Cheesy Rice Cake Stuffed With Herbs And Greens Recipes

SMOKED TURKEY BRAISED GREENS

Steps:

• Heat a large skillet over medium high heat. Add extra-virgin olive oil and butter. When butter melts into extra-virgin olive oil, add smoked turkey and caramelize meat, a couple of minutes on each side. Add onions and cook 3 to 4 minutes more. Wilt greens into the pan and season with salt and pepper. Cook and toss the greens a minute or 2 more then add the vinegar - lean back - sugar and hot sauce. Cook off vinegar for a minute then add beer or stock, enough to coat the pan and loosen up greens in liquid. Reduce heat to medium low. Simmer greens 10 to 15 minutes until no longer bitter.

EIGHT-TREASURE GLUTINOUS RICE CAKE

Steps:

• Cut all dried fruit, except the raisins, into 1/3-inch dice. Place all fruit, including the raisins, in a large bowl. Reserve.
• Wash the glutinous rice 4 times in room-temperature water and drain well. Place in a cake pan. Add 2 1/2 cups cold water to the rice. Place the cake pan in a steamer, cover, and steam for 30 to 40 minutes, until the rice is cooked. It will acquire a glaze and be translucent. Turn off the heat. Scoop out the rice, add to the bowl of fruit, and mix well to combine all ingredients thoroughly.
• Coat a steamproof bowl, 1 1/2-quart size, with 1 1/2 teaspoons of peanut oil, making certain the bowl in well coated. Coat the hands as well, so the glutinous rice may be handled. Pick up half of the rice-fruit mixture, coat it with the remainder of the peanut oil, and pack it into the bowl, pressing it to the sides. Place the red bean paste in the center of the rice mixture and spread it a bit. Place the remainder of rice on top and press down gently.
• Place the bowl in a steamer, cover, and steam for 45 minutes. Turn off the heat. Remove the bowl and allow to cool for about 5 minutes. Pass a blunt dinner knife around the edge of the rice to loosen it. Place a serving plate, inverted, on top of the bowl, and upend it. The cake should slip out easily. Its fruit-dotted texture will glisten.
• Use a large spoon to divide among individual bowls. Because of its texture, the steamed glutinous rice is virtually impossible to slice as one might a cake. Often a sugar syrup is poured over Eight-Treasure Glutinous Rice Cake when served. It is not at all necessary, because the various fruits, their sugars concentrated from drying, and the red bean paste are sufficiently sweet.

GREENS ON GREENS

Steps:

• Place the arugula, lemon zest and juice, pine nuts, salt and pepper, to taste, and the garlic in the bowl of a food processor and pulse to grind. Let 'er rip and add the extra-virgin olive oil in a slow steady stream. Once all the oil is in, add the cheese and pulse to combine. Arrange the radicchio and romaine in a salad bowl, top with dressing and toss to combine.

CHEESY RICE CAKE STUFFED WITH HERBS AND GREENS

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Grease a 9-inch springform cake pan.
• In a saucepot, bring the stock, rice, 1 cup water and butter to a boil. Stir, cover and cook 16 to 17 minutes. Stir in three-quarters of the cheese and season with salt and pepper. Cool.
• Pile half of the rice into the cake pan and mold across the bottom and up the sides of the pan.
• Heat the EVOO in a large skillet over medium to medium-high heat. Add the fennel, garlic, onions, raisins and some salt and pepper, and cook to soften, 8 to 10 minutes. Add the herbs. Wilt in the chard and season with a little nutmeg, then deglaze the pan with the wine and cook to evaporate. When the greens have cooked down, remove them from the heat and fill the cake with the greens. Top the cake with the remaining rice and then with the breadcrumbs mixed with the remaining cheese. Dot the cake top with the butter and bake until golden, 25 to 30 minutes.
• Serve warm or at room temp, or chill and freeze for a make-ahead meal. Reheat covered in a moderate oven until heated through, then crisp up the top uncovered.