Recipe: Herbed Green Rice is a tasty sidekick for your next barbecue

By Cathy Thomas Correspondent With Memorial Day just around the corner my culinary thoughts turn to grilling season Informal gatherings with the main syllabus fired up on the barbecue are a source of spring-to-summer fun As a side dish flavorful rice is often my choice It can be prepared in advance and transferred to a microwave-safe dish If prepared more than hour in advance cover and refrigerate after cooling Then just before serving microwave it to heat it up Done Herbed Green Rice Yield to servings INGREDIENTS teaspoons fennel seeds cup chicken broth plus cups water cup packed Italian parsley cup packed mint leaves tablespoons minced chives cup packed cilantro leaves teaspoon hot sauce see cook s notes cup plus tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil cup finely diced fresh fennel bulb cup finely diced red onion teaspoon salt cups raw white basmati rice tablespoon butter Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper Cook s notes The original recipe called for adding crumbled chili arbol when saut ing the vegetables I prefer to use one teaspoon of Frank s RedHot sauce to the cooking liquid in Step I like it because it adds a spark of acidity and for me has just-right spicy heat If you use Sriracha rooster sauce use teaspoon DIRECTIONS Toast fennel seeds in a small pan over medium heat for to minutes until they release their aroma and turn light golden brown Cool Grind in mortar and pestle or place in small zipper-style plastic bag and pound with mallet or bottom of a pot until ground Bring chicken broth and water to a boil in medium-large saucepan Turn off heat Place parsley mint chives and cilantro in blender Add cup of hot liquid and puree herbs at medium speed cautiously hold down lid of blender with potholder Add remaining liquid and puree at high speed for about minutes stopping to wipe down sides and lid as needed You should have a smooth very green broth Rinse out pot and heat it over high heat Add oil fennel onion toasted ground fennel seeds and teaspoon salt cook over medium-high heat for about minutes stirring often until onion and fennel are translucent Add rice teaspoon salt and pinch of pepper toss to coat and cook just until rice starts to turn a very light brown Add herb broth and bring to boil Reduce heat to simmer Add butter Cover and simmer for to minutes or until tender and liquid is absorbed Turn off heat and leave rice covered for minutes Fluff rice with fork Taste and adjust seasoning if needed Source Adapted from Chef Suzanne Goin and The A O C Cookbook Alfred A Knopf Award-winning food writer Cathy Thomas has written three cookbooks including Best Plants on the Planet Follow her at CathyThomasCooks com