In the United States, as in much of the world, rice—most commonly white rice—is the most popular and widely available grain. But in the world of grains, rice is but one of many fantastic options, and they’re almost all, almost always interchangeable. (This is especially the case when a recipe calls for using them already cooked, as many of mine do.) So my goal here is to offer a wide variety of whole grains in mostly familiar dishes, helping you to quickly become as comfortable with the ones you don’t know as you probably are with white rice.

White rice is a fine starting point, although these days I eat predominantly brown rice and other whole grains. This doesn’t mean I’ve cut traditional risotto, sticky rice, or Indian-restaurant basmati out of my diet. But since recipes for those kinds of dishes are easy to find (they’re certainly in my other cookbooks), here I focus on whole grains, which are minimally processed, thus delivering the most micronutrients and fiber and requiring less energy to get from field to table. (Often, you can substitute white rice in these dishes: Reduce the cooking time by about half; or in cases where brown rice is parboiled first, simply eliminate that step.)

Other personal biases might be less obvious. There’s a fair amount of bulgur in this chapter, because it’s fast and easy to cook (and find!) and has a distinctive and pleasantly chewy texture and nutty flavor. Cornmeal and oats are other convenient and versatile whole grains, so they’re well represented too. I’ve included several recipes that feature quinoa, the tasty, quick-cooking grain that’s high in protein and now available in most supermarkets. (Quinoa has been “the next big thing” in whole grains for at least twenty-five years; maybe its time has come. In any case, most people who try it like it, so if you haven’t, you should.)

Since cooked grains keep well in the fridge for several days—and freeze almost as well as beans—I urge you to cook them plain, in bulk, and keep them handy. Out of the fridge you can reheat them in the microwave (the best method) or gently on the stove. Add them to stir-fries or other cooked dishes, or use them cold in salads. From the freezer, they work best in soups, chilies, stews, and other high-moisture dishes. (It helps to add a little extra water to precooked frozen grains when you thaw them.)

Breakfast is the natural way to get more whole grains in your diet, so I’ve started this chapter with all the “breakfasty” recipes, right after the two basic grain-cooking techniques. After that come vegan dishes, then vegetarian—which may contain some cheese and/or eggs—and then those that include seafood, chicken, and finally meat.

Batch of Grains

Makes: 6 to 8 cups (6 to 10 servings)

Time: 10 minutes to more than 1 hour, depending on the grain

This isn’t even a recipe, really, just the only method for cooking grains you need. Cooking grains (beans, too, for that matter) is fraught with too many variables to make measurements valuable, or even necessary. With this technique, the absolute worst that can happen is that you need to add more water as the grains cook or drain off excess when they’re done. No big deal. The more you cook grains freestyle like this, the more comfortable you’ll get eyeballing the progress and making adjustments.

Cooked grains keep wonderfully in the refrigerator or freezer, and they reheat easily in the microwave or covered on the stovetop with a few drops of water over low heat. Or use them as is in salads and stir-fries and for baking.

2 cups brown rice (any size), bulgur, quinoa, barley (any type), oat groats, buckwheat groats, steel-cut oats, millet, cracked wheat, hominy, whole rye, farro, kamut, or wild rice; or 1½ cups wheat berries

Salt

1. Rinse the grains in a strainer and put them in a large pot with a big pinch of salt. Add enough water to cover by about 1 inch, no more. (If you want drier grains, cover with closer to ½ inch water.) Bring to a boil, then adjust the heat so the mixture bubbles gently.

2. Cook, undisturbed, until the grains are tender and almost all of the water is absorbed. This will take as little as 5 to 10 minutes for bulgur and steel-cut oats, 20 to 25 minutes for quinoa, at least 40 minutes for long-grain brown rice, and as long as 1 hour or more for some specialty rices and other grains with their hulls intact. As the grains cook, add boiling water as necessary to keep them just submerged and to prevent them from drying out and sticking.

3. Every now and then, test a kernel. Grains are done when tender but still a little chewy. (Think al dente.) Be careful not to overcook (unless you want them mushy, in which case see Batch of Softer Grains, page 273). When they’re ready, and if the water is all absorbed (one sure sign is that little holes have formed on the top), just cover the pot and remove it from the heat. If some water still remains, drain, return to the pot, cover, and remove from the heat. Either way, undisturbed, they’ll stay warm for about 20 minutes. Fluff the grains with a fork. Leave plain or season using some of the ideas from the list that follows. Serve hot or at room temperature.

Couscous with Some Measuring. Put 2 cups whole wheat couscous in the pot and add 3 cups water and a pinch of salt. Bring the water to a boil, then cover and remove from the heat. Let steep for at least 10 minutes (5 minutes if using white couscous) or up to 20. Fluff with a fork and serve with any of the additions suggested below.

Baked Brown Rice or Whole Grains Without Measuring. Heat the oven to 400°F. Put the rinsed grains in an ovenproof pot or Dutch oven, add salt, then cover with cold water by 1 inch. Bake for 30 to 60 minutes, depending on the size and sturdiness of the grain. Remove from the oven and let sit for 10 minutes before tossing with any of the additions suggested below.

Batch of Softer Grains

Makes: 6 to 8 cups (6 to 10 servings)

Time: 30 to 90 minutes or more, depending on the grain

Cook grains long enough and the kernels soften and eventually explode, releasing more starch into the cooking water. When cooled, the kernels set up into a solid mass that keeps its shape (think of polenta) and become endlessly useful. Keep them on the dry side, and they’ve got the consistency of mashed potatoes, with a stiffness that makes them perfect for shaping into grain crusts and cakes (see the recipes on pages 305 and 312). Add more water to the pot, and they become a creamy, almost smooth porridge. Like Batch of Grains, this will keep for several days in the refrigerator or months in the freezer.

2 cups brown rice (any size), bulgur, quinoa, barley (any type), oat groats, buckwheat groats, steel-cut oats, millet, cracked wheat, hominy, whole rye, farro, kamut, or wild rice; or 1½ cups wheat berries

Salt

1. Rinse the grains in a strainer and put them in a large pot along with a big pinch of salt. Add enough water to cover by about 1½ inches. Bring to a boil, then adjust the heat so the mixture bubbles gently.

2. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the grains are very tender and have burst; this will take anywhere from 30 minutes to over 1 hour, depending on the grain. If you want your grains on the soupy side, add more boiling water liberally as the grains cook; if you want drier grains, add just enough boiling water to keep the grains submerged. When the grains are starchy and thick, like porridge, cover and remove from the heat; you can let it sit for up to 20 minutes. Serve hot or at room temperature. If serving right away, see Terrific Additions to Any Cooked Grains (page 272) for some flavoring ideas.

Mashed Whole Grains with Garlic and Olive Oil. You can use butter instead of olive oil here. Add 1 or more cloves of garlic to the pot in Step 1. When the grains are done cooking and resting, drizzle in 2 tablespoons olive oil (or more if you like) and mash the grains with a fork or potato masher. If the grains are too thick, add up to ¼ cup warm milk, cream, or water as you mash. When the grains are fluffy and fairly smooth (and the garlic has been evenly incorporated), drizzle with a little more olive oil and serve.

Porridge, Sweet or Savory

Makes: 4 to 6 servings

Time: 15 minutes

One of the most flexible recipes there is and easily adapted to just about any grain you like (except big kernels like barley or wheat berries or quick-cooking or instant oats). I’m guessing that you’ll eat more whole grains for breakfast if they’re interesting, so vary the ingredients you stir in at will, whether you have a sweet tooth or a salty one in the morning. There is no right or wrong way here; don’t rule out anything (especially leftovers) simply because the idea doesn’t seem like “normal” breakfast food. I alternate between pungent flavors like sesame oil, soy sauce, and sliced scallions, and classics like maple syrup and berries. Take a look at the ideas below and see what strikes your fancy.

If you’re cooking for one or two, make a full batch anyway. Let it cool, separate it into small airtight containers, and refrigerate or freeze them. With a microwave, you can have hot porridge for breakfast every morning in a couple of minutes.

Salt

2 cups grains, like rolled oats (or other rolled grain), cracked wheat, quinoa, millet, or short-grain brown rice

1 tablespoon butter, or to taste, optional

1. Combine 4 to 4½ cups water (more water will produce creamier porridge), a pinch of salt, and the grains in a medium saucepan and turn the heat to high. When the water boils, turn the heat down so the mixture bubbles gently and cook, stirring frequently, until the water is just absorbed: about 5 minutes for rolled oats, 15 minutes for cornmeal or cracked wheat, 30 minutes for quinoa or millet, or up to 45 minutes or more for brown rice. Add water as needed to keep the porridge from sticking.

2. When the grains are very soft and the mixture is thickened, serve or cover the pan and turn off the heat; you can let it sit for up to 15 minutes. Uncover, stir, add butter as desired, and serve with any of the additions listed opposite, alone or in combination (or store, covered, in the refrigerator for up to a week or in the freezer for up to a month).

Spiced Breakfast Bulgur

Makes: 4 servings

Time: 25 minutes

Wheat is a classic breakfast cereal, and bulgur is the fastest-cooking wheat there is. Simmering the grains with citrus and spices is a wonderful way to add distinctive but not overpowering flavor. For a more assertive flavor, stir in another pinch of ground spices just before serving.

1 orange, halved

Any one or combination of the following: 2 cinnamon sticks, 1 whole nutmeg, 2 teaspoons whole allspice berries, 2 teaspoons cardamom pods

1 cup bulgur

Salt

2 cups sliced fresh fruit (see the headnote on page 278)

1 cup nuts, toasted if you like, optional

Honey, maple syrup, or brown sugar, for serving, optional

1. Squeeze the juice from the orange into a medium saucepan and toss in the peels along with whatever spices you’re using. Add 2 cups water and bring the mixture to a boil. Fish out the orange peels and spices with a small strainer or slotted spoon.

2. Stir in the bulgur and a pinch of salt and adjust the heat so that the mixture bubbles gently. Cook, without stirring, until the bulgur is tender but still a little chewy, 5 to 10 minutes; add a little water if the mixture starts to dry out. Cover, remove from the heat, and let sit for at least 5 minutes or up to 1 hour. Serve hot or at room temperature, topped with the fresh fruit, nuts, and honey if you like.

Herbed Breakfast Bulgur. This is terrific with berries. Substitute a lemon for the orange and a sprig of rosemary, thyme, lavender, or tarragon for the spices. Proceed with the recipe.

Granola

Makes: About 9 cups

Time: 30 minutes

Increasingly, store-bought granola is made from real ingredients, and that’s a good thing. But most cost a fortune compared to the homemade version, which has other advantages: You can customize it to your taste, change it up every time you make a new batch, and always know what you’re eating. Both granola and muesli (see the variation) are good not only as ready-to-eat cereal but also sprinkled on top of yogurt or fruit salad or stirred into pancake, waffle, or quick-bread batter.

5 cups rolled oats (not quick-cooking or instant) or other rolled grains (like wheat, rye, or Kamut)

3 cups chopped mixed nuts (like walnuts, pecans, almonds, and cashews) and whole seeds (like sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds, and sesame seeds)

1 cup shredded, unsweetened coconut

1 teaspoon ground spice (like cinnamon, ginger, or cardamom), or ½ teaspoon nutmeg, cloves, or allspice

½ to 1 cup honey, maple syrup, or raw sugar, or to taste

1 teaspoon vanilla or almond extract, optional

Salt

1 to 1½ cups dried fruit, chopped if necessary (like raisins, blueberries, apricots, figs, dates, cranberries, cherries, pineapple, crystallized ginger, or banana chips)

1. Heat the oven to 350°F. In a large bowl, combine the oats, nuts and seeds, coconut, spice, sweetener, and extract if you’re using it; sprinkle with a little pinch of salt. Toss well to thoroughly distribute the ingredients. Spread the mixture on a rimmed baking sheet and bake for 30 minutes or a little longer, stirring occasionally. The granola should brown evenly; the darker it gets without burning, the crunchier it will be.

2. Remove the pan from the oven and add the dried fruit. Cool in the pan on a wire rack, stirring now and then, until the granola reaches room temperature. Serve (or store in a sealed container at room temperature for up to a week).

Muesli. Faster, but not as crunchy. Omit the extract and honey or syrup. Combine the oats, nuts, seeds, coconut, spice, and fruit in a large bowl and sprinkle with salt. Toss the mixture with ¼ cup brown sugar. Serve with yogurt, fresh fruit, honey, or milk. Store as you would granola.

Fruity Breakfast Pilaf

Makes: 4 servings

Time: 45 to 60 minutes

All the things you like about rice pilaf you’ll like about this slightly sweet cousin. Stone fruits (like peaches, plums, and apricots), apples, pears, cherries, berries, grapes, and pineapple, alone or in combination, are all good choices. When you top the rice with a dollop of ricotta or cottage cheese, this dish is as satisfying and impressive as pancakes or French toast—perfect for a weekend brunch. Or make a big batch and nibble on it (reheated, cold, or at room temperature) all through the workweek.

2 tablespoons butter or olive oil

1 tablespoon honey, plus more for serving

1½ cups brown rice

Salt

1 cup orange or apple juice

3 cups chopped fruit (see the headnote)

½ cup ricotta cheese, optional

½ cup chopped fresh mint, for garnish

1. Put the butter or oil in a large, deep skillet or medium saucepan over medium heat. When the butter is melted or the oil is hot, add the honey and rice. Cook, stirring, until the rice is glossy, completely coated with oil or butter, and starting to color, 3 to 5 minutes. Add a pinch of salt, then turn the heat down to low. Add the juice and 1½ cups water, stir once or twice, and cover the pan.

