Anything But Corn-Fed: Healthy College Cooking in Rural Iowa

I love this pilaf because it is my own little one-pot meal invention and it is great comfort food. You can experiment with what fruits, vegetables, and herbs you like, this is just how I made it this time around.

Caroline’s Pilaf

1 cup brown rice, uncooked

1 onion, chopped

a big handful of tomatoes, maybe almost a pint, any kind (I use grape, chop up big ones)

1 red bell pepper, chopped in slices

capers

fresh basil, chiffonade

a few dashes balsamic vinegar or lemon juice

garlic, minced (as much as you like, I put in 4 cloves)

salt and pepper, to taste

chevre (from Guinevere!)

olive oil for cooking

1 1/4 cups water

Heat the oil in a saucepan over medium heat. Add onions and cook until soft. Add a little salt, then add the peppers, tomatoes, garlic, and rice and toast for a few minutes. Add the water, maybe a little more salt, bring to a boil, then cover and cook over low heat. Check once in a while to see if it needs more water. It will probably need to cook for 40-50 minutes, until the rice is tender. When it is ready to serve, add the pepper, balsamic or lemon, capers, basil, and chevre and stir it up well. The chevre will melt and make it kind of like a risotto or cheesy rice (but not risotto!). Serve!