2 Tbs. Olive Oil 1 Poblano Pepper 1 Red Bell Pepper 4 Cloves Garlic 1/2 Onion
1 Cup Brown Rice, short grain 1/2 Cup Cornmeal, medium grind 2 Potatoes, russet, large 4 Cups Stock, vegetable or chicken 1 Tbs. Dark Chili Powder 1 tsp. Ground Cumin 1/2 tsp. Salt 1/4 tsp. Crushed Red Pepper
Bring 6 cups of water to a boil.
Add rice and boil for 28 to 30 minutes.
Rice should be cooked but not overcooked.
Heat Oven To 350°
Pour cooked rice into a strainer and reserve until needed.
Rinse out the pan.
While rice is boiling, cut and cook vegetables.
Slice or dice onions and peppers.
Peel and chop garlic.
Heat oil in a large pan.
Add onions, peppers and garlic.
Cook and stir over high heat for a few minutes.
Onions should turn golden brown.
Remove cooked ingredients from pan.
No need to wash the pan.
Place pan back on the stove.
Turn heat down to medium.
Add 2 cups of stock to the pan.
Bring liquid up to a simmer.
Measure one half cup of cornmeal.
Slowly add the cornmeal to the liquid.
Use a small whisk and stir constantly as you add.
Gently cook and stir cornmeal for about 10 minutes.
Cornmeal will thicken the liquid.
Add one more cup of stock, chili powder, cumin, salt and pepper.
Keep cooking and stirring for another 5 minutes.
Cornmeal mixture should be almost firm.
Remove pan from the heat.
Add rice to the pan.
You can peel the potatoes if you like.
You can also just wash them and leave the peel on.
Dice the potatoes into half inch pieces.
Place 6 cups of cold water into a pan.
Add the potatoes and bring to a boil.
Boil potatoes for 5 minutes.
Strain potatoes and let cool for a few minutes.
Add potatoes and vegetables to the rice and cornmeal.
Use a large spoon to mix and slightly mash ingredients together.
Add one cup of stock to the pan.
Mix everything together.
Cover the pan and place into the oven.
Bake for 30 minutes.
Remove cover and bake for 20 minutes more.
Casserole is ready to eat now or for an even better result....
Place pan on middle shelf in the oven.
Turn broiler to high.
Cook until golden brown.
Casserole will be crisp and crunchy with a creamy center!
New Taste Thinking:
I like to serve this dish with Swiss chard and a tiny bit of lean protein. You can also eat it with pinto beans and any kind of salsa for a nice lunch.
If you want to serve this recipe in a casserole dish, for your fancy friends, just add the ingredients to the dish before baking.
