vegetable recipe

Holiday Peas & Rice Recipe

/ sandramervillehart

I thought I’d share a few family recipes around the Christmas holidays. This is a dish that my grandmother on my dad’s side used to make.

Ingredients

½ cup long grain rice—not minute rice (I used organic brown rice)

1/8 teaspoon sage

2 tablespoons butter or margarine

1 can chicken broth

1 cup frozen peas

2 tablespoons diced pimentos

Melt butter in a medium saucepan. Stir in sage. Add rice and sauté in the melted butter for about a minute or until it begins to brown.

Stir chicken broth into the rice mixture and bring to a boil. Then reduce to low heat. Cover and simmer.

After simmering for 15 minutes, add peas and cook about 10 minutes longer or until done, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat and let it set, covered, for five minutes to allow the rice to soak up any remaining broth.

Stir in pimentos. This recipe makes 6 ½ cup servings. Double it to serve a larger crowd.

This dish has just a hint of sage that I found to be a refreshing change. If you like a bit more, increase this seasoning to a ¼ teaspoon when adding to the melted butter in the beginning, but remember that sage has a strong flavor. A little goes a long way.

This vegetable dish has festive green and red colors that will complement holiday meals. Thanks for the recipe, Grandma!

I’d love to hear if you try this. Enjoy!

-Sandra Merville Hart

 

 

Stewed Carrots

/ sandramervillehart

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I know that a recipe for stewed carrots from an 1877 cookbook isn’t the most exciting dish, but this dish added a bit of flavor and interest to the vegetable.

img_2392The carrots I had on hand were the peeled baby carrots. I sliced a half pound of these once lengthwise. Though I usually steam this vegetable, I boiled them as directed by Mrs. C.T.C. on a medium high heat. They were tender and ready for the next step in about a half hour.

In another saucepan, melt two tablespoons of butter and add about a cup of milk. Salt and pepper to taste and then cook over medium low heat for about 10 minutes, stirring often.

img_2394Remove the carrots by the pan with a slotted spoon into a serving dish. Dissolve a tablespoon of flour in about twice as much water and add to the creamy sauce left in the pot. (Use less flour if you don’t want the sauce to be as thick. Next time I will try a teaspoon of flour for pourable consistency.)

Stirring constantly, allow the gravy to boil at least a minute. Then pour it over the carrots and serve.

Both my husband and I liked carrots prepared this way. If you want to jazz up carrots at supper one evening, consider trying this recipe. The preparations took about an hour.

Enjoy! I’d love to hear if you try this recipe.

-Sandra Merville Hart

Sources

Compiled from Original Recipes. Buckeye Cookery and Practical Housekeeping, Applewood Books, 1877.