curried rice and the rice with peas I use chicken broth, instead of water.  I first had rice and pea years ago at the house of a woman who had a catering business and had two assistants living with her. Two women, Anna and Maria, from  the Cividale area and what I had there was risi e bisi.  Neither Anna nor Maria would  consider my rice and peas as even being remotely related to risi e bisi, and for that matter, neither would I.  I saute some onion and mushrooms and then toast the rice, add chicken broth , frozen mushrooms, and cook.  No canned peas allowed. 

Edited April 17, 2017 by Arey (log)

[Anna N]

26 minutes ago, Chris Hennes said:

I don't know if this is where you saw it, but he's got a recipe for "Rice pudding with dried cherries and blueberry sauce" in Heart & Soul in the Kitchen that uses leftover rice.

 Thank you that is the one I recall.

[dcarch]

A few other suggestion for leftover rice fun:

 

1. Leftover rice + yeast = rice wine.

2. Leftover rice in a blender + chicken stock + fresh cooked rice = rice risotto. 

3. Dried leftover rice deep fried = puffed rice for snacks.

4. leftover sticky rice from making other recipes - put in a bread maker and let the paddle mesh the rice up. You will end up with Mochi to make mochi ice cream.

 

dcarch

 

 

[liuzhou]

On 2017/4/17 at 9:31 AM, liuzhou said:

I mainly use leftover rice as does @Kerry Beal, by freezing and defrosting in the microwave on the many occasions I get home late and desperate to eat NOW! In downright emergencies, I've been known to mix it with flaked tuna from a can, throw in some chopped, pitted olives, capers etc.

 

And here's one example:

 

 

Better than it looks, but for emergencies only, perhaps.

[lindag]

On ‎4‎/‎16‎/‎2017 at 0:41 PM, Anna N said:

Exactly -- dried beans and rice - horrors!  As to canned peas ...  The less said the better.  No one could possibly argue with your assertion that they have "a special unique flavour and texture".   That does indeed say it all.

 

I'd put them in the same category as canned spinach.  Yuck.  Ptooey.

Edited April 18, 2017 by lindag (log)

[scubadoo97]

One of my closet dishes is  reheated leftover white rice, thawed frozen peas, a good shake of the supermarket shelf yellow "curry" powder and pull it together with a spoon of mayo.  

[Anna N]

This  recipe for using leftover rice showed up in my mailbox today. It looks like my kind of comfort food and although the recipe appears complicated at first glance when you realize you can use instant dashi to make the broth it becomes very doable. I realize that instant dashi is not everybody's idea of a pantry staple but it is one of mine. 

[scubadoo97]

Instant dashi is a stable in my pantry

[liamsaunt]

I had some leftover vegetable paella from dinner the other night--the last leftovers in my fridge.  For sad desk lunch today I heated it up, drained the oil off a small tin of Ortiz tuna in olive oil and added that in along with the juice of half a lemon and salt and pepper.  Leftovers gone just in time for the weekend.

 

[Kerry Beal]

✷✷WARNING✷✷ : picture contain canned peas - eyes may need to be averted!

 

 

Rice and peas.