Spring Minestrone With Brown Rice

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Spring Minestrone With Brown Rice

 

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

2 shallots, thinly sliced

1 clove garlic, minced

3/4 cup medium-grain brown basmati rice, rinsed

6 cups vegetable stock

1 cup sugar snap or snow peas, trimmed and cut in half diagonally

8 spears asparagus, trimmed and diagonally sliced into 1-inch pieces

1/2 cup green peas, fresh or frozen, or a couple of handfuls of edamame

fine-grain sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

 

Heat the olive oil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat, then add the

shallots and garlic and saute for a couple of minutes, until soft. Add the

rice and cook, stirring, for 1 minute, then add the stock and bring to a

boil. Cover, lower the heat and simmer until the rice is just tender, 35 to

45 minutes.

Add the sugar snap peas, asparagus and green peas, and season with a few

healthy pinches of salt and a few grinds of black pepper. Simmer for another

2 or 3 minutes, and serve immediately; this way the vegetables stay crisp

and bright. Yields 4 servings.