Getting some use out of our fresh basil...

You may have noticed we've been using more and more fresh herbs lately, especially basil and mint, as the plants are finally starting to take off in the pots we placed on the deck outside. I'll be trying to highlight more recipes that use them in the next few weeks - we even used some more of the fresh basil in tonight's dinner of Rice and Eggs with Peas and Herbs.

This recipe really piqued my interest when I read through the directions and the resulting dish was surprisingly delicious! While you could go ahead and use a white rice and reduce the total cooking time of the recipe, we really enjoy the nutty and fragrant brown jasmine rice - it is worth the extra few minutes it takes to make. Instead of using all water, we cooked the rice in a combination of water and vegetable broth to give the rice an added depth of flavor. The fun begins once the rice has fully cooked and when the recipe takes an unusual route (for us anyway) to complete the dish. While the fluffy rice is still pipping hot, two beaten eggs, a lump of softened butter and a handful of Parmesan are rapidly stirred into the pot - this adds such a creamy rich texture to the rice that is somewhat reminiscent of risotto, but different. Cooked peas, scallions, fresh basil and bright lemon zest are then added - we also tossed in some cubed ham for a bit of additional flavor and to make this dish a little more hearty. Lively and fresh, we showered the rice in a light dusting of fresh grated Parmesan on top for a sharp finish.

Recipes
Rice and Eggs with Peas and Herbs