Green Rice
Yesterday a friend brought me a bag of just-picked herbs from her garden. I opened the bag with delight. The first scent that greeted me was rosemary. There was a big wand of it.
As you know, rosemary is an herb to be used sparingly, so I’ve learned ways of enjoying it other than in food. My herbal teacher, Deb Soule of Avena Botanicals, says that rubbing rosemary oil in your hair stimulates your mind. Well, I can always use that.
Mostly what I do with rosemary is rub it. If it’s a bush, I rub it between my hands, then rub them through my hair. If it’s a branch, I rub I across my head and shoulders. Then I can spend a pleasant half hour immersed in the aroma of rosemary.
Returning to the bag of herbs, I found parsley, sage, purple basil, and oregano. Today, as I was wondering what I should do with this bonanza of herbs, I remembered my mother’s recipe for Green Rice.
My mother was an incredibly frugal and healthy cook. She had a huge garden from which we ate summer and winter. She was a lover of bitter herbs: water cress, chicory, endive, and especially, parsley. I distinctly remember having Green Rice every couple of weeks in the summertime, but I don’t believe I’ve had it since I lived in her house. (more…)