2. Cook until most of the liquid is absorbed and the rice is just tender, 35 to 45 minutes. Uncover, stir in the fruit, replace the lid, and remove from the heat. Let the pilaf rest for at least 5 minutes or up to 20 minutes. Taste, add more salt if necessary, and fluff with a fork. Serve, topped with the ricotta if you’re using it, mint, and an extra drizzle of honey.

Wheat Berries with Berries

Makes: 4 servings

Time: 45 minutes to 2 hours

Cute name aside, the combination of wheat berries, almond milk, and fresh berries is unfussy and delicious. The result is like a cross between berry soup and rice pudding, only dairy-free—unless you choose to replace some of the almond or oat milk with dairy milk (or even a bit of half-and-half), which you certainly can do.

Wheat berries are a notoriously temperamental grain; sometimes they cook quickly, but other times they can take hours to get soft. If you want to cut down the cooking time, soak the wheat berries in water overnight and drain them before beginning the recipe.

¾ cup wheat berries

2 cups almond or oat milk

¼ cup maple syrup or honey, or to taste

Salt

4 cups blueberries, raspberries, blackberries, cherries (pitted if you like), or strawberries, or a combination

¼ cup sliced almonds

1. In a large pot, combine the wheat berries with the milk, maple syrup, and a pinch of salt. Add water if necessary to cover the wheat berries by at least 1 inch. Bring to a boil, then adjust the heat so the mixture bubbles gently.

2. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the wheat berries are tender, which may take anywhere from 35 minutes to over 2 hours. Add boiling water as necessary to keep the wheat berries covered and to keep them from drying out as they swell and become tender. Wheat berries are done when they’re tender with a slight bite to them; the mixture will still be a little soupy. (You can make the grains ahead to this point and refrigerate for up to a few days; gently reheat them before proceeding.)

3. Add the berries to the wheat berry mixture and stir until they soften a bit. Serve warm, garnished with the almonds.

Homemade Cereal

Makes: 4 servings

Time: About 40 minutes, plus time to cool

All ready-to-eat cereals—except Granola (page 276)—come from a box, right? Not necessarily. Making homemade corn cereal is as easy as making crackers; all you need is a rolling pin and a baking sheet. For best results, let the cooked sheet of dough cool thoroughly before breaking it up.

If you have a pasta rolling machine, this is a good place to use it. If you don’t, just be patient and roll the sheet of dough as thin as practically possible; it will be thicker than cornflakes but with a wonderful texture and crunch. Once the sheets have baked and cooled, you can break them into small pieces with your hands or pulse them into bits in a food processor.

½ cup cornmeal (fine or medium grind), plus more as needed

1½ cups whole wheat flour, plus more as needed

2 tablespoons sugar

½ teaspoon salt

1 tablespoon vegetable oil

1. Heat the oven to 300°F. Lightly dust a baking sheet (or 2 if necessary) with cornmeal or put a baking stone in the oven. Put the cornmeal, flour, sugar, salt, and oil in a food processor. Pulse until everything is combined. Add about ¼ cup water and let the machine run for a bit; continue to add water 1 teaspoon at a time until the mixture holds together but is not sticky.

2. Roll out the dough between 2 sheets of lightly floured wax paper until ¹/₈ inch thick or even thinner, if possible, adding flour as needed. Use the rolling pin, a spatula, pastry blade, or peel to transfer the dough to the prepared baking sheet or stone. Bake until lightly browned and crisp, about 30 minutes. Cool the pans completely on a wire rack. Crumble the sheets into flakes of any size or pulse them into bits in a food processor. Eat right away (or store in a sealed container for up to a week).

Griddled Toast with Warm Fruit

Makes: 4 servings

Time: 30 minutes

This is somewhere between French toast and milk toast, but fruity—made with apple juice instead of milk. Bread with a dense, tight crumb is the way to go here. And consider using peaches, pears, plums, berries, pineapples, or bananas instead of apples in the warm fruit topping.

1 egg

½ cup apple juice or apple cider

Dash of salt

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Butter or vegetable oil as needed

8 slices bread, preferably whole grain

2 large apples, cored and thinly sliced

Honey to taste, optional

1. Heat the oven to 200°F. Put a large skillet or griddle over medium heat. Beat the egg lightly in a wide bowl and stir in the apple juice, salt, and vanilla.

2. Add a pat of butter to the skillet. When it melts, quickly dip each slice of bread in turn in the egg mixture and put them in the skillet in a single layer. (Cook in batches if there’s not enough room.) Cook the slices until they’re nicely browned on each side, turning and adding bits of butter as necessary, for 5 to 10 minutes total; you may find that you can raise the heat a bit. Transfer the pieces of toast to the oven as they finish.

3. When all the toast is done, add the apples to the skillet along with a little honey if you like and cook, stirring, until soft and slightly browned, about 5 minutes. Serve the apples over the toast.

Crisp and Thin Waffles with Loads of Fresh Fruit

Makes: 4 servings

Time: 30 minutes

When you thin waffle batter before cooking, you end up with ultracrisp waffles that still have a little bit of chew—the perfect foil for juicy fresh fruit. Since you’re not cooking or seasoning the fruit—try berries, cherries, peaches, nectarines, plums, mango, or pineapple—be sure it’s really ripe and juicy.

Vegetable oil, for the waffle iron

2 cups whole wheat flour

½ teaspoon salt

2 tablespoons sugar

1 teaspoon baking soda

½ cup yogurt or buttermilk

1 egg

2 tablespoons melted butter

½ teaspoon vanilla extract, optional

4 cups fresh fruit, pitted and peeled as necessary, and cut into bite-size pieces (see the headnote)

1. Brush the waffle iron lightly with oil and set it to medium-high heat. Combine the dry ingredients in a large bowl. In another bowl, whisk together the yogurt, egg, and 1½ cups water. Stir in the butter and vanilla extract if you’re using it. Stir the wet ingredients into the dry until almost smooth. The consistency should be like thin pancake batter; if not, add a little more water.

2. Spread a thin layer of batter onto the waffle iron; bake until the waffle is crisp, 5 to 10 minutes. Serve immediately, topped with the fruit. Repeat for more waffles.

Savory Supercrisp Waffles. Omit the sugar, increase the salt to 1 teaspoon, and omit the vanilla. Serve as you would toast: topped with beans or a stir-fry, as sandwich bread, or alongside a soup or stew.

Anadama Waffles

Makes: 4 to 6 servings

Time: 30 to 40 minutes

These substantial but fluffy waffles capture the essence of anadama bread, a traditional New England yeast loaf made with cornmeal and molasses. Applesauce contributes a little sweetness and moisture to the batter, though the apple flavor disappears in the cooked waffles, letting the cornmeal shine through. Make extra so you can keep them handy in the freezer for popping in the toaster on busy mornings.

3 tablespoons vegetable oil, plus more for the waffle iron

1¹/₃ cups whole wheat flour

¹/₃ cup cornmeal (fine or medium grind)

2 teaspoons baking powder

¾ teaspoon salt

2 large eggs, separated

½ cup milk

¾ cup applesauce

2 tablespoons molasses

1. Brush the waffle iron lightly with oil and set it to medium-high heat. Heat the oven to 200°F. Combine the flour, cornmeal, baking powder, and salt in a large bowl.

2. Beat the egg whites with an electric mixer or a whisk just until stiff peaks form. In a separate bowl, beat the yolks, milk, applesauce, molasses, and 3 tablespoons vegetable oil until foamy, about 2 minutes. Add the applesauce mixture to the dry ingredients and stir just enough to incorporate. Fold in the egg whites until the batter is evenly colored and relatively smooth.

3. Spread enough batter onto the waffle iron to barely cover it; bake until the waffle is done, 3 to 5 minutes. Serve immediately or keep warm for a few minutes on an ovenproof plate in the oven. Repeat for more waffles.

Anadama Waffles with Corn Kernels. Stir 1 cup corn kernels (frozen are fine) into the batter in Step 2.

Oatmeal Griddle Cakes

Makes: 4 to 6 servings

Time: 30 minutes with precooked oatmeal

Griddle cakes are one of my favorite ways to use leftover oatmeal (or leftover anything, really), but it’s worth it to make a fresh pot for these. With rolled oats, cinnamon, and raisins, these will remind you of soft oatmeal cookies, only not as sweet. Molasses is an excellent alternative to maple syrup, but it’s strong, so use it sparingly.

¼ cup whole wheat flour

¼ cup all-purpose flour

¼ cup rolled oats

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon cinnamon

½ teaspoon salt

1 egg

½ cup milk

2 cups cooked oatmeal

½ cup raisins

Vegetable oil, for frying

Molasses or maple syrup, for serving

1. Heat the oven to 200°F. Combine the flours, oats, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt in a large bowl.

2. In a separate bowl, whisk together the egg and milk; stir in the cooked oatmeal and raisins until just incorporated. Add the oatmeal mixture to the flour mixture and stir gently; don’t overmix. The mixture should be the consistency of thick pancake batter; if not, add either a little more milk or whole wheat flour as needed.

3. Put a large skillet or griddle over medium heat. When a few drops of water dance on its surface, add a thin film of vegetable oil and let it get hot. Working in batches, spoon the batter onto the griddle or skillet, making any size pancakes you like. Cook until bubbles form on the top and pop, 2 to 3 minutes; you may have to rotate the cakes to cook them evenly, depending on your heat source and pan. Carefully flip the griddle cakes and cook until they’re browned on the other side, a couple of minutes more. As they finish, transfer them to the oven while you cook the remaining batter. Serve drizzled with molasses or maple syrup.

Coconut Flapjacks

Makes: 4 servings

Time: 30 minutes

Coconut and its milk provide so much richness that you can make these pancakes without any eggs or dairy at all. Fresh or dried fruit is a great topping here, but I like the slight crunch of sugar crystals combined with a few drops of lime juice. Or if you want to take these the savory route, add a tablespoon curry powder to the batter.

2½ cups whole wheat flour

1 cup shredded, unsweetened coconut

½ teaspoon salt

One 14-ounce can coconut milk (light is fine)

1¼ cups warm water, or more as needed

Vegetable oil, for frying

Raw (turbinado) sugar, for serving

Lime wedges, optional

1. Heat the oven to 200°F. Combine the flour, coconut, and salt in a large bowl. Stir in the coconut milk and warm water. The batter should be fairly thin but not watery; add a little more water if it seems too thick.

2. Put a large skillet or griddle over medium heat. When a few drops of water dance on its surface, add a thin film of vegetable oil and let it get hot. Working in batches, spoon the batter onto the griddle or skillet, making any size pancakes you like. Cook until bubbles form on the top and pop, 2 to 3 minutes; you may have to rotate the cakes to cook them evenly, depending on your heat source and pan. Flip the flapjacks and cook until they’re browned on the other side, a minute or 2 more. As they finish, transfer them to a platter in the oven while you cook the remaining batter. While they’re hot, sprinkle the tops with a little sugar and serve with lime wedges.

Grains and Mushrooms, Lightly Scrambled

Makes: 4 servings

Time: 30 minutes

This dish perfectly illustrates why you should cook large batches of grains and beans (see the variation) and keep them on hand in the fridge. It makes an awesome hearty breakfast, and it’s also handy to whip up for a quick lunch or supper. If anyone gives you a batch of wild mushrooms, think of this.

2 tablespoons olive or vegetable oil

1 pound mushrooms (any assortment), sliced

Salt and black pepper

2 cups any cooked grains (see page 271)

2 eggs, beaten

Soy sauce to taste

½ cup chopped scallions

1. Put the oil in a large, deep skillet or pot over medium heat. When it’s hot, add the mushrooms and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Cover and reduce the heat to medium-low. Cook, undisturbed, until the mushrooms release their liquid, about 5 minutes. Remove the cover, raise the heat a bit, and continue to cook, stirring occasionally, until the mushrooms are dry and a bit crisp, 5 to 10 minutes more.

2. Add the grains and cook, stirring occasionally, until warmed through and beginning to crisp, 3 to 5 minutes. Add the eggs and gently stir until they’re set, 1 to 3 minutes. Transfer the mixture to a serving platter or individual bowls, drizzle with soy sauce, sprinkle with scallions, and serve.

Scrambled Rice and Beans with Salsa. Like fried rice, Mexican style. Substitute 2 sliced onions for the mushrooms, and 1 cup cooked and drained pinto or black beans for 1 cup of the grains. Omit the soy sauce and scallions. In Step 1, cook the onions, uncovered, over medium heat until browned and beginning to crisp, 10 to 15 minutes. In Step 2, stir in the rice and beans. Proceed with the recipe, top with a spoonful of salsa (for homemade, see page 46), and serve.

Super-Simple Mixed Rice, a Zillion Ways

Makes: 4 servings

Time: 30 minutes

This technique gives you creamy, risotto-like rice with minimal stirring. The basic version is very flavorful, thanks to dried mushrooms, tomatoes, basil, and Parmesan, but each variation’s distinctive profile transforms the main recipe into something completely different. Using the variations (and experimenting with other whole grains), you could (and probably will) make this dish forever—and no one will get tired of it.

¼ cup dried porcini mushrooms

Hot water as needed

2 tablespoons olive oil

¾ cup short-grain brown rice

1 onion, chopped

Salt and black pepper

1½ cups chopped tomatoes (canned are fine; include their juice)

2 cups cooked or canned cannellini beans, drained

½ cup chopped fresh basil or parsley, plus more for garnish

½ cup grated Parmesan cheese, optional

1. Soak the porcini in hot water to cover. Put the oil in a large pot over medium heat. When it’s hot, add the rice and cook, stirring, until it’s shiny and a little translucent, about 1 minute. Add the onion, sprinkle with salt and pepper, and continue to cook, stirring occasionally, until the onion is softened, about 1 minute. Add enough water to cover by about ½ inch.

