September is National Rice Month in the United States. All month long, we celebrate the harvest season of this worldwide favorite crop. Rice is the second leading crop in production worldwide- more than 700 million tons are harvested annually! Not only is rice important to cultures worldwide, there is also a nearly unlimited number of ways to serve in 120,000 varieties of rice grown. We chose our favorite four ways to help you celebrate National Rice Month in your own home.
Stuffed Peppers
Ingredients
- 1 cup Alessi Arborio Rice
- 2 cups Alessi Chunky Marinara Sauce, divided
- 6 large bell peppers
- 1 onion, chopped
- 1 tablespoon Alessi Extra Virgin Olive Oil
- 1 teaspoon Alessi Garlic Puree
- 1 pound ground beef
- Alessi Sea Salt and Ground Black Pepper, to taste
- 1 cup shredded Parmesan cheese
Directions
Preheat oven to 425°F. Line a large baking dish with foil.
Cook Arborio rice according to package directions. Transfer to a large bowl to let cool and stir in 1 cup of marinara sauce.
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Cut off top of each pepper and scoop out seeds and membrane. Add peppers to pot and bring water back to a rapid boil. Cook until slightly softened, 8 to 10 minutes. Using tongs remove peppers from water and drain upside-down on paper towels.
Sauté onion in olive oil until soft and translucent, stir in the garlic puree. Add meat and cook until crumbled and no longer pink. Stir in remaining 1 cup of marinara and season with salt and pepper. Reduce to medium heat for another 2-3 minutes. Add meat to rice and evenly combine.
Transfer peppers to baking dish and fill with rice and meat mixture. Top with shredded cheese and bake for 10 minutes or until cheese is melted.
Colorful Jasmine Rice Salad
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons Alessi White Balsamic Vinegar
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 1/2 teaspoon brown sugar
- 1 1/2 cup cooked Vigo Jasmine Rice
- 1/4 cup red bell pepper, diced
- 1 carrot, diced
- 1 stalk celery, diced
Directions
In a small bowl, whisk together vinegar, soy sauce, oil and brown sugar. Set aside.
In a mixing bowl, add Jasmine Rice, red pepper, carrot and celery. Mix together.
Pour dressing over rice and toss. Serve cold or room temperature.
Risotto con Asparagi
Ingredients
- 6 cups chicken broth
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 2 tablespoons Alessi Extra Virgin Olive Oil
- 1/2 onion, finely minced
- 1 1/2 cup Alessi Arborio Rice
- 1/2 cup dry white wine
- 3/4 pounds fresh asparagus, base discarded and cut into 1" pieces
- 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese, grated
- Alessi Sea Salt and Ground Black Pepper, to taste
Directions
In a saucepan, keep chicken broth simmering.
In a separate 4 quart heavy bottomed saucepan, heat butter and olive oil, add onion and sauté until onion is transparent. Add Arborio rice and stir until well coated (approximately 1 minute). Then add wine and stir until absorbed. From this point cooking time is about 18 minutes.
It is important to keep stirring through the entire cooking process.
Add enough broth to barely cover rice. Continually stir while cooking until broth is absorbed. Continue in this manner adding ½ cup broth each time. Adjust heat to keep rice cooking at slow boil.
After 8 minutes, add asparagus. Continue the cycle of adding broth while stirring and cooking. Risotto should be creamy and moist, tender yet firm to the bite (al dente).
Remove from heat, stir in cheese, adjust with salt and pepper to taste and serve immediately.
Arborio Stuffed Tomatoes
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup Alessi Arborio Rice
- 4 vine ripened tomatoes
- 3 tablespoons fresh oregano, chopped
- 4 Basil leaves, finely chopped
- 1 teaspoon Alessi Garlic Puree
- 1/4 cup Alessi Extra Virgin Olive Oil
- Alessi Sea Salt and Ground Black Pepper, to taste
Directions
Preheat oven to 325.
Cook the Arborio rice according to package directions. Let cool and place in medium mixing bowl.
Cut the tops off of the tomatoes. Using a small spoon, hollow them out and keep the pulp. Finely chop the pulp and mix in with the rice. Add the oregano, basil and garlic to the rice and mix well. Stir in the olive oil and season with salt and pepper.
Using a spoon, fill the hollowed tomatoes with the rice mixture. Place on a baking sheet lined with foil and bake for 15-20 minutes. Let cool and serve.