I’ll just come out and say it: plain brown rice is boring. Brown rice is a trendy food as it’s full of fiber and a marginally healthier alternative to white rice, but without some creativity it can feel bland and monotonous. After having the same brown rice lying around in cupboard for ages, I’ve finally found a side dish that’s hearty, fibrous, and anything but boring! This Kale Parmesan Mock Risotto is absolutely delicious and so easy to throw together.
What is Risotto?
Risotto is a creamy rice dish that originated in Italy but is loved all over the world. What sets it apart from other rice dishes is the cooking method. Regular rice cooks by simmering on the stove or in a rice cooker, but risotto more of a labor of love. The process involves adding warm water a bit at a time to the rice and letting it cook slowly, releasing its starches, which with the added liquid create a thick sauce. The type of rice also matters when it comes to the perfect risotto. Long grain rice cooks differently that short grain rice, so for a true risotto you’d want to choose arborio or carnaroli rice. True risotto is very tasty, but it takes more attentiveness and energy to make than this mock risotto.
Ingredients
- Brown rice
- Butter
- Kale
- Bacon or bacon bits
- Parmesan cheese
. Brown rice typically takes longer to cook than white, but I recommend it for adding a chewy texture to this dish. Another reason for brown rice, particularly shorter grain brown rice, is that it will clump together more than long grain white rice, which will make the dish more cohesive.
. As far as bacon goes, you want to make sure you get the real bacon bits that aren’t completely dehydrated. The best place I’ve found to buy these are at Costco. Another option is to cook your own bacon and chop it once it’s cooled, but that can be more time intensive.
. You can buy washed and chopped kale at the store, but if you buy the stalks instead make sure to separate the leaves from the stem. The stem is very fibrous and is difficult for many people to eat and digest comfortably. You can de-stem kale simply by holding the bottom the the stem with one hand while gently pulling up the stem with the other to tear away the leaves.
How to Make Mock Risotto
This is an easy dish. Most of the time commitment is simply simmering the rice in a pot. While the rice is cooking on the stove, take a few minutes to prep the kale, bacon, and parmesan. Get everything chopped up and measured so when the rice is done, you can toss the remaining ingredients in and not waste any time. The texture of the dish will vary from kitchen to kitchen because of the grain length use and the strength of the stovetop burner, so adding a little water to loosen the texture a bit may be necessary. Just remember that if you add water, do it slowly and give it a minute to come together. Also remember to add warm or room temperature water, not cold. Adding cold water into the dish can cause the starch in the rice to seize and not release.
What to Pair it With
For a side dish, this has a decent amount of calories and protein, so consider pairing it with something lighter like soup or salad. My sister’s favorite way to eat risotto is by adding it to a carved out and roasted squash bowl, which would bump of the satiety of the dish and make it perfect for fall and winter. If adding anything to the dish is more complicated than you’d like, you can also make this a meal by doubling the serving size.
Kale Parmesan Mock Risotto
Ingredients
- 1 cup brown rice, dry
- 2 tbsp butter, salted
- 1 3/4 cup water
- 4 cups kale, de-stemmed and chopped
- 2 cups bacon bits
- 1 cup parmesan cheese, shredded
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
- Extra water, added 1 tbsp at a time
Instructions
- In a medium pot, boil the rice, butter, and water. Once boiling, set to simmer on low for 38 minutes.
- While the rice cooks, wash, de-stem, and finely chop the kale.
- When the rice is done, turn off heat and stir in kale, parmesan, bacon, and pepper.
- Cover and let sit 5 minutes.
- Test the texture of the dish. It should be thick and creamy, but if you want to thin it out add a few tbsps of water at a time until you have the texture you want.
Notes
- Keep in mind that if you water down the dish, the flavor will dilute a bit.