2. Bring to a boil, then lower the heat so that it bubbles gently. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the rice starts to become tender, about 10 minutes. By now the porcini should be soft; chop the mushrooms roughly and pour their soaking liquid into the rice, being careful to leave some water behind to trap the sediment. Add the tomatoes and mushrooms to the rice and continue to cook, stirring occasionally, until the tomatoes break down, about another 10 minutes. Add more water if needed to keep the mixture a little soupy.

3. When the rice is tender but retains some bite on the inside, add the beans. Continue to cook, stirring occasionally, until the mixture is no longer soupy but not yet dry. Stir in the basil and the cheese if you’re using it. Taste and adjust the seasoning. Serve, garnished with a little more fresh herb.

Edamame and Asparagus Stir-Fry with Rice

Makes: 4 servings

Time: 20 minutes

A fast, simple dish, perfect for lunch, in which the rice is stirred in almost as an afterthought at the very end. The rice remains soft, while the asparagus and edamame retain a little crunch—a nice combo. Cooked quinoa or steel-cut oats are good substitutes for the rice.

1 pound asparagus, peeled if thick, cut into 2-inch lengths

Salt

3 tablespoons vegetable oil

1 tablespoon minced garlic

1 tablespoon minced ginger

1 small dried hot red chile (like Thai), or pinch of red chile flakes, or to taste

3 cups fresh or frozen edamame, thawed if you have time

1 tablespoon soy sauce, or to taste

2 cups cooked brown rice

Chopped scallions, for garnish

1. If the asparagus stalks are thin, skip to Step 2. If they’re especially thick, put them in a large skillet (try not to crowd them too much), add water to cover and a pinch of salt. Turn the heat to high, cover the skillet, and cook until the asparagus is not quite tender (you should barely be able to pierce the thickest part with a knife). Plunge the asparagus into ice water to stop the cooking.

2. Dry out the skillet and set it over high heat until very hot, 3 to 4 minutes. Add the oil, then the asparagus. Cook, stirring, for about a minute. Add the garlic, ginger, and chile. Cook until the asparagus is dry and beginning to brown, 5 to 10 minutes. Stir in the edamame, soy sauce, and a small splash of water; cook, stirring and adding just enough water to keep everything from sticking, until the asparagus and edamame are tender, about 5 minutes more.

3. Add the rice and stir until combined, then turn off the heat and fish out the chile. Taste and add a sprinkling of salt and more soy sauce if necessary. Garnish with chopped scallions and serve hot or at room temperature.

Hippie Rice

Makes: 4 servings

Time: About 45 minutes

Sadly (or not), it sometimes feels that the only remnant of hippie culture in modern life is the popularity of health food. Unfortunately, much of what goes under the name “health food” tastes good only with the help of certain psychoactive drugs (come to think of it, there’s another holdover), but hippies did have a few decent ideas in the kitchen. How wrong can you go with brown rice, broccoli, sunflower seeds, and raisins? For best results, serve while wearing a tie-dyed apron and playing folk music in a VW van.

¹/₃ cup sunflower seeds

1 cup any long-grain brown rice

Salt

1 head broccoli (about 1 pound), cored and roughly chopped

2 tablespoons olive oil

¹/₃ cup raisins

½ teaspoon red chile flakes, or to taste

Lemon wedges

1. Put the sunflower seeds in a medium saucepan over medium-low heat and toast, shaking the pan often, until they begin to brown but don’t burn, 5 to 10 minutes. Remove the seeds from the pan and let cool in a big serving bowl.

2. Put the rice in the pan and add water to cover by about 1 inch. Add a pinch of salt and bring to a boil over medium-high heat, then adjust the heat so the mixture bubbles gently. Cover and cook until most of the water is absorbed and the rice is just getting tender, 20 to 30 minutes.

3. Pack the broccoli into the pan on top of the rice—don’t stir; just leave it on top—and add a little more liquid if the water is evaporating too quickly. Replace the lid and continue cooking, adding a small amount of water if the pan boils dry, until the rice and broccoli are both tender, 5 to 10 more minutes. Transfer the rice and broccoli to the bowl with the sunflower seeds and toss with the oil, raisins, and red chile flakes. Taste and adjust the seasoning. Serve immediately or at room temperature with the lemon wedges.

Hippie Rice with Tofu. Use a large saucepan and add 1 pound cubed tofu to the pan along with the broccoli in Step 3. Use extra-firm or firm tofu if you want the cubes to keep their shape; use silken tofu if you want it to melt into the rice.

Grilled Eggplant and Scallions with Miso Rice

Makes: 4 servings

Time: About 45 minutes

Miso and eggplant are one of my favorite combinations—especially when I can get my hands on long, thin Asian eggplants—but you could use zucchini or portobello mushrooms instead. This dish is fantastic at room temperature, so feel free to make it an hour or more ahead of time.

1½ pounds eggplant

Salt

1 cup short-grain brown rice

1 bunch scallions, with a lot of the greens remaining

4 to 6 tablespoons vegetable oil

1 tablespoon minced ginger

¹/₃ cup any miso

2 teaspoons sesame oil

Black pepper

Soy sauce, for serving

1. Cut large eggplants into ½-inch slices or halve the long narrow ones. Put the slices in a colander, sprinkle them liberally with salt, and let them rest while you cook the rice.

2. Put the rice in a small saucepan with water to cover by about 1 inch. Add a pinch of salt and bring to a boil over medium-high heat, then adjust the heat so the mixture bubbles gently. Cover and cook for 30 to 40 minutes, checking occasionally to make sure the water is not evaporating too quickly (add a little more liquid if necessary).

3. Meanwhile, prepare a grill or turn on the broiler; the heat should be medium-high and the rack about 4 inches from the fire. Rinse the eggplant and pat dry. Brush or rub the eggplant and scallions with the oil until well coated. Grill or broil, turning once or twice, until deeply colored and tender, 5 to 10 minutes. (You may have to remove the scallions from the heat before you remove the eggplant.)

4. When the rice is tender and all the water has been absorbed, turn off the heat. Stir the ginger, miso, sesame oil, and a sprinkling of black pepper into the rice with a fork. Taste and adjust the seasoning. Serve the grilled vegetables on top of the rice, passing soy sauce at the table for drizzling.

Roasted Eggplant and Scallions with Miso Rice. For a deeper flavor and softer texture, toss the vegetables with a little of the miso paste during the last 5 minutes of roasting. Instead of grilling or broiling, heat the oven to 400°F. Spread the eggplant and scallions on a rimmed baking sheet and roast, turning once or twice, until lightly browned and tender, about 20 minutes for the scallions and 30 to 40 minutes for the eggplant.

Sushi Rice with Daikon and Sesame Seeds

Makes: 4 servings

Time: 1 hour

A simple cold or room-temperature dish that’s more like a rice bowl than a salad. Use it as the base for all sorts of leftovers that you might like to add before serving. Try cooked, sliced meat or seafood, shredded chicken, or avocado cubes.

1 cup short-grain brown rice

Salt

3 tablespoons rice vinegar

1 tablespoon sugar

1 tablespoon minced ginger

1 pound daikon radishes, grated; or use raw turnips or kohlrabi

1 cup chopped scallions

2 tablespoons sesame seeds

2 tablespoons soy sauce, plus more for serving

Sesame oil, for serving

1. Put the rice in a medium saucepan. Add water to cover by about 1 inch and a large pinch of salt. Bring to a boil, then adjust the heat so that the mixture bubbles gently. Cover and cook for 20 to 30 minutes, checking occasionally to make sure the water is not evaporating too quickly (you can add a little more liquid if necessary). When the water has been absorbed, taste and see if the rice is tender. If not, add a little more water and continue to cook, covered, until it’s tender.

2. While the rice is cooking, combine the vinegar, sugar, ginger, and 1 teaspoon salt in a small saucepan over medium heat. Cook, stirring, until the sugar dissolves, less than 5 minutes, remove from the heat, and let cool a bit.

3. When the rice is done, put it in a very large bowl. Toss the hot rice vigorously with a flat wooden paddle or spoon or a rubber spatula. While you’re tossing and the rice is cooling, sprinkle the rice with the vinegar mixture. (You can make the rice up to this point an hour ahead; cover it with a damp towel and let it sit.)

4. Divide the rice among 4 serving bowls, then top with the grated daikon, scallions, sesame seeds, and soy sauce. Serve, passing sesame oil and more soy sauce at the table.

Baked Curried Rice with Apples and Coconut

Makes: 4 servings

Time: About 1 hour, largely unattended

Baked brown rice is mostly hands-off—no fussing or checking for doneness, just a relaxing, undisturbed 45 minutes in the oven. Your reward for doing next to nothing is a pot of tender, fragrant, slightly spicy grains (if you want more heat, use up to a tablespoon more curry powder). This recipe and the variation would go perfectly with any simply seasoned pot of chickpeas or other beans.

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

1 tablespoon curry powder

1 tablespoon minced ginger

1 cup brown basmati rice

Salt and black pepper

One 14-ounce can coconut milk

¼ cup shredded, unsweetened coconut

2 tart apples, cored and chopped

½ cup chopped fresh cilantro

¼ cup yogurt, optional

1. Heat the oven to 350°F. Put the oil in a large ovenproof saucepan over medium heat. A minute later, add the curry powder and ginger and cook, stirring, for about a minute. Add the rice and some salt and pepper; cook, stirring, until the rice is glossy and translucent, just a minute or 2.

2. Measure 1¾ cups of the coconut milk; stir it into the rice mixture. Bring to a boil, then cover tightly and transfer to the oven. Bake, undisturbed, for 45 minutes.

3. Meanwhile, put the shredded coconut in a small skillet over medium heat and toast, shaking the pan and stirring often, until it begins to brown, 5 to 10 minutes. Remove the rice from the oven, uncover, and use a fork to stir in the shredded coconut, apples, and cilantro. Replace the lid and let it rest for 10 minutes. Taste and adjust the seasoning and fluff again. Serve immediately or at room temperature, topped with yogurt if you like.

Baked Curried Mango Rice. Omit the shredded coconut and apples. Peel, pit, and chop 2 mangoes and stir them in after you take the rice out of the oven in Step 3.

Rice Pilaf with Apricots, Chickpeas, and Almonds

Makes: 4 servings

Time: About 1 hour, largely unattended

Both the main recipe and the superquick couscous variation benefit from resting off the heat after cooking, so this pilaf is easy to time with a slew of other dishes for buffets or holidays. The recipe is also a good place to use millet: Its cornlike flavor and grainy texture team nicely with the apricots and orange, and it cooks a little faster than brown rice.

½ cup slivered or chopped almonds

2 tablespoons olive oil, plus more for serving

1 small red onion, chopped

1 tablespoon minced garlic

1 tablespoon pimentón (smoked paprika)

Salt and black pepper

1 cup brown basmati rice

Juice of 1 orange

½ cup white wine

½ cup chopped dried apricots, or 1 cup chopped fresh apricots

1 cup cooked or canned chickpeas, drained

½ cup chopped fresh parsley

1. Put the almonds in a large, deep skillet or medium saucepan over medium heat. Toast, shaking the pan and stirring often, until they begin to brown but don’t burn, 5 to 10 minutes. Remove the almonds from the pan.

2. Add 2 tablespoons oil to the skillet. When it’s hot, add the onion and garlic. Cook, stirring, until the onion softens and begins to turn golden, 5 to 10 minutes. Add the paprika, salt, and pepper and continue to stir until fragrant, just another minute.

3. Add the rice and stir until it’s glossy, completely coated with oil, and starting to color lightly, 3 to 5 minutes. Add the orange juice, wine, and 1½ cups water. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat so it bubbles steadily. Cover the pan and cook until almost all of the liquid is absorbed and the rice is just tender, 40 to 50 minutes.

4. Stir in the apricots, chickpeas, and parsley; cover and remove from the heat. Let the pilaf rest for at least 10 minutes or up to 30 minutes. Taste and adjust the seasoning. Add the reserved almonds and a little more oil if you like, and fluff with a fork. Serve hot or at room temperature.

Couscous Pilaf with Apricots, Chickpeas, and Almonds. Ready in half the time. Substitute whole wheat couscous for the rice and reduce the amount of water to 1 cup. In Step 3, after stirring the couscous in the oil, add everything but the parsley to the skillet. Bring the mixture a boil, then cover and remove it from the heat. Let steep until the water is absorbed, 15 to 20 minutes. Add the almonds and parsley, fluff with a fork, and serve.

Green Barley Pilaf

Makes: 4 servings

Time: 45 minutes with pearled barley, or 90 minutes with hulled barley

Pilaf is a classic side dish, but you can easily turn it into a big main course. Here, lay some scallops or boneless chicken breasts on top for the last 10 minutes of cooking, or stir in some shrimp or squid before the resting time. Last-minute additions might include chopped nuts or chopped olives. Try the variation alongside tacos and refried beans.

2 tablespoons olive oil, plus more for serving

1 onion, chopped

1 tablespoon minced garlic

1 cup pearled or hulled barley

3 cups vegetable stock (for homemade, see pages 135 to 138) or water, or more as needed

Salt and black pepper

1 pound spinach, roughly chopped

1. Put the oil in a deep skillet or large saucepan over medium-high heat. When it’s hot, add the onion and garlic and cook, stirring, until softened, 3 to 5 minutes.

2. Add the barley and cook, stirring, until glossy, about 1 minute. Add the liquid and a good sprinkling of salt and pepper and bring to a boil.

3. Turn the heat down to low, cover, and cook until the grains are tender and the water is almost entirely absorbed, 15 to 25 minutes for pearled barley or 30 to 45 minutes (or more) for hulled. (Add a little more liquid if the grains are not ready but begin to look dry.) Uncover, remove from the heat, and stir in the spinach. Replace the lid and let rest off the heat for at least 10 minutes or up to 20 minutes. Combine and fluff the grains and spinach with a fork. Taste and adjust the seasoning. Serve hot or at room temperature, with a drizzle of olive oil if you like.

