Green Goddess Rice & Simplicity

Cooking is like writing poetry, be careful in the choice of your ingredients

and respectful of how they work together. 

That’s true of all the efforts in life.

~Maya Angelou

As you all know very well by now, I feel a magnetic pull towards simplicity when cooking.  I do not know if this is because I am a new cook with little experience and simple cooking is much easier, or whether all the messy, complicated things in life just make me crumble into a million pieces. Whatever the reason (probably a little of both), I am so happy that I am learning to cook the way I do.  I cook simply.  I live simply.  I love simply.  And, for these reasons, I am simply ... happy. 

Hubby thought this rice was "different, but pretty good".  I, on the other hand, ate half of the pot on my own during our supper and could not stop talking it.  (I get annoyingly chatty when I am in love with a recipe). 

This dish has the most vibrant, herby flavor, and the avocado brings such a beautiful creaminess.  I fell in love.  Simple, pure love. 

Green Goddess Rice - Recipe by Claire Robinson.  www.foodnetwork.com/5fix
Ingredients:

1 ½ cups basmati rice (brown rice would be delish, too)

1 small avocado, peeled, pitted, and coarsely chopped
1 cup fresh basil leaves
1 lemon, juiced
1/4 cup water
3 tablespoons olive oil (we just used 1 tbsp, and this was sufficient)

The Process:
Bring the rice, 3 cups water, and a pinch of salt to a boil in a pan over medium heat. Reduce the heat to a gentle simmer, stir, cover, and cook until water is completely absorbed, 15 to 18 minutes. Remove from heat and let stand, covered, for 10 minutes.

While the rice is simmering away, get out your blender.  No margaritas this evening, folks - we are making Green Goddess Rice!  Put the avocado, basil, oil, lemon juice, and 1/4 cup water in the blender and puree.  Add some S & P to your liking, and add more water if needed so that you have blended your mixture to creamy perfection.  (Your goal is for it to have the same consistency as sour cream).

Fluff the rice with a fork, and then gently fold in the green deliciousness into the warm rice. 

We enjoyed this rice alongside hand-battered chicken tenders (hubby's fav).  It would be divinely perfect resting beside a filet of fish, or it would also be scrumptious in a pasta salad with a fancy pasta noodle (i.e. cavatappi, farfalle).  You could also just make the sauce and pour it over a protein, such as chicken or pork. 

The ingredients of this recipe are outstanding:  avocado, basil, lemon, and rice.  You will taste every ingredient in every bite, and I love when I can pinpoint each flavor with every gorgeous spoonful that graces my palate. 

Bright, fresh, simple.