Spanish Rice for Instapot

This is a delicious, simple Spanish rice recipe that's one-post with the Instapot.

Spanish Rice for Instapot 

adapted from the almond eater

Ingredients:

1.5 cups rice (long preferred, but short works here)

2 cup broth (chicken or veg)

1.25 cups tomato sauce (any smooth tomato sauce will work)

2 cloves garlic, minced

2 Tbs butter

2 Tbs oil

1 tsp chili powder 

1/2 tsp cumin

1/2 tsp salt (more or less depending on how salty the broth you use is)

3 Tbs cilantro, chopped fine (optional)

Instructions:

1. Set Instapot to saute mode for 5 minutes (it will take a couple minutes to heat up) and add the butter. Once the butter has melted, add the oil, rice, and garlic. Saute until the timer clicks off, stirring frequently.

2. Add broth, tomato sauce, and dried spices to the pot. Stir together, place lid with the valve on seal, and cook on rice mode (disable keep warm).

3. Once rice mode has completed, and the seal has dropped - open lid, fluff rice, and let stand for 5 minutes.

4. Serve & enjoy!

Chermoula Sauce

This is the Middle-Eastern version of Chimichurri sauce, major changes being half & half parsley/cilantro instead of just parsley as well as some additional Middle-Eastern spices. Also, the red wine vinegar is swapped for fresh lemon juice and zest.

This also differs from Chimichurri sauce in that it is run through the food processor. So, while the sauce should remain textured, it is more of a finishing sauce than a braising & finishing sauce.

Chermoula Sauce

adapted from The Mediterranean Dish

Ingredients:

1 bunch parsley (1 cup chopped)

1 bunch cilantro (1 cup chopped)

1 lemon, juice & zest

2 cloves garlic

1 tsp. ground coriander 

1 tsp. red pepper flakes

1/2 tsp. paprika 

1/2 tsp. ground ginger

1/4 tsp. saffron threads (optional)

3/4 cup olive oil 

Instructions:

1. Remove stems from parsley, and roughly chop using the food processor. Scrape out into a medium bowl and set aside.

2. Remove stems from the cilantro, and roughly chop using the food processor. Scrape lut into the medium bowl and leave aside. 

3. Add garlic cloves to the empty food processor bowl and mince using the pulse setting. 

4. Re-add herbs to the food processor bowl along lemon juice, lemon zest, and all spices. Do not add olive oil yet & pulse to combine.

5. With the food processor running, drizzle in the olive oil slowly.

6. Serve overeat, tish, vegetables, pasta salad, etc. Enjoy!

Moroccan Carrot Salad

 

This is a delightful take on a carrot salad, no mayo involved. Flavorful, bright, and good enough for a main! Maybe throw on a piece of grilled chicken.

Moroccan Carrot Salad

from Aunt Janet

Ingredients:

1 lb. carrots, scrubbed and shredded (about 3 cups)

3/4 c. golden raisins

3/4 c. peanuts

1/4 c. chopped cilantro (1 bunch)

2 green onions, thinly sliced (whole stalks)

1/4 c. extra virgin olive oil

2 Tbs. harissa (dry or wet)

1 tsp. cumin

1 Tbs. honey

1 lime, juice and zest

2 cloves fresh garlic, minced 

2 tsp. ginger, finely grated 

1/2 tsp. salt

1/2 tsp. ground pepper

Instructions:

1. In a large bowl, mix together the carrots, raisins, peanuts, cilantro, and green onions. Set aside.

2. In a small bowl, whisk together olive oil, harissa, cumin, honey, garlic, ginger, salt and pepper. Combine with carrot mixture. Add additional salt and pepper to taste as needed.

Whipped Herb Feta and Pistachio Dip

 

Absolutely delicious dip I found online and made for a Mediterranean feast with my mom after our return from the Dalmatian coast.

Whipped Herb Feta and Pistachio Dip

slightly modified from foodmymuse

Ingredients:

1/2 cup roasted and shelled pistachios, plus more for garnish

8 oz. feta

1 lemon (zest), divided

1/3 cup cilantro, chopped

1/4 cup green onions (or scallions), chopped

1/2 tsp. honey

good olive oil for topping, plus some as needed for dip consistency 

pita bread, for serving 

Instructions:

1. In a food processor, add pistachios and process for 10 seconds.

2. Add feta, 1/2 lemon zest, cilantro, green onions, and honey. Process until smooth but stilly chunky. Add olive oil as needed for consistency.