Green Barley Pilaf with Chile and Lime. In Step 1 as you cook the onion and garlic, add a dried chile or a minced fresh hot chile and the grated zest of 1 lime to the skillet. Stir in the juice of 2 limes just before serving.

Bulgur Chili with Beans and Loads of Veggies

Makes: 6 to 8 servings

Time: 1 hour, largely unattended

You’ll find more chilies in the Beans chapter, but this one is here because its terrific texture comes from bulgur. It’s a hearty stew, vegetable heavy with plenty of possibilities—zucchini, squash, eggplant, sweet potato, carrot, celery root, parsnip, celery, leafy greens, green beans, cauliflower, and corn kernels (frozen are fine) are all good choices. If you don’t want too much heat, skip the dried chiles and proceed directly to Step 2.

Since this keeps and reheats so well, the ingredients here make a big batch. Serve it to a crowd, plan to eat it over a few days, or freeze what’s left.

2 (or more) dried hot chiles (like chipotle), optional

Boiling water as needed

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 onion, chopped

1 red bell pepper, chopped

2 tablespoons minced garlic

3 tablespoons tomato paste

2 tablespoons chili powder

Salt and black pepper

3 cups chopped vegetables, alone or in combination (see the headnote)

3 cups chopped tomatoes (canned are fine; include their juice)

6 cups vegetable or chicken stock (for homemade, see pages 135 to 140) or water, plus more as needed

1 cup bulgur

2 cups cooked or canned kidney or pinto beans, drained

½ cup chopped fresh cilantro or scallions, for garnish

1. Put the chiles in a small bowl and add boiling water to cover. Let them soak until they’re soft and pliable, 15 to 20 minutes. Drain, discard the stems, seeds, and veins, then chop finely.

2. Put the oil in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. When it’s hot, add the onion, bell pepper, and garlic. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the onion is softened, 3 to 5 minutes. Stir in the tomato paste, the chiles (if you’re using them), and chili powder. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and cook until fragrant, another minute or 2.

3. Add the vegetables, tomatoes, and stock. Bring to a boil, then turn the heat down so the mixture bubbles steadily. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are tender and the mixture is thickened, 15 to 20 minutes.

4. Add the bulgur and cook, stirring occasionally and adjusting the heat so the chili keeps bubbling, until the bulgur plumps and becomes tender, 10 to 15 minutes. Add the beans and a little more liquid if the mixture looks dry. Cook until the beans heat through, 2 to 3 minutes. Taste and adjust the seasoning. Serve, garnished with cilantro or scallions if you like.

Bulgur Chili with Meat and Loads of Veggies. Omit the beans (or include them for an even heartier chili). At the beginning of Step 2, before adding the onion, bell pepper, and garlic to the hot oil, add 8 ounces hand-chopped or ground beef, pork, lamb, turkey, or chicken and cook, stirring, until the meat is no longer pink and begins to crisp, 5 to 10 minutes. Add the onion, pepper, and garlic to the pot and proceed with the recipe.

Red Bean Paella with Tomatoes

Makes: 4 servings

Time: About 45 minutes

Paella—real, legit paella—can be and is made with almost any ingredient that complements baked rice. Here’s a juicy and rather lovely vegetarian paella that features beans and tomatoes. (For another one based on clams and chorizo, see page 315.) Here you must use ripe summer tomatoes (even overripe are fine; they mostly break down anyway). In the winter, try the egg variation—completely different and super.

Salt

1 cup short-grain brown rice

2½ cups vegetable stock (for homemade, see pages 135 to 138) or water

1½ pounds ripe tomatoes, cored and cut into thick wedges

Black pepper

4 tablespoons olive oil

1 onion, chopped

1 tablespoon minced garlic

1 tablespoon tomato paste

Pinch of saffron threads, optional

2 teaspoons pimentón (smoked paprika)

1 cup cooked or canned red beans, drained

Chopped fresh parsley, for garnish

1. Heat the oven to 450°F. Bring a medium pot of water to a boil and salt it. Stir in the rice, adjust the heat so that the water bubbles steadily, and cook, without stirring, for about 12 minutes. Drain. Use the pot to warm the stock over medium-low heat. Put the tomatoes in a medium bowl, sprinkle with salt and pepper, and drizzle with 1 tablespoon of the oil. Toss gently to coat.

2. Put the remaining 3 tablespoons oil in a 10- or 12-inch ovenproof skillet over medium-high heat. When it’s hot, add the onion and garlic, sprinkle with salt and pepper, and cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables soften, 3 to 5 minutes. Stir in the tomato paste, saffron if you’re using it, and paprika and cook for a minute more. Add the rice and beans and cook, stirring occasionally, until everything is coated with oil, another minute or 2. Carefully add the warm stock and stir until just combined.

3. Put the tomato wedges in a single layer on top of the rice and beans and drizzle with the juices that accumulated in the bottom of the bowl. Put the pan in the oven and roast, undisturbed, for 15 minutes. Check to see if the rice is dry and just tender. If not, return the pan to the oven for another 5 minutes. If the rice looks too dry at this point but still isn’t quite done, add a small amount of stock or water. When the rice is ready, turn off the oven and let the paella sit for at least 5 minutes and up to 15 minutes.

4. Remove the pan from the oven and sprinkle with parsley. If you like, put the pan over high heat for a few minutes to develop a bit of a bottom crust (called soccarat in Spain) before serving either hot or at room temperature.

Simple Paella with Eggs. 1 Omit the tomatoes. In Step 3, when the rice is out of the oven the first time to check for doneness, make 4 indentations in the top of the paella with a large spoon and carefully crack an egg into each. Proceed with the recipe, cooking the eggs just until the whites set up (on no account should the yolks overcook), anywhere from 5 to 10 minutes. To serve, scoop up a whole egg and some of the rice.

Lemony Zucchini Risotto

Makes: 4 servings

Time: 45 to 60 minutes

Risotto can be almost meager or incredibly luxurious; this one manages to be both, as the grated zucchini mostly melts away, leaving behind a creamy richness that doesn’t depend on tons of rice or mounds of cheese. Parboiling the brown rice as directed in Step 1 (a little trick you can read more about on page 296) helps the rice absorb water quickly and evenly.

Salt

1 cup short-grain brown rice

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 onion, chopped

Black pepper

½ cup dry white wine or water

3 to 5 cups vegetable or chicken stock (for homemade, see pages 135 to 140) or water

4 small or 2 large zucchini (about 1½ pounds), grated

Grated zest and juice of 1 lemon

½ cup grated Parmesan cheese, optional

1 tablespoon butter or additional olive oil, optional

½ cup chopped fresh basil, plus more for garnish, optional

1. Bring a medium pot of water to a boil and salt it. Stir in the brown rice, adjust the heat so that the water bubbles steadily, and cook, without stirring, for 10 to 15 minutes. Drain well.

2. Put the oil in a large, deep skillet over medium heat. When it’s hot, add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until it softens, about 5 minutes. Add the rice and cook, stirring occasionally, until it is glossy and coated with oil, just a couple of minutes. Sprinkle with salt and pepper, then add the wine. Stir and let the liquid bubble away.

3. Begin to add the stock, about ½ cup at a time, stirring after each addition and every minute or so. When the stock is just about evaporated, add more. The mixture should be neither soupy nor dry. Keep the heat medium to medium-high and stir frequently.

4. After about 15 minutes of adding stock, stir in the zucchini and cook, stirring, until it releases its liquid and the mixture again becomes dry. Begin tasting the rice about 5 minutes later; you want it to be tender but with still a tiny bit of crunch. It could take as long as 45 minutes to reach this stage. When it does, stir in the lemon zest and juice, and the Parmesan, butter, and basil if you’re using them. Taste and adjust the seasoning. Serve immediately, garnished with additional basil if you like.

Lemony Zucchini Risotto with Fried Eggs. When the risotto is almost done, put a medium skillet over medium heat for about a minute. Add 1 tablespoon olive oil or butter and swirl it around the pan. When the oil is hot, crack 4 eggs into the skillet. When the whites become opaque, a minute later, turn the heat to low and sprinkle the eggs with salt and pepper. Cook until the yolks are set as you like them and the whites are completely firm; cut through the uncooked parts, if necessary, to encourage the still-liquid white to spread over the surface of the pan. Put 1 fried egg on top of each serving of risotto.

Risi, Bisi, e Carote (Rice, Peas, and Carrots)

Makes: 4 servings

Time: 40 minutes

The classic version of this dish (risi e bisi) is creamy with cheese and the rice’s starch, but it’s firmer than risotto. To make it with brown rice, let the grains cook until they just start to burst—you’ll get much the same effect. The carrots are all-American, and they add both gorgeous color and a note of sweetness.

2 or 4 tablespoons olive oil

2 bacon slices or 1 ounce pancetta, chopped, optional

¾ cup short-grain brown rice

1 onion, chopped

4 carrots, chopped

Salt and black pepper

3 cups fresh or frozen peas

¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese

¼ cup chopped fresh parsley

1. If you’re using bacon, put 2 tablespoons oil in a large pot over medium heat. A minute later, add the bacon and cook until it is crisp and has rendered most of its fat, 5 to 10 minutes. If you’re not using the bacon, put 4 tablespoons oil in the pot, heat, and proceed to Step 2.

2. Add the rice and cook, stirring constantly, until it is shiny and a little translucent, just a couple of minutes. Add the onion and carrots, sprinkle with salt and pepper, and continue to cook, stirring occasionally, for another minute or 2.

3. Add enough water to cover by about 1 inch, bring to a boil, and adjust the heat so that the mixture bubbles gently. Cook, stirring occasionally and adding water if needed to keep the mixture a little wet but not swimming, until the rice is fully tender, 20 to 30 minutes.

4. Stir in the peas and continue to cook, stirring occasionally, until the mixture is no longer soupy but not bone dry. Stir in the Parmesan and parsley and taste and adjust the seasoning. Serve hot or warm.

Crisp Brown Rice Cake

Makes: 6 to 8 servings

Time: 2 hours, largely unattended

Cooking brown rice until the grains burst and release all of their starch allows you to make a perfectly crisp cake without adding any binder. You can slice it into wedges and garnish simply with soy sauce and chopped scallions, or use the whole cake as a bed for any stir-fry or Asian-style braised dish. Be sure to synchronize the flavor of the oil here with whatever you’re serving it with.

2 cups brown basmati rice

Salt

Boiling water as needed

4 tablespoons vegetable or olive oil

1. Put the rice in a large pot along with a big pinch of salt. Add enough water to cover by 1½ inches. Bring to a boil, then adjust the heat so the mixture bubbles gently.

2. Cook, stirring occasionally and adding more boiling water if the rice begins to stick to the bottom, until the grains are very tender and burst, about an hour. When the rice is starchy and very thick, transfer it to a bowl and put it in the fridge to cool, at least 30 minutes and up to a few hours.

3. When the rice is cool enough that it will easily hold its shape, add 2 tablespoons of the oil to a large skillet over medium-high heat and swirl it around. When hot, add the rice to the skillet, smooth out the top, and cook until the bottom is golden brown and crisp, about 15 minutes.

4. Carefully put a large plate over the skillet and flip it to turn out the cake. Add the remaining 2 tablespoons of oil to the pan, swirl it around, and gently slide the cake off the plate and back into the skillet, uncooked side down, all in one piece. Cook until this side is also golden brown, then cut into wedges if you like, and serve hot, warm, or at room temperature.

Polenta “Pizza” with Stewed Green Olives and Tomatoes

Makes: 4 servings

Time: About 45 minutes, plus 1 hour for chilling

Both the “pizza”—firm-cooked polenta pressed into a pan—and the sauce can be made up to a day before serving, so this impressive and unusual dish is ideal for entertaining. If you prefer soft polenta (or if you’re in a hurry), start the vegetables first and then make the polenta just through the end of Step 1. To turn this into a vegan dish, substitute nondairy milk (or water) for the whole cow’s milk.

3 tablespoons olive oil, plus more as needed

1 cup coarse cornmeal

Salt

½ cup milk, preferably whole

Black pepper

2 onions, chopped

1 tablespoon minced garlic

¾ cup green olives, pitted and roughly chopped

3 cups chopped tomatoes (canned are fine; include their juice)

½ cup chopped fresh basil, plus more for garnish

½ cup grated Parmesan cheese, optional

1. Brush a layer of oil on a pizza pan or baking sheet. Put the cornmeal and a large pinch of salt in a medium saucepan; slowly whisk in 2½ cups water and the milk to make a lump-free slurry. Set the pot over medium-high heat and bring almost to a boil, then reduce the heat to low. Cook, whisking frequently, until thick, 10 to 15 minutes. If the mixture becomes too thick, whisk in a bit more water; you want the consistency to be like thick oatmeal.

2. Stir 1 tablespoon of the oil into the polenta. Spoon it onto the prepared pan, working quickly so the polenta doesn’t harden; spread it evenly ½ inch thick all over. (It doesn’t have to be a perfect circle.) Sprinkle with salt and pepper, cover the polenta with plastic wrap, and refrigerate until firm, 1 hour or more (you can refrigerate it for up to 24 hours if you prefer).

3. Heat the oven to 450°F. Bake the polenta until it begins to brown and crisp on the edges, 25 to 30 minutes. Meanwhile, put 2 tablespoons oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the onions and garlic and cook, stirring occasionally, until the onions begin to soften, about 5 minutes. Add the olives and tomatoes, sprinkle with salt and pepper, and cook, stirring occasionally, until the tomatoes break down and thicken a bit, about 15 minutes. (You can make the stewed olives ahead to this point and refrigerate for up to a day; gently reheat before proceeding.) Stir in the basil, taste and adjust the seasoning, and keep warm.

