Swapping Starches

Rice Browns

I got the “rice browns” idea when I was flipping through a Spanish cookbook and reminiscing about the glorious tortilla españolas I’d had at the tapas bars in Spain.  Unlike the Mexican corn-based flat tortillas, the Spanish version is a thick omelette consisting of eggs and fried potatoes.  It’s deceptively and simply glorious.  (And it’s perfectly portable, too, which means you can easily wander through the barrios while nibbling away.)

Since I didn’t have potatoes, I used rice, and the result was pretty darned tasty.  (Any leftover cooked grain would work — millet, buckwheat/kasha, quinoa, oats, wheatberries, etc.)  For a deeper flavor, you can fry the grain first and then add the eggs and fry again, or you can opt for the quicker-but-slightly-less-savory version of mixing the egg(s) and grain first and then cooking the whole thing the way you would a pancake.

Rice Browns

Stir one egg with about 1/2 cup of cooked grains (enough to make a thick “batter,” but not so much grain that the mixture is dry) and a pinch of sea salt.  Melt butter or ghee in a small frying pan and cook the grain-and-egg batter over medium heat for about three minutes or until surface is golden brown.  Flip over and continue cooking until the second side is also golden brown (another two to three minutes).  Serve as a savory side — you could top with cheese, veggies, or fresh herbs — or make it a sweet beginning/ending by drizzling on maple syrup and/or topping with fresh fruit.  Naturally-sweetened jam (i.e., no added sugar) and Greek yogurt would also make a tasty topping.

Variation:  fry rice for a few minutes first in the butter, turning heat to medium and letting rice sit in order for it to scorch a bit and get crunchy.  Fold into egg and proceed with recipe as it’s written above.

Enjoy!

Tags: breakfast, rice, savory, side dish, sweet, whole grains