Abundant July Wildlife

Rice grower Matthew Sligar talks about the wildlife in his rice fields right now and some of his favorite bird species.

Kardea Brown's Gullah Red Rice | Food Network

Kardea is sharing a dish that’s a staple of her Gullah Geechee heritage: Gullah Red Rice!

Gullah Red Rice

RECIPE COURTESY OF KARDEA BROWN
Level: Easy
Total: 1 hr
Active: 20 min
Yield: 8 to 10 servings

Ingredients

2 cups uncooked parboiled rice
1/4 cup vegetable oil
8 ounces smoked pork sausage, finely diced
1 large onion, finely diced
1 bell pepper, finely diced
Two 6-ounce cans tomato paste
4 teaspoons granulated sugar
1 tablespoon garlic powder
1 tablespoon kosher salt
1 tablespoon fresh cracked black pepper

Directions

Rinse the rice until the water becomes slightly clear. (This removes the starch.)

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. In a large frying pan, heat the oil over medium-high heat. Add the sausage, onion and pepper and cook, stirring, until the vegetables soften and start to brown at the edges, 3 to 4 minutes. Stir in the tomato paste, sugar, garlic powder, salt and pepper. Stir rice into the tomato mixture and cook, uncovered, and stirring occasionally, about 5 minutes.

Transfer to a 9-by-13-inch baking dish and spread into an even layer. Add just enough water to cover the rice (about 2 cups). Tightly cover with a lid or foil and bake for 30 minutes without uncovering the baking dish. Turn off the oven, remove from the rice, fluff the rice, then cover and return to oven for 10 minutes more.

Lentils And Rice With Caramelized Onions

Lentils and rice cooked together with herbs and spices, topped with caramelized onions, fresh parsley, and lemon.

Here is what you'll need!

Lentils and Rice with Caramelized Onions
Servings: 4-5

INGREDIENTS
Caramelized Onions
1 medium red onion, thinly sliced
1 tablespoon of olive oil

Lentils and Rice
½ medium red onion, diced
2 cloves of garlic, minced
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 cup green lentils
1 cup long grain rice
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon cumin
½ teaspoon cinnamon
1 bay leaf

For Serving
1 bunch fresh parsley
1 lemon
½ cup Greek yogurt

PREPARATION
1. Heat a tablespoon of olive oil over low heat and add the onion slices, stirring occasionally until completely soft, dark brown, and caramelized. This will take about 30 minutes. The onions should become very dark and tacky when finished. Stir often to avoid burning.
2. In a large pot, sauté the diced red onion and minced garlic in 1 tablespoon of olive oil until translucent, about 5 minutes.
3. Add 3.5 cups of water, the salt, and the green lentils to the large pot. Bring to a boil, then cover with lid and simmer for 10 minutes.
4. Add the rice, cumin, cinnamon, and bayleaf to the lentils. Stir and cook covered for about 15 minutes, or until rice is cooked.
5. Serve lentils and rice topped with the caramelized onions, chopped fresh parsley, lemon wedges, and Greek yogurt if desired.

Vibrant Rice Fields

A look at some of the many bird species that enjoy Sacramento Valley rice fields. California rice fields provide habitat to nearly 230 wildlife species.

One-Pot Lemon Pepper Chicken & Rice

Here’s what you need:
Yield: 4 servings with rice leftovers

Ingredients:
3 Tbsp. Lemon Pepper
1 Tbsp. Paprika
2 cloves Garlic, minced
1 Tbsp. Olive Oil
2 lbs Chicken Thighs With Skin
4Tbsp. Butter
1 Yellow Onion, diced
4 cloves Garlic, minced
1 1/2 cup Arborio Rice
1/4 cup White Wine
4 cups Chicken Broth
1 1/2 cup Milk
Pepper to taste
1 cup Parmesan
1/4 cup Parsley (Optional)

Instructions:

Preheat your oven to 350˚F/ 175˚C.

Combine lemon pepper, paprika and garlic in a small bowl. In a large oven proof pot, heat olive oil on medium heat. Season both sides of the chicken and place in the pot skin side down. Cook for 3 minutes, turn the heat up to medium high and cook for an additional 2 minutes (or until browned). Turn the chicken over and cook for another 3-4 minutes. Remove chicken from the pot and set aside. (Don’t worry! It will finish cooking when you put it in the oven.)

With a paper towel, carefully wipe out excess fat, leaving the seasoning. On medium high, melt 2 Tbsp. of butter in the pot and add the diced onions and minced garlic. Cook until onions are translucent (1- 2 minutes). Add the rice and stir until it becomes translucent (1- 2 minutes). Pour in the white wine and let it cook until most of the wine has evaporated (about 2 minutes). Add the chicken broth, 1 cup of milk, and a dash of pepper and stir. Bring it to a simmer. Place the chicken back into the pot. Cover with a lid or foil and bake for 30 minutes (remove lid after 20 minutes).

Remove the chicken from the pot and broil on high for 2-3 minutes or until the skin has nicely browned. Add the other 2 Tbsp. butter, parmesan, 1/2 cup of milk and parsley to the rice. Stir until well combined. Return the chicken on top of the rice and serve.

Richvale Drone

Drone video flying over the rice community of Richvale and surrounding rice fields. Shot and edited by John Hannon.

Cheesy Broccoli and Rice | How to Make Broccoli, Cheese, and Rice Casserole

How to Make Broccoli, Cheese, and Rice Casserole