4. When the polenta cake is ready, cut it into wedges. Serve the stewed olives and tomatoes over the pieces of polenta cake; drizzle with more olive oil and garnish with more basil and the cheese if you like.

Polenta “Pizza” with Stewed Green Olives, Tomatoes, and Squid. Use black olives here if you prefer. Omit the Parmesan. Clean 12 ounces squid and cut it into bite-size pieces. Add it to the skillet after the tomatoes are done in Step 3. Cook, stirring once or twice, until the squid is opaque but not tough, 2 to 3 minutes. Remove from the heat, stir in the basil, and proceed with the recipe.

Creamed Corn and Millet

Makes: 4 servings

Time: 45 minutes

A very yellow dish, and lovely. (I sometimes add a little parsley at the end for more color contrast, but that’s entirely optional.) Millet becomes quite creamy when you cook it until the grains burst, and a splash of cream adds a bit of richness. Change up the flavors by substituting other seasonings for the herbs (nutmeg is traditional, jalapeño is awesome). Try using this as a bed for grilled vegetables, meat, seafood, or chicken.

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 onion, chopped

1 tablespoon minced garlic

1 cup millet

2 cups corn kernels (frozen are fine)

Salt and black pepper

½ cup cream or half-and-half, optional

1 tablespoon chopped fresh tarragon, or 2 tablespoons chopped fresh chives

1. Put the oil in a pot over medium heat. When the oil is hot, add the onion and garlic and cook, stirring occasionally, until soft, about 5 minutes.

2. Add the millet, half the corn, 3 cups water, and a sprinkling of salt and pepper. Bring to a boil, then lower the heat so the mixture bubbles gently. Cover and cook, stirring occasionally, until the millet bursts and the corn has fallen apart, about 30 minutes; add a little more water if the mixture becomes too dry.

3. Add the remaining 1 cup corn and the cream if you’re using it. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the corn is tender, 5 to 10 minutes, adding more water if you want a thinner consistency. Stir in the tarragon or chives and taste and adjust the seasoning. Serve warm. (You can refrigerate the finished dish up to 3 days.)

Coconut Creamed Corn and Millet. Use one 14-ounce can coconut milk in place of 1½ cups of the water in Step 2. Omit the cream. Instead of tarragon or chives, stir in ½ cup chopped mint or cilantro.

Farro or Wheat Berries with Grapes and Rosemary

Makes: 4 servings

Time: 30 minutes

The nutty flavor and slightly chewy texture of farro—a traditional Tuscan grain—is extraordinary here, but if you can’t find it, use wheat berries, Kamut, barley, or short-grain brown rice. (All will take somewhat longer to cook, the wheat berries the longest.) For even more fruitiness—and a gorgeous color—use red wine for the liquid.

3 tablespoons olive oil

1 large red onion, halved and sliced

1 tablespoon minced garlic

1 cup farro

Salt

2 cups any stock (for homemade, see pages 135 to 140), red wine, or water

2 cups red or green grapes (seedless or seeded)

1 tablespoon chopped fresh rosemary, or 1 teaspoon dried

Black pepper

1. Put the oil in a large, deep skillet over medium-high heat. When it’s hot, add the onion and garlic and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, 3 to 5 minutes.

2. Add the farro and cook, stirring, until it is completely coated in oil and beginning to toast, a minute or 2. Sprinkle with salt, then stir in the stock and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat so the mixture bubbles gently and cover.

3. Cook until the grains are just getting tender and the liquid is almost entirely absorbed, 15 to 20 minutes. Stir in the grapes, rosemary, and a good amount of black pepper. Cover and cook for another 5 minutes or so. Fluff the farro with a fork and taste and adjust the seasoning. Serve hot or at room temperature.

Farro with Grapes and Sausage. In Step 1, begin by frying 8 ounces crumbled sausage in the olive oil until it’s browned a bit, 5 to 10 minutes. Stir in the onion and garlic and proceed with the recipe.

Farro with Grapes and White Beans. Add 1 cup cooked, drained cannellini beans along with the grapes in Step 3.

Chipotle Quinoa with Corn and Black Beans

Makes: 4 servings

Time: About 40 minutes

Quinoa originally comes from Peru, so it’s the natural choice to complement the other Latin American ingredients and flavors in this dish. If you’re feeling adventurous, toss some chopped mango into the pot when the quinoa is just about tender. And remember that the adobo sauce in which chipotles are canned is very hot, so use it judiciously.

3 tablespoons olive oil

1 onion, chopped

1 tablespoon minced garlic

2 (or more) canned chipotle chiles, minced, with some of their adobo sauce

1 tablespoon chopped fresh oregano, or 1 teaspoon dried

¾ cup quinoa, rinsed and drained

Salt and black pepper

1 cup cooked or canned black beans, drained

½ cup corn kernels (frozen are fine)

1½ cups vegetable stock (for homemade, see pages 135 to 138), beer, or water

Lime wedges

1. Put the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. When it’s hot, add the onion and garlic and cook, stirring, until the onion is soft, about 5 minutes. Add the chipotles and adobo (use almost none to a lot, depending on how hot you want the finished dish) and oregano and continue stirring for about 1 minute.

2. Turn the heat up to medium-high, add the quinoa, and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Continue to cook, stirring frequently, for 3 to 5 minutes. Add the beans, corn, stock, and some salt and pepper and bring to a boil. Stir, cover, and reduce the heat to low. Cook, undisturbed, for 15 minutes.

3. Uncover and test the quinoa for doneness. If the kernels are still crunchy, make sure there’s enough liquid to keep the bottom of the pan moist; cover and cook for another 5 minutes or so. When they’re tender, taste and adjust the seasoning. Serve warm or at room temperature with lime wedges.

Chipotle Quinoa with Corn, Black Beans, and Shrimp. When the quinoa is almost tender, uncover it, add 8 ounces chopped peeled shrimp and stir well. Cover and cook over low heat for about 5 minutes before serving.

Giant Quinoa “Tamale” with Tomatillo Salsa

Makes: 6 to 8 servings

Time: About 2 hours, largely unattended

Don’t let the time and number of steps here put you off: This loaf is a fraction of the work of traditional tamales, and all of the components can be made ahead for last-minute assembly. I like the tamale a little soft, with a center that oozes a bit, but if you want a firmer tamale-like texture, bake the loaf uncovered for another 15 or 20 minutes.

Use the tomatillo salsa recipe on its own for a quick sauce that keeps well and comes in handy for serving with steamed vegetables, beans, fish, or tortilla chips (for homemade, see page 47).

1 pound tomatillos (about 5 or 6 large), husked and rinsed (canned are fine; drain and reserve their juice)

1 large poblano or other fresh mild green chile

1 large onion, roughly chopped

4 garlic cloves, smashed

2 tablespoons olive oil, plus more for greasing the loaf pan

2 cups quinoa, rinsed and drained

Salt

1 tablespoon chopped fresh oregano, or 1 teaspoon dried

2 tablespons lime juice

Black pepper

½ teaspoon baking powder

1 cup crumbled queso fresco or grated Monterey Jack, plus more for garnish

1 tablespoon chili powder

½ cup chopped fresh cilantro, for garnish

1. Heat the oven to 400°F. Put the tomatillos, chile, onion, and garlic on a rimmed baking sheet and drizzle with 2 tablespoons of oil. Roast, turning once or twice, until the chile skin is blistered and everything is browned, 40 to 45 minutes. Remove the pan but leave the oven at 400°F if you’re making the tamale right away.

2. Meanwhile, put the quinoa in a large pot along with a big pinch of salt. Add water to cover by about 1½ inches. Bring to a boil, then adjust the heat so the mixture bubbles gently. Cover and cook, stirring occasionally, until the grains are very tender and begin to burst, 25 to 30 minutes. If the grains get too dry, add just enough water to keep them submerged. When the grains are starchy and thick, remove from the heat. (You can cook the quinoa up to a day ahead and refrigerate; return to room temperature before proceeding.)

3. Remove the skin, seeds, and stem from the chile and put the flesh in a blender or food processor along with the tomatillos, onion, garlic, and any pan juices. Add the oregano, lime juice, ½ cup water (or the reserved canned tomatillo liquid), and a large pinch of salt and pepper. Blend or process until smooth, adding enough water to thin the mixture into a pourable sauce; taste and adjust the seasoning. (The salsa can be made ahead to this point and covered and refrigerated for up to a day; return to room temperature or gently warm right before serving.)

4. When you’re ready to make the tamale, generously grease a 9 5-inch loaf pan with some oil. Mix the baking powder and a pinch of salt into the quinoa with a fork. The consistency should be thick but spreadable; if it’s too stiff, add a few drops of water. Spread half of the quinoa mixture in the bottom of the pan and sprinkle with the queso fresco and chili powder. Add the remaining quinoa, smooth it out evenly, and press down a bit to seal the loaf. Cover the pan tightly with foil. (At this point the quinoa loaf can be covered and refrigerated for up to several hours.)

5. Bake the loaf for 30 minutes, then remove the foil and bake until the top is golden brown, another 30 minutes or so. Remove the pan from the oven and let the tamale sit for 10 minutes before turning it out onto a platter. Garnish with the cilantro and a little more cheese, cut the tamale into slices, and serve, passing the salsa at the table.

Fish Kebabs over Warm Olive Tabbouleh

Makes: 4 servings

Time: 45 minutes

The hypnotic fragrance of warm olives, garlic, and olive oil soaks all the way into the cooked bulgur and even flavors the kebabs once you lay them on top.

½ cup bulgur

Salt

2 tablespoons olive oil, plus more as needed

½ cup black olives, pitted and chopped

1 tablespoon minced garlic

1 cucumber, peeled, seeded, and chopped

1 cup chopped fresh parsley

1 cup chopped fresh mint

3 lemons: 1 juiced and 2 cut into wedges

Black pepper

12 ounces firm white fish (see page 22), cut into 4 chunks

2 cups cherry tomatoes

2 red onions, cut into wedges

1. If you’re using wooden skewers, soak them in water for 20 to 30 minutes (see page 69). Prepare a grill to medium-high heat and put the rack about 4 inches from the fire. Put the bulgur in a small pot with a pinch of salt and water to cover by about 1 inch (no more). Bring to a gentle boil and cook, without stirring, until the water boils off and the bulgur is tender, 5 to 10 minutes, depending on the grind. Fluff the grains with a fork and transfer them to a large bowl to cool.

2. Put 2 tablespoons oil in a large, deep skillet over medium heat. A minute later, add the olives and garlic and cook, stirring occasionally, until the garlic begins to color, 3 to 5 minutes. Pour the mixture over the bulgur and add the cucumber, parsley, mint, and lemon juice. Toss with a fork to combine, adding lots of pepper and enough oil to moisten everything. Taste and adjust the seasoning. (You can make the tabbouleh to this point and refrigerate it for up to a day.)

3. Thread the fish, tomatoes, and red onions onto the skewers to make 4 kebabs (the kebabs will be easier to turn if you use 2 skewers per kebab). Brush them with oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Grill, turning as each side browns, until the fish is tender but not dry and the tomatoes and onions are a little charred, about 2 minutes per side or 5 minutes total. Serve the kebabs on top of the tabbouleh with the lemon wedges.

Pared-Down Paella with Peas, Clams, and Chorizo

Makes: 4 servings

Time: About 45 minutes

This easy paella is perfect when you don’t want to use the oven. If you can’t find Spanish-style smoked chorizo, or if you’d rather skip the meat, cook the onion, pepper, and garlic with a good sprinkling of pimentón (smoked paprika) or a pinch of saffron. Shrimp, scallops, and mussels are all potential replacements for the clams.

1 tablespoon olive oil

8 ounces Spanish chorizo or other smoked sausage, cubed

1 onion, chopped

1 red bell pepper, chopped

1 tablespoon minced garlic

1 cup long-grain brown rice

Salt and black pepper

1 ripe tomato, chopped

1 cup fresh or frozen peas

2 pounds littleneck or other hard-shell clams, well scrubbed, those with broken shells discarded

½ cup chopped fresh parsley, for garnish

Lemon wedges

1. Put the oil in a large, deep skillet over medium-high heat. When it’s hot, add the chorizo and cook, stirring occasionally, until lightly browned, 3 to 5 minutes. Add the onion, bell pepper, and garlic and cook, stirring occasionally, until the onion turns translucent, 3 to 5 minutes more.

2. Stir in the rice, sprinkle with salt and pepper, and cook, stirring, until the rice is glossy and completely coated with oil, just a minute or 2. Add the tomato and 2 cups water. Stir, adjust the heat so that the liquid boils steadily but not violently, and cover.

3. Cook for 30 minutes before checking for doneness; add a little water if the rice is dry but not yet tender. Cover and cook until the rice is just done and the liquid is absorbed, another 5 to 10 minutes. Stir in the peas and the clams, replace the lid, and continue cooking until the clams are open, 3 to 5 minutes (if any don’t, you can open them with a butter knife). If you want a crunchy crust of toasted rice to form at the bottom of the pan (soccarat), uncover the pot and turn the heat up so the rice sizzles. Cook, without stirring, until you can smell the rice toasting (but not burning), then turn off the heat. Remove the clams from the shells and return them to the pot if you like. Taste and adjust the seasoning and toss. Serve, garnished with parsley and lemon wedges.

Bouillabaisse with Fennel over Grits

Makes: 4 servings

Time: 45 minutes

This recipe requires two pots going at the same time—one for the grits and one for the fish and vegetable stew—but it’s worth it: The result is an unusual but perfectly sensible combination, a kind of legitimate Creole French-Southern thing that also smacks of the Mediterranean. If you’re feeling harried, try the variation, which replaces the grits with low-maintenance rice.

