Share YOUR recipes at
Colette & Cassi's Country Kitchen!

At least one diet gaining popularity these days is big on "good carbs." One of these healthy complex carbohydrates -- brown rice -- should be part of any healthy diet. Not only is brown rice a healthy choice, it's an economical choice, too. But there is one drawback. Brown rice is not easy to prepare. Even following the instructions on the back of the bag will not necessarily produce a tasty result.

Turn up the heat too high and you have a burnt pot and crunchy kernels. Add too much water and the rice will swell into a gelatinous mass. Fail to start it early and it won't be done in time. See? Brown rice can be difficult. But it doesn't have to be. In fact, it can be as foolproof as preparing white rice, as long as you know that everything is different.

The secret for preparing perfect brown rice, according to the folks at Cooks Illustrated (www.cooksillustrated.com), who do an amazing job of testing and developing foolproof methods for the kitchen, is to bake it in the oven. Making certain your proportions and measurements are exact is mandatory. Don't guess. Measure.

Foolproof Oven-Baked Brown Rice

1-1/2 cups long-, medium- or short-grain brown rice
2-1/3 cups water
2 teaspoons butter or vegetable oil
1/2 teaspoon salt

Preheat the oven to 375 F and move a rack to the middle position. Spread the rice into an 8-inch-square glass baking dish. In a covered saucepan on the stove, bring the water and butter or oil to a boil over high heat. Once it begins to boil, stir in the salt and pour over the rice. Cover the baking dish tightly with a double layer of foil. Bake for 1 hour, until tender. Remove from the oven and uncover. Fluff the rice with a fork, and cover with a clean kitchen towel; let rice stand 5 minutes. Uncover for another 5 minutes, then serve immediately. Yield: 4 to 6 servings

Variations:

SUCCULENT BROWN RICE: You can dress up the brown-rice recipe above by substituting chicken or vegetable broth for the water. Add half an onion, which has been chopped and sauteed in 1 tablespoon oil, at the same time you pour the liquid over the raw brown rice. When you remove the rice from the oven and fluff with a fork, stir in 3/4 cup frozen peas. Re-cover and proceed as described above. The peas will heat through during the standing time.

ORANGE VINAIGRETTE BROWN-RICE SALAD: Follow the recipe above. While rice is in the oven, whisk together 2/3 cup orange juice, 2 tablespoons vegetable oil, 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar, 2 tablespoons honey, 2 teaspoons orange zest and 1/2 teaspoon salt in a small bowl. Toss orange-juice mixture with 1-1/2 cups spinach leaves, packed, 2 large oranges, peeled, sectioned and cut into bite-sized pieces and 1/2 cup finely chopped red onion. When you remove the rice from the oven, pour this spinach dressing over the hot, cooked rice and mix well. Cover and chill in the refrigerator until cold.