3. To serve, place dip in a wide dish and create a well in the middle. Fill well with olive oil, and garnish with reserved lemon zest, additional pistachios, and a few cilantro leaves and green onions as desired.

4. Serve with pita bread.

Nuevo Latino Shrimp and Grits

My aunt sent me this recipe. and it's absolutely fire. 10/10 will make again. The hardest part is finding the tomatillos, which apparently do NOT come in cans! So I had to cheat a little bit and use a can of salsa verde and a cup of green hatch chilies.

Nuevo Latino Shrimp and Grits

Ingredients:

Shrimp:

3 Tbs olive oil

2 Tbs fresh lemon juice

1/2 jalapeno, trimmed, sliced

1 Tbs chopped fresh oregano

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 Tsp ground annatto seeds (or 2 packets of Sazón Goya)

1/2 Tsp kosher salt

1 lb. jumbo shrimp, peeled and deveined

chopped fresh cilantro for serving

Salsa verde:

1/2 lb. tomatillos (≈5) rinsed, quartered

1/2 bunch cilantro, stems trimmed off

1/2 cup chopped yellow onion

2 medium cloves garlic

1/2 jalapeno, trimmed and sliced

1/4 cup fresh lime juice

kosher salt

1/4 cup olive oil

Grits:

1/2 cup grits, white and stone ground

1 cup manchego, coarsely grated plus more for serving

1/4 cup heavy cream

4 Tbs unsalted butter, chunks

2 small poblanos (or 1 large one), roasted, peeled, seeded, chopped small

Instructions:

1. Marinate the shrimp: whisk oil, lemon juice, oregano, garlic, annatto seeds, jalapeno and salt. Cover and refrigerate 2-4 hours.

2. Make the salsa: put tomatillos, cilantro, onion, garlic, jalapeno, lime juice salt and 2 Tbs water into food processor. Pulse until combined. With machine running, slowly add the oil and blend until combined. If very thick, add up to another 2 Tbs water.

3. Make the grits: Bring 2.5 cups water with 1 Tsp salt to a boil in 3 qt. saucepan. Add grits in a thin stream and cook until the grits start to thicken a bit, about 1 minute. Reduce the heat to low and cook, stirring frequently, adjusting the heat as necessary, and adding more water as needed 1/4 cup at a time, until grits are thick and tender, 40-50 minutes. Stir in the cheese, cream, butter and poblanos. Season to taste with salt, and keep warm.

4. Cook the shrimp: Heat just enough olive oil to coat the bottom of a large skillet over medium heat. Add the shrimp and cook, flipping once until just pink throughout, 4-5 minutes total. Remove immediately and keep warm. 

5. Serve: If grits have thickened, add a little warm water to loosen them. Divide the grits among shallow bowls, and top with 2-3 Tbs of salsa verde and shrimp. Garnish with cilantro and more grated cheese and serve.

Shredded chicken

This recipe I've used several times now for my enchiladas and I keep coming back to it. I'm sure this recipe would be great in other Mexican-style cooking.

Shredded chicken for enchiladas
from genius kitchen

Ingredients:
2 chicken breasts, halved
1/2 medium onion, sliced
2 cloves garlic, smashed
1 Tbs. salt
water
2 Tbs. butter
1 clove garlic, minced
1/2 medium onion, chopped
1 medium tomato, seeded and chopped
1/2 green bell pepper, chopped
1/2 tsp. black pepper
1 tsp. majoram
2 Tbs. cilantro, chopped
2 tsp. ground cumin
1/4 cup salsa
1 tsp. salt, or to taste
1/2 cup chicken broth (reserved)

Instructions:
1. In a pot, place the chicken breasts, sliced onion, smashed garlic cloves, and 1 Tbs. salt. Cover with just enough water to cover chicken
2. Bring pot to a slow boil, then cover and simmer on low heat for 20-25 minutes until done.
3. Remove chicken from the pot (reserving 1/2 cup broth), leaving behind onion and garlic. Shred the chicken.
4. In a large pan, melt butter over low heat. Saute garlic until fragrant. Then saute onion, pepper, and tomato with black pepper, majoram, and cumin until veggies are soft, ~5-10 mins.
5. Stir in shredded chicken and briefly saute.
7. Add salsa and 1/2 cup reserved broth and salt to taste.