1 cup grits or coarse cornmeal

Salt

3 tablespoons olive oil

3 fennel bulbs, cored and thinly sliced, fronds roughly chopped and reserved

2 leeks, trimmed, well rinsed, and cut into coins, white and tender green parts only (or use onions)

1 tablespoon minced garlic

Grated zest from 1 orange

Big pinch of saffron, optional

1 dried hot chile, or pinch of cayenne, or to taste

2 cups chopped tomatoes (canned are fine; drain their juice)

About 1 pound almost any seafood (like monkfish, cod, scallops, squid, or shrimp), peeled, skinned, boned, and cut into chunks as needed (see page 22)

2 carrots or parsnips, cut into coins

2 cups vegetable, shrimp, or fish stock (for homemade, see pages 135 to 138); dry white wine; or water; plus more as needed

Black pepper

1. Put the grits and a large pinch of salt in a medium saucepan; slowly whisk in 3 cups water to make a lump-free slurry. Set the pot over medium-high heat and bring almost to a boil. Reduce the heat to low and cook, whisking frequently, until thick, 10 to 15 minutes. If the mixture becomes too thick, whisk in a bit more water; you want the consistency to be like oatmeal.

2. Meanwhile, put 2 tablespoons of the oil in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the sliced fennel, leeks, garlic, and orange zest and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 5 minutes. Add the saffron if you’re using it and the chile or cayenne and cook for about a minute.

3. Add the tomatoes, seafood, carrots, and stock, adding enough extra stock to just cover the fish and vegetables. Bring to a boil, cover, and turn off the heat. Let the pot rest for about 5 minutes. The carrots you just added should be crisp-tender and the seafood should be opaque and cooked through; if not, return the pot to medium heat for a couple of minutes. Keep the lid on the pot until the stew is ready.

4. By now the grits should be thickened and cooked; remove the pot from the heat and whisk in the remaining 1 tablespoon oil and a lot of black pepper. Then taste and adjust the stew’s seasoning. Serve the stew over the grits, garnished with the reserved fennel fronds.

Bouillabaisse with Fennel over Rice. You can use just about any other grain as a base here. About 20 minutes before making the bouillabaisse, put 1 cup brown rice in a medium pot with a pinch of salt. Add enough water to cover by about 1 inch, cover, and bring to a boil. Adjust the heat so that the mixture bubbles gently and cook, stirring occasionally, until the rice is tender, about 40 minutes. Serve the bouillabaisse over the rice instead of grits.

Wild Rice with Celery and Steamed Salmon

Makes: 4 servings

Time: About 1 hour

Common as it is, celery is underappreciated, but it has a wonderful herbaceous flavor when cooked. The hearts are tender and mild and the leaves make a terrific garnish. The idea here is to cook the dish long enough for the celery to melt and the rice to become thick and soft, but if you prefer firmer rice, use a little less liquid and cook for 5 to 10 fewer minutes before adding the salmon.

To gild the lily, stir in some dried cranberries or fresh blueberries or blackberries before adding the fish. (Fruit is also nice if you omit the salmon and serve this as a side dish.)

1 head celery (about 1 pound)

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 onion, chopped

1 tablespoon minced garlic

1 cup wild rice

3½ cups vegetable or fish stock (for homemade, see pages 135 to 138) or water

1 bay leaf

Salt and black pepper

2 thick salmon steaks (about 8 ounces), preferably wild (see page 22)

Lemon wedges

1. Remove the outer stalks from the celery and chop them. Reserve the tender celery heart and its leaves from the center of the head.

2. Put the oil in a deep skillet over medium heat. When it’s hot, add the onion and garlic and cook, stirring, until the onion begins to soften, about 5 minutes. Add the chopped celery and wild rice and continue to cook, stirring frequently, until the rice is fragrant and glossy, just a couple minutes. Stir in the stock, bay leaf, and some salt and pepper and bring to a boil.

3. Adjust the heat so that the mixture bubbles gently, cover, and cook, undisturbed, until the rice is very tender and just beginning to burst, 30 to 40 minutes (or more). At this point there should still be a little liquid at the bottom of the pan (no more than about ¼ inch); if not, add a little water.

4. Put the salmon on top of the rice, sprinkle with a little salt and pepper, and replace the lid. Steam until the fish is done (a thin knife can be inserted with little resistance), 5 to 10 minutes. Meanwhile, chop the reserved celery heart and leaves. Remove the salmon and cut each steak in half. Fluff the rice with a fork, discard the bay leaf, and taste and adjust the seasoning. Serve the fish on top of the rice, topped with the chopped celery leaves and heart and the lemon wedges.

Wild Rice with Celery and Grilled or Broiled Salmon. Ten minutes before the rice is done, prepare a grill or turn on the broiler; the heat should be medium-high and the rack about 4 inches from the fire. Brush the salmon with plenty of olive oil, sprinkle with salt and pepper, and grill, turning once, for a total of 5 to 10 minutes. Serve as described in the main recipe.

Wild Rice with Celery and Pan-Cooked Salmon. Ten minutes before the rice is done, put a heavy skillet over medium heat for about a minute, then add 2 tablespoons olive oil. Add the salmon to the pan, sprinkle with salt and pepper, and raise the heat to medium-high. Turn the salmon over after 4 minutes, then continue cooking until cooked through, another 3 to 5 minutes (or a minute or 2 less for medium-rare if you prefer). Serve as described in the main recipe.

Vegetable and Shrimp Fried Rice

Makes: 4 servings

Time: 30 minutes

Think of this as a stir-fry with a little added rice, rather than a ton of rice with a few vegetables. But don’t feel you must use the exact ingredients in the proportions listed here. Take whatever you have on hand and toss it in the skillet. (If you use harder vegetables, like broccoli, cauliflower, or asparagus, cut them into very small pieces or parboil them before adding.) And if you don’t have leftover rice in the fridge, use whatever grain you do.

3 tablespoons vegetable oil

½ cup sliced scallions, plus more for garnish

1 cup bean sprouts

1 cup snow or snap peas

1 red bell pepper, roughly chopped

1 celery stalk, sliced

1 carrot, cut into coins

4 to 8 ounces shrimp, peeled and roughly chopped (see page 22)

1 tablespoon minced garlic

1 tablespoon minced ginger

1 cup cooked long-grain brown rice, preferably leftover and chilled

¼ cup rice wine, sherry, dry white wine, or water

2 tablespoons soy sauce

1 tablespoon sesame oil

Salt and black pepper

1. Put 1 tablespoon of the oil in a large skillet over high heat. When it’s hot, add the scallions, bean sprouts, snow peas, bell pepper, celery, and carrot and cook, stirring occasionally, until they soften and begin to brown, 5 to 10 minutes. Lower the heat if the mixture threatens to scorch. Transfer the vegetables to a bowl with a slotted spoon.

2. Add another tablespoon oil to the pan, followed by the shrimp. Cook and stir until the pieces are uniformly pink, 2 to 3 minutes. Add them to the bowl with the vegetables. Put the remaining 1 tablespoon oil in the skillet, followed by the garlic and ginger. About 15 seconds later, begin to add the rice, a bit at a time, breaking up any clumps with your fingers and stirring it into the oil.

3. When all the rice is added, return the shrimp and vegetables to the pan and stir to combine. Add the rice wine and cook, stirring, for about a minute. Add the soy sauce and sesame oil, then taste and season with salt and pepper. Serve, garnished with the extra scallions.

Scallop or Squid Vegetable Fried Rice. Use sea scallops (sliced in half crosswise) or cleaned squid (cut into bite-size pieces) instead of the shrimp.

Spicy Fried Rice with Bean Sprouts, Chicken, and Peanuts

Makes: 4 servings

Time: 30 minutes

Toss typical pad Thai ingredients—bean sprouts, fish sauce, and peanuts—with a little cooked brown rice for a quick stir-fry. To vary, use shrimp or tofu instead of chicken or omit it altogether and just add one or two more eggs. This dish is also wonderful with leftover quinoa or barley.

3 tablespoons vegetable oil

½ cup sliced scallions

1 carrot, chopped

3 cups bean sprouts

8 ounces boneless, skinless chicken breast or thighs, cut into pieces of the same size

1 tablespoon minced garlic, or to taste

2 cups cooked long-grain brown rice, preferably chilled

1 egg

½ cup coconut milk

2 tablespoons nam pla (fish sauce)

Salt and black pepper

¼ cup chopped peanuts

½ cup chopped fresh basil, preferably Thai

1 or more small fresh hot green chiles (preferably Thai), seeded and sliced

Lime wedges

1. Put 1 tablespoon of the oil in a large skillet over high heat. When it’s hot, add the scallions, carrot, and bean sprouts and cook, stirring occasionally, until they soften and begin to brown, 3 to 5 minutes. Lower the heat if the mixture threatens to scorch. Transfer the vegetables to a bowl with a slotted spoon.

2. Add another tablespoon of the oil to the pan, followed by the chicken pieces; cook, stirring occasionally, over high heat until the chicken is no longer pink, 3 to 5 minutes. Add to the bowl with the vegetables, leaving as much oil in the pan as possible.

3. Put the remaining 1 tablespoon oil in the skillet, followed by the garlic. About 15 seconds later, begin to add the rice, a bit at a time, breaking up any clumps with your fingers and stirring it into the oil. When all the rice is added, make a well in its center and break the egg into it; scramble it a bit, then incorporate it into the rice.

4. Return the chicken and vegetables to the pan and stir to integrate. Add the coconut milk and cook, stirring, until most of the liquid has boiled off, just a minute or so. Add the fish sauce, then taste and season with salt and pepper. Turn off the heat and stir in the peanuts, basil, and chiles. Serve with the lime wedges.

Spicy Fried Rice with Carrots, Pork, and Peanuts. Use 2 grated carrots and pork (preferably sliced pork shoulder) instead of the carrot, bean sprouts, and chicken.

Crisp Rice Cakes with Stir-Fried Vegetables and Chicken

Makes: 4 servings

Time: 45 minutes with precooked rice

Made from seasoned soft-cooked brown basmati rice, these crisp rice cakes are a real treat—and an amazing alternative to plain rice—when topped with stir-fries. You can even make a large batch, wrap tightly, and freeze for up to several months; they reheat well in a hot oven (or even a microwave in a pinch). Or form them into mini cakes to serve for appetizers.

3 cups soft-cooked brown basmati rice (see page 273)

Salt and black pepper

1 tablespoon sesame oil

3 tablespoons vegetable oil, or more as needed

12 ounces boneless, skinless chicken thighs or breasts, chopped into small pieces

1 onion, chopped

2 tablespoons minced garlic

2 large carrots, chopped

3 celery stalks, chopped

2 cups snow peas

1 tablespoon nam pla (fish sauce)

Juice of 1 lime

Chopped fresh cilantro, for garnish

1. Heat the oven to 200°F. Sprinkle the rice with salt and pepper if necessary, then stir in the sesame oil with a fork. Use your hands to form the rice into four 1-inch-thick cakes.

2. Put 2 tablespoons of the vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium heat. When it’s hot, add the cakes to the skillet, working in batches if necessary, and cook, turning once and until golden brown, 3 to 5 minutes per side. Transfer the cakes to the oven to keep them warm.

3. Put the remaining 1 tablespoon vegetable oil in the same skillet over medium-high heat. After a minute, add the chicken and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Let it sizzle for a couple minutes before stirring for the first time, then cook and stir until the chicken is browned and just cooked through, 3 to 5 minutes for breast meat, or a couple minutes longer for thighs.

4. Remove the chicken from the pan and pour in a little more oil if it looks dry. Add the onion and garlic; cook and stir for 30 seconds or so. Add the carrots and celery; cook, stirring occasionally, until they just begin to soften, 3 to 5 minutes. Add the snow peas; cook and stir until the vegetables are tender but still have a little crunch, another minute or 2. Stir in the fish sauce, a few tablespoons water, the lime juice, and the chicken; cook, stirring, until the sauce thickens a bit, about a minute. Taste and adjust the seasoning. Serve the stir-fry on top of the cakes, garnished with cilantro.

Arroz con Pollo—and Then Some

Makes: 4 servings

Time: About 1 hour, largely unattended

There are all forms of arroz con pollo, but they all have in common chicken, rice, and onions. Stock is optional (the chicken turns water into “stock” anyway), as is saffron, and peas and beans are frequent visitors. To take the classic dish even further, add minced garlic, a chopped red bell pepper, or some chopped tomato along with the rice. Or take the dish out of Latin America by varying the seasonings: cardamom, cloves, and cinnamon for an Indian-style biryani; or use sesame oil, scallions, fresh ginger, and cilantro for a Chinese-style spin. It’s no longer arroz con pollo at that point, but it’s really good.

3 tablespoons olive oil

1 large or 2 medium onions, halved and sliced

Salt and black pepper

1 cup short-grain brown rice

1 bay leaf

Pinch of saffron threads, optional

4 bone-in chicken thighs

3 cups chicken or vegetable stock (for homemade, see pages 135 to 140) or water

1 cup cooked or canned pinto or cranberry beans, drained

1 cup fresh or frozen peas

Chopped fresh parsley, for garnish

Lemon or lime wedges, for serving

1. Put the oil in a large, deep skillet over medium-high heat. A minute later, add the onion and a sprinkling of salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the onion softens and becomes translucent, 3 to 5 minutes.

2. Add the rice and stir until it’s coated with oil, a minute or 2; add the bay leaf, sprinkle with the saffron if you’re using it, and stir again. Nestle the chicken pieces in the rice, add a little more salt and pepper, and pour in the stock. Bring the mixture to a boil, then adjust the heat so that the mixture bubbles gently but steadily.

3. Cover and cook until all the liquid is absorbed, the rice is tender, and the chicken is cooked through, 30 to 40 minutes; the bird is done when an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the thigh reads 155° to 165°F. Stir in the beans and peas. Cover, turn the heat down very low, and heat the dish through for a few minutes. (At this point, you may keep the dish warm for another 15 minutes off heat.) Remove the bay leaf, taste and adjust the seasoning, and fluff the rice with a fork. Garnish with parsley and serve with lemon or lime wedges.

