Eat This: Pineapple Rice

I made this on Tuesday and I've been dreaming about it all week. It's that good. It's a Hawaiian recipe, but it tastes very Thai to me. I actually like it better than Thai from a restaurant. Last night we had Thai take out and it just wasn't all that satisfying.

Although lately I like my cooking more than most restaurants. I'm becoming one of those cooking snobs. The exceptions being Table 6, Beatrice and Woodsley, Potager, and Root Down. So besides those 4 (and maybe some others that I can't think of right now) I feel like eating out is a waste of money.

But back to the pineapple rice. It's just fabulous. It has just enough spice for me and the flavors are all so warm and delish. I followed the veg recipe and made it with Seitan, but I think it would work with shrimp, chicken, or beef as well.

So give it a try. You'll like it better than a restaurant.

1/3 cup macadamia oil, olive oil, or sunflower oil
2 teaspoons toasted sesame oil
1/4 cup (fresh or canned) all-natural 100% pineapple juice
1 garlic clove
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
2 tablespoons soy sauce (or shoyu)
1 cup pineapple, cut into chunks
2 teaspoons freshly grated ginger
1/4 teaspoon fine grain sea salt

4 handfuls of mizuna, watercress, or arugula

2 1/2 cups cooked brown rice, room temperature
4 green onions, thinly sliced
3 shallots, peeled and thinly sliced
1 cup cashews, roasted/toasted and chopped
1/2 small serrano chile, seeded and deveined, and minced (optional)
4 ounces seitan, cut into little bits and pan-fried (optional)

Start by making the dressing. Combine the oil, sesame oil, pineapple juice, garlic, red pepper flakes, soy sauce, fresh pineapple, ginger, and salt in a blender or food processor. Puree until smooth. Transfer to a small saucepan, and gently warm just before serving, don't simmer or boil.

In an extra-large bowl toss the mizuna with a generous splash of the dressing. Arrange it on a platter (as a bed for the rice)

You can serve the rice portion of this recipe room temperature or hot - Wayne really loved the hot version, and so did I. In the same bowl you used to toss the greens, or in an extra large skillet over medium heat, combine the rice, most of the onions, shallots, cashews and serrano chile, and seitan. Add about half of the dressing and toss well. If you are serving the rice hot, saute it in the pan until it is heated throughout. Taste, and adjust with more dressing if needed. Spoon the rice over the greens and finish with any remaining onions, shallots, cashews, and seitan.

Serves 2- 4, main vs. side.

Recipe and photo from 101 cookbooks