Chile-Chicken Chilaquiles

Makes: 4 servings

Time: 45 minutes

Everywhere bread is traditional, people developed the means to use it stale—think of Italy’s crostini, or fattoush, the pita salads of the Middle East. Chilaquiles—scrambled tortilla strips—are Mexico’s contribution. Traditional versions often include eggs and/or salsa to soften and flavor the tortillas, with meat stirred in as almost an afterthought. To make this vegetarian, skip the chicken and add a couple of eggs scrambled during the last few minutes of cooking; to make it vegan, add a handful of cooked or canned pinto beans instead.

One technical note: Charring and peeling poblanos is the classic method, but if you cut them up small or thin enough, you can skip this step.

8 small corn tortillas (stale are fine)

½ cup olive or vegetable oil

2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts or thighs

2 poblano or other fresh mild chiles, seeded and thinly sliced

1 red bell pepper, cut into strips

1 onion, halved and sliced

1 tablespoon minced garlic

8 Roma (plum) tomatoes, seeded if you like, chopped (canned are fine; drain their juice)

½ cup chopped fresh cilantro

Lime wedges

1. Cut the tortillas in half and then crosswise into strips about 1 inch wide. Put the oil in a deep skillet over medium-high heat. When it’s hot but not smoking, fry the tortilla strips, turning frequently, until golden brown and crisp on both sides, about 3 minutes. Work in 2 or 3 batches to avoid crowding. Use a slotted spoon to transfer them to towels to drain.

2. Pour off all but 2 tablespoons of the oil. Add the chicken and brown well, turning as necessary, until no longer pink inside but not dry, 10 to 15 minutes depending on the cut. Remove the chicken from the skillet and add the poblanos, bell pepper, onion, and garlic. Cook, stirring frequently, until the vegetables soften and begin to turn golden, 5 to 10 minutes. Add the tomatoes and cook, stirring, until their liquid has boiled off.

3. When the chicken is cool enough to handle, slice or chop it and return the pieces to the pan along with the tortillas. Cook, stirring, just long enough to warm the chicken and tortilla strips, about 2 minutes. Taste and adjust the seasoning. Sprinkle with the cilantro and serve with the lime wedges.

Braised Chard and Chicken with Steel-Cut Oats

Makes: 4 servings

Time: 30 minutes

Hearty stews are usually tricky to pull off on weeknights, when you want something on the table quickly. But here’s a delicious braised grain dish with that odd acidic sweetness of chard (substitute other greens if you prefer) and the crisp juiciness of chicken thighs. Bulgur also works well.

About 1½ pounds chard

2 tablespoons olive oil

4 bone-in chicken thighs

Salt and black pepper

1 red onion, halved and sliced

3 garlic cloves, sliced

¾ cup steel-cut oats

½ cup white wine or water

2 cups vegetable or chicken stock (for homemade, see pages 135 to 140) or water, or more as needed

2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar

1. Cut the stems out of the chard leaves. Cut the leaves into wide ribbons and slice the stems; keep the leaves and stems separate.

2. Put the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. When it’s hot, add the chicken thighs, skin side down, and sprinkle with salt and pepper; cook, rotating and turning as necessary, until browned on all sides, 10 to 15 minutes. Remove the chicken. Add the onion and garlic to the skillet and cook, stirring, until softened, 3 to 5 minutes.

3. Add the chard stems and oats along with another sprinkling of salt and pepper; cook, stirring occasionally, until the oats are glossy and coated with oil, 2 to 3 minutes. Add the wine, stir, and let the liquid bubble away. Add the 2 cups stock all at once and return the chicken thighs to the skillet (skin side up). Reduce the heat to medium-low, cover, and cook. Check to see if the oats are tender after 15 minutes; if they’re not quite done, cook for another 5 minutes, then test again. If the oats become dry, add a little more stock or water.

4. When the oats are almost done, add the chard leaves and the vinegar. Replace the lid, remove the skillet from the heat, and let rest for 5 minutes. Fluff with a fork and taste and adjust the seasoning. Serve.

Drumsticks, Cabbage, and Rice, Stuck-Pot Style

Makes: 4 servings

Time: About 1½ hours, largely unattended

This is a terrific, venerable, and underappreciated technique known worldwide but not much used here; you intentionally overcook the bottom of a pot of rice (there has to be some fat in there) until it’s crisp. (This is how to create the famous soccarat that is the soul of classic paella.) That crust on the bottom of the pot—which will become the top of the dish after you invert it onto a platter—is as crunchy as it is gorgeous. All you have to do is ignore the pot for 45 minutes. Don’t worry if it doesn’t come out in one piece; it’s all good.

Salt

1 cup brown basmati rice

¼ cup olive oil, or more as needed

4 chicken drumsticks

Black pepper

1 small head cabbage, cored and thinly sliced

2 tablespoons minced garlic

½ cup stock (for homemade, see pages 135 to 140) or water, or more as needed

Chopped fresh dill, for garnish

Lemon wedges, for serving

1. Fill a large pot or Dutch oven with water, bring it to a boil, and salt it. Stir in the rice, adjust the heat so that the water bubbles steadily, and cook without stirring for about 12 minutes. Drain. Transfer the rice to a bowl and wipe out the pot.

2. Put the oil in the same pot over medium-high heat. A minute later, add the drumsticks and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Cook the drumsticks, turning and rotating as necessary, until they’re browned all over but not cooked through, 5 to 10 minutes; remove. Add the cabbage and garlic to the pot, sprinkle with salt and pepper, and cook, stirring occasionally, until they begin to soften, 5 to 10 minutes. Remove the vegetables. There should be about ¹/₈ inch fat left in the bottom of the pot; if not, add a little more oil.

3. Add half of the rice to the bottom of the pot, nestle the drumsticks into the rice, add the cabbage and garlic mixture, then put the rest of the rice on top. Pour in the stock, cover the pot, and cook over medium-high heat for 5 minutes. After 5 minutes, turn the heat down very low and cook, completely undisturbed, for about 45 minutes. (If the rice starts to smell like it might be toasting too quickly, turn the heat down even more.) The rice should be tender and fragrant; if not, add another ½ cup liquid, cover, and cook for 5 minutes or so. When it’s ready, remove the pot from the heat and let it sit, covered, for at least 5 minutes or up to 15 minutes.

4. To serve, put a plate over the top of the pot and carefully turn the rice out. If some of the rice sticks to the bottom of the pot, scrape it out and put it on top. Garnish with dill and serve with lemon wedges.

Rolled Cabbage

Makes: 4 servings

Time: 1½ hours, largely unattended

Stuffed anything usually demands a lot of preparation. Still, once you get the rolled cabbage into the pot, you can walk away for a long time. You can replace the sausage with any kind of ground meat you like; just be sure to season it well with fresh or dried herbs and maybe some anise or caraway seeds.

Salt

1 large head cabbage (about 2 pounds), cored

1 cup brown rice

8 ounces fresh sausage, casings removed

½ cup chopped scallions

Black pepper

Two 28-ounce cans diced tomatoes, with their juice

1 bay leaf

1 cinnamon stick

4 or 5 whole cloves

1. Bring a large pot of water to a boil and salt it. Add the cabbage and cook, turning it in the pot once or twice, until it begins to get tender, 15 to 20 minutes. Remove the cabbage (do not pour out the water) and rinse the leaves with cool water to stop the cooking. Pull off 10 of the largest, most intact leaves, then chop the remaining leaves and put them in a large bowl. Return the pot to a boil and stir in the rice. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 15 minutes, then drain.

2. Add the cooked rice, raw sausage, scallions, and a good sprinkling of salt and pepper to the bowl of chopped cabbage and mix just enough to combine. Put a large spoonful of the rice mixture into a cabbage leaf, taking care not to overfill it, and roll loosely. You’re shooting for 8 cabbage rolls, but if you have extra filling, use all of the leaves. Put the rolls seam side down in the bottom of a large pot or Dutch oven; it’s okay to stack them on top of each other in the pot.

3. Add the tomatoes and their juice to the Dutch oven along with 1 cup water, the bay leaf, cinnamon stick, cloves, and some salt and pepper. Cover and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat so that the mixture barely bubbles and cook, undisturbed, for 30 minutes. Check to see if there’s still liquid in the pot. The cabbage should be just submerged; if not, add a little water. Cover and cook for another 30 minutes before checking again.

4. When the rolls have plumped up and absorbed most of the liquid, and are firm, turn off the heat and let rest, still covered, for at least 10 minutes (or up to 20). Put the rolled cabbage in shallow bowls, removing the whole spices as you come across them. Taste the pot juices and adjust the seasoning if necessary. Pour a big ladleful over the cabbage rolls and serve.

Meat-and-Grain Loaf, Burgers, or Balls

Makes: 6 to 8 servings, or more for appetizers

Time: About 1 hour, or less if you start with ground meat and precooked grains

The best of both worlds: the moisture and flavor of ground meat combined with the chewiness of grains. Any leftovers are good cold from the fridge for a few days (like any meat loaf, they make terrific sandwiches), or freeze them for up to a few months.

Use the same mixture to form burgers or balls of any size. You can cook them in a skillet on the stove in some olive oil, but baking them as described in the recipe requires less attention.

2 tablespoons olive oil

Salt

1 pound spinach or other tender greens

1 pound boneless, skinless chicken or turkey thighs, beef chuck or sirloin, or pork or lamb shoulder, excess fat removed; or use ground meat

1 small onion or 2 shallots, chopped

2 teaspoons minced garlic

Pinch of cayenne

1 teaspoon cumin or 1 tablespoon chili powder

Black pepper

1 egg

2 cups cooked, drained bulgur or any other grain

1. Heat the oven to 400°F. Grease a loaf pan, rimmed baking sheet, or large roasting pan with 2 tablespoons oil. Bring a large pot of water to a boil and salt it; fill a large bowl with ice water. Wilt the spinach in the boiling water for about 30 seconds. Drain and immediately plunge into the ice water. Drain, squeeze tightly to dry thoroughly, and roughly chop. Put the spinach in a bowl. If you’re using ground meat, add it to the spinach and skip to Step 3.

2. If you’re using whole pieces of meat, cut them into large chunks and put in a food processor. Pulse several times to process until ground but not puréed, stopping the machine and scraping down the sides if necessary. Transfer to the bowl with the spinach.

3. Add the onion, garlic, and spices, sprinkle with salt and pepper, and stir. Add the egg and bulgur and mix until thoroughly combined using a rubber spatula or your hands. Transfer the mixture to the loaf pan or shape into a free-form loaf, burgers, or balls, and put on the baking sheet or in the roasting pan. Transfer to the oven and roast until firm and browned all over. A loaf will take about 50 minutes; burgers and balls with take 20 to 30, depending on their size (carefully turn them once or twice for even cooking).

Fish or Shrimp Loaf, Burgers, and Balls. You might try 1 tablespoon curry powder instead of the chili powder. Replace the meat with 1 pound raw firm fish or shrimp (see page 23); clean, bone, and shell it as needed. Proceed with the recipe.

Bean-and-Grain Loaf, Burgers, and Balls. Instead of the meat, use 2 cups cooked or canned beans, mashed with enough of their liquid to keep them moist. Proceed with the recipe.

Rice Casserole with Escarole and Little Meatballs

Makes: 4 servings

Time: About 1 hour

This garlicky baked rice dish features polpetti, those light, cheesy Italian meatballs. Traditionally, they’re made with a mixture of pork, beef, and veal, and you can do that, though I’m using only beef here. The escarole almost melts away into the casserole, but to make the rice even creamier, add ½ cup to 1 cup more stock, uncover, and stir a couple of times while it’s baking.

1 thin slice good bread, preferably whole wheat

¼ cup milk

8 ounces ground sirloin

¼ cup chopped onion

¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese

2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley

Salt and black pepper

1 tablespoon olive oil

2 tablespoons minced garlic

1 cup short-grain brown rice

½ cup white wine

2 cups chicken or vegetable stock (for homemade, see pages 135 to 140) or water, or more as needed

1 pound escarole, cut into ribbons

1. Heat the oven to 350°F. Soak the bread in the milk until soggy, about 5 minutes. Squeeze the liquid from the bread and combine the bread gently with the meat, onion, Parmesan, parsley, and some salt and pepper. Shape into ½-inch meatballs, pressing no more than is necessary.

2. Put the oil in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium heat for 1 minute. Add the meatballs and cook, turning once or twice, until well browned and firm, 5 to 10 minutes total; as they finish cooking, remove them with a slotted spoon.

3. Add the garlic to the pot and cook, stirring, until soft, about 5 minutes. Add the rice and stir until glossy and coated with oil, about 1 minute more. Add the white wine and let the liquid bubble away. Add the stock, escarole, meatballs, and a sprinkling of salt and pepper. Bring to a boil.

4. Cover and bake, undisturbed, for 30 minutes. Remove the cover and test a grain of rice. It should be almost tender but not quite ready; if it’s still too tough, check to make sure there’s some water left in the bottom of the pot, cover again, and bake for another 10 minutes. When the rice is done, remove the pot from the oven and let it rest for at least 5 minutes or up to 15 minutes. Taste and adjust the seasoning. Serve.

Brown Rice and Lamb Burgers with Spinach

Makes: 4 servings

Time: 1 hour

The rice gives these burgers an amazingly crisp crust and moist interior. Use ground turkey or beef instead of lamb if you like, and try topping the burgers with a little yogurt and lemon juice—it’s a nice touch.

1 cup brown rice

Salt

5 tablespoons olive oil

3 teaspoons minced garlic

1 pound spinach, roughly chopped

Black pepper

8 ounces ground lamb

1 small red onion, chopped

1 tablespoon chopped fresh oregano, or 1 teaspoon dried

1 teaspoon cumin

¼ cup crumbled feta cheese

1. Put the rice in a saucepan with a pinch of salt and add water to cover by about 1 inch. Bring to a boil, then adjust the heat so that the mixture bubbles gently. Cover and cook until the rice is nearly done (it should be a little chewy and a little wet but not swimming), 30 to 35 minutes. Transfer the rice to a mixing bowl.

2. Meanwhile, put 2 tablespoons of the oil in a large, deep skillet over medium heat. When it’s hot, add 2 teaspoons of the garlic and cook, stirring occasionally, until it begins to soften, just a minute or 2. Add the chopped spinach and cook, stirring occasionally, until all the leaves are just wilted and cooked almost dry, 5 to 10 minutes. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and remove it from the pan. Wipe out the skillet.

3. Add the lamb, onion, oregano, cumin, feta, and the remaining 1 teaspoon garlic to the mixing bowl with the rice; stir just enough to combine all the ingredients but don’t overwork it. Form the mixture into 4 patties. (The dish can be made ahead to this point; cover the spinach and the patties and refrigerate for up to a few hours. Bring the spinach to room temperature before proceeding.)

4. Put the remaining 3 tablespoons oil in the same skillet over medium-high heat. When it’s hot, add the patties and cook, turning once and working in batches if necessary, until they are golden brown on both sides and the meat is just cooked through, about 5 minutes per side. To serve, put a burger on a mound of spinach and drizzle with the pan juices.

Quickly Stewed Tomatoes and Sausage with Bulgur

Makes: 4 servings

Time: 30 minutes

Considering how delicious this is, it’s way too easy—a kind of bulgur-fortified tomato sauce that you can eat any time of day. Though Italian sausage naturally goes well with fresh oregano, you can use any combo of fresh sausage and herbs you like. Or try bacon, pancetta, or guanciale instead of sausage, or omit the meat entirely (chopped zucchini or eggplant replaces it nicely).

2 tablespoons olive oil

4 to 8 ounces fresh sausage in casings

1 tablespoon minced garlic

1 cup bulgur

4 cups chopped tomatoes (canned are fine; drain their juice)

1 tablespoon chopped fresh oregano, or 1 teaspoon dried

2 cups chicken or vegetable stock (for homemade, see pages 135 to 140) or water

Salt and black pepper

½ cup chopped fresh parsley, for garnish

1. Put the oil in a deep skillet over medium heat. When it’s hot, add the sausage and cook, turning occasionally and pricking with a fork a few times to release its fat. When the sausage is nicely browned and just cooked through, after 10 minutes or so, remove it and turn the heat to low. (When it’s cool enough to handle, cut it into bite-size pieces.)

2. Add the garlic to the skillet and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add the bulgur and stir until it’s glossy. Raise the heat a bit and return the sausage to the pan along with the tomatoes, oregano, and stock. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Turn the heat to low, stir, and cover. Cook until the bulgur is tender, 10 to 15 minutes. Let rest off the heat for 5 minutes. Taste and adjust the seasoning and fluff with a fork. Serve garnished with the parsley.

Skillet Tamales

Makes: 4 servings

Time: 45 minutes

Tamale casseroles were popular back in the 1970s and are perfectly positioned for a comeback. They’re much less labor-intensive than real tamales and just as comforting. Plus they’re fun: The cornmeal puffs up in the oven, forming a nice layer over the meat and vegetables. For a more authentic tortilla flavor, use masa harina instead of cornmeal.

1 cup cornmeal (fine or medium grind)

1½ cups hot water, or more as needed

Salt

2 tablespoons olive oil, or more as needed

8 ounces ground beef, pork, or lamb

Black pepper

1 onion, chopped

1 tablespoon minced garlic

1 tablespoon chili powder

8 Roma (plum) tomatoes, chopped (canned are fine; drain their juice)

3 cups corn kernels (frozen are fine)

½ teaspoon baking powder

¼ cup chopped fresh cilantro, for garnish

1. Heat the oven to 400°F. Combine the cornmeal, hot water, and a large pinch of salt; stir with a fork until smooth. Let it sit while you prepare the filling.

2. Put the oil in a deep, ovenproof skillet (cast iron is ideal) over medium-high heat. When it’s hot, add the meat, sprinkle with salt and pepper, and cook, stirring occasionally, until nicely browned, 5 to 10 minutes. Lower the heat a bit, add the onion and garlic, and cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables soften, about 5 minutes more; add more oil if the mixture starts to look too dry. Stir in the chili powder, tomatoes, and corn and turn off the heat.

3. Stir the baking powder into the cornmeal mixture until it’s completely incorporated. The mixture should be the consistency of thick pancake batter; if not, add a little more water. Spoon the batter into the skillet on top of the filling and spread it around a bit. Bake until the cornbread has cracked and turned golden and is cooked all the way through (a toothpick inserted into the cornbread should come out clean), 20 to 25 minutes. Garnish with the cilantro and serve hot or at room temperature.

Quick Posole (Pork and Hominy Stew)

Makes: 4 servings

Time: 30 minutes with cooked or canned hominy

If you’ve never cooked with hominy (from which grits are ground), posole—the pork and corn stew of central Mexico—is a good place to start. The flavor is amazing. Because posole is lime-treated corn (the first step in making tortillas), it has a character unlike other dried corn products. (For a vegetarian version, omit the pork and add 2 cups pinto or black beans in Step 2.) Soft corn tortillas are the classic accompaniment for scooping up the posole and soaking in its delicious broth, but a batch of Mostly Whole Wheat Tortillas (page 526) would not be amiss.

2 tablespoons olive oil

2 center-cut loin pork chops, about 1 inch thick

Salt and black pepper

1 large onion, chopped

1 tablespoon minced garlic

1 tablespoon chili powder

1 pound kale, collards, or other sturdy greens (stems are fine), chopped

3 cups cooked or canned hominy, liquid reserved

1 bunch radishes, chopped or grated, for garnish

½ cup chopped fresh cilantro, for garnish

1. Put the oil in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. When it’s hot, add the pork chops, sprinkle with salt and pepper, and cook, turning once or twice, until browned on both sides, 5 to 10 minutes. Remove them from the skillet. Add the onion and garlic and cook, stirring, until softened, 3 to 5 minutes. Add the chili powder and another sprinkling of salt and pepper and continue cooking and stirring for about a minute.

2. Return the pork chops to the skillet along with the greens, hominy, and 2 cups of its liquid; add water to make up the difference if you don’t have enough. Stir and bring to a boil. Adjust the heat so the mixture bubbles gently, then cover and cook until the greens and the pork are tender, 5 to 10 minutes. (If the mixture becomes too dry, add a little water.)

3. Fish the pork chops out of the pot, remove the meat from the bones, chop it up a bit, and stir it back into the stew. (The posole can be made ahead to this point and refrigerated for up to 3 days; gently reheat before proceeding.) Taste and adjust the seasoning. Serve garnished with the radishes and cilantro.

Posole from Scratch. Start with 1½ cups uncooked hominy. Put the hominy in a large pot with water to cover. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat so the hominy bubbles gently. Cover and cook, stirring occasionally and adding water as necessary to keep the mixture covered, until the kernels have burst and are tender, 3 to 4 hours. Drain and reserve the liquid, then proceed with the recipe.

Picaditas with Potatoes and Chorizo

Makes: 4 servings

Time: 45 minutes

Strictly speaking, these are not picaditas—the thick pancakes from Veracruz in Mexico—because I cheat a bit and use masa harina instead of the traditional tamale dough known simply as masa. But if you have access to good masa (or nixtamal, the partially cooked and limed whole hominy used to make it), then by all means use it as the foundation here instead of the harina-water combination.

In any case, picaditas themselves are fast and easy to make. You may find yourself making them often and topping them with whatever you have handy, or eating them plain like bread.

1 cup masa harina

½ teaspoon baking powder

Salt and black pepper

2 tablespoons olive oil, plus more for frying

8 ounces Mexican (fresh) chorizo

2 large baking potatoes, peeled if you like

½ cup chopped scallions

Lime wedges, for serving

1. Combine the masa harina, baking powder, ½ teaspoon salt, and a little pepper in a medium bowl. Add 1 tablespoon of the oil and stir with a fork until the mixture looks like coarse meal. Stir in 1 cup water to make a thick batter and let sit.

2. Heat the oven to 200°F. Put another tablespoon oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the chorizo and cook, stirring occasionally and adjusting the heat as necessary, until it breaks up, darkens, and releases some of its fat, 10 to 15 minutes. Meanwhile, grate the potatoes and squeeze them dry. Remove the chorizo from the pan with a slotted spoon and add the potatoes.

3. Cook the potatoes, stirring once or twice, until they brown in places and become a little tender but are still crisp, 5 to 10 minutes. Return the chorizo to the pan along with the scallions and stir. Taste and adjust the seasoning and lower the heat to keep warm.

4. Put a thin film of oil in another large skillet over medium-high heat. When it’s hot, drop half of the masa batter in spoonfuls into the skillet to form 4 thick cakes, each about 4 inches in diameter. Cover and adjust the heat so the batter steams but the oil doesn’t smoke; cook until the picaditas are crisp on the bottom, a little puffed, and firm on top, 5 to 7 minutes. Transfer to the warm oven and repeat with the remaining batter to make 8 cakes. Top the picaditas with some of the potato mixture and serve with the lime wedges.

Kimchi Rice with Beef

Makes: 4 servings

Time: About 4 hours, almost entirely unattended

Even though store-bought kimchi is acceptable, I encourage you to try a homemade batch because it’s unbelievably good. It needs to cure for at least a couple of hours, but you can make it up to a week in advance. You might even double the recipe; it’s that good. Just be aware that the longer it sits, the stronger it will be, so over the course of a week it becomes pretty potent. (Not that it’s weak to begin with.)

1 small head (about 12 ounces) green, Savoy, or Napa cabbage, cored and shredded

Salt

6 scallions, chopped

2 tablespoons minced garlic, or to taste

1 tablespoon minced ginger

1 tablespoon red chile flakes

1 tablespoon sugar

2 tablespoons soy sauce

3 tablespoons vegetable oil

8 ounces beef flank or skirt steak, very thinly sliced

2 cups cooked short- or long-grain brown rice

1. Put the shredded cabbage in a colander and toss it well with 2 tablespoons salt. Let it sit over a bowl until it wilts, at least 2 hours. Rinse the cabbage and pat it dry.

2. Combine the scallions, garlic, ginger, red chile flakes, sugar, and soy sauce in a bowl or large jar. Toss the mixture with the cabbage. (You should make the kimchi at least 2 hours in advance; see the headnote.)

3. When the kimchi is ready, put a large, deep skillet over high heat until it begins to smoke, 3 to 4 minutes. Swirl in 2 tablespoons of the oil, add the beef, and cook, stirring occasionally, until it is seared but still pink inside, 2 to 3 minutes. Remove the beef from the skillet.

4. Add the remaining 1 tablespoon oil to the skillet, swirl it around, and begin to add the rice, a bit at a time, breaking up any clumps with your fingers and stirring it into the oil. When all the rice is added, cook, stirring frequently, until the rice becomes nice and crisp, 3 to 5 minutes. Return the beef to the pan and stir in the kimchi. Serve hot or at room temperature.

Wheat Berries with Braised Beef and Parsnips

Makes: 4 servings

Time: 1½ to 2 hours, largely unattended

A rich, substantial wintertime stew that benefits from fresh vegetables added late enough that they don’t turn to mush. To turn this into a delicious twist on the Belgian classic, beef carbonnade, omit the wine and use your favorite dark beer in place of half of the stock.

2 tablespoons olive oil

12 ounces boneless beef chuck or round, cut into large cubes

Salt and black pepper

2 onions, cut into wedges

4 garlic cloves, sliced

½ cup red wine

4 cups beef or vegetable stock (for homemade, see pages 135 to 140) or water, or more as needed

¾ cup wheat berries

1 bay leaf

1 sprig fresh thyme, or several pinches dried

1 pound parsnips, cut into ½-inch slices

¼ cup chopped fresh parsley, for garnish

1. Put the oil in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. When it’s hot, add the beef a few pieces at a time, turning as they cook and sprinkling with salt and pepper. (Don’t crowd or the cubes will not brown properly; cook in batches if necessary.) Brown the meat well on all sides, 5 to 10 minutes total.

2. As the pieces brown, remove them with a slotted spoon. Pour off all but 3 tablespoons of the fat from the pan and turn the heat down to medium. Add the onions and garlic and cook, stirring, until softened and beginning to color, 5 to 10 minutes. Add the wine and cook, stirring to scrape up any brown bits from the bottom of the pan, for a minute or 2. Add the stock, wheat berries, bay leaf, thyme, and meat and bring to a boil. Turn the heat down so the liquid bubbles gently. Cover and cook, undisturbed, for 1 hour.

3. Uncover the pot; the mixture should still be wet and the wheat berries almost fully tender. If not, add a little more liquid, cover, and cook for another 15 minutes, then check again; the grains should be tender and the mixture soupy but not swimming in liquid. If not, repeat this step until they’re ready.

4. Add the parsnips, turn the heat up for a minute or so to bring the liquid back to a boil, then lower the heat and cover again. Cook, stirring once or twice, until the parsnips are tender but not too soft, 10 to 15 minutes. Remove the bay leaf and thyme sprig, then taste and adjust the seasoning. (The stew can be made ahead to this point and refrigerated for up to 3 days; reheat gently before proceeding.) Garnish with parsley and serve.

Braised Broccoli Rabe and Pork with Wheat Berries. Substitute pork shoulder for the beef and chopped broccoli rabe for the parsnips. Deglaze with white wine instead of red in Step 2 and proceed with the recipe.