I love rice as a side. It’s a filling option that carries a number of health benefits. I wasn’t always a fan of rice. As a kid, I was always disappointed to see it on the dinner table. As I’ve grown, I’ve learned to appreciate rice in its many forms from wild rice with its hull still intact to brown rice with only the hull removed and even white rice with all its basic goodness removed only to be enriched again with added nutrition. While I can now appreciate plain rice more, I still love a good flavored rice side dish to compliment my dinner plate.
You may already be familiar with my Cilantro Lime Rice recipe which I developed just in time because our go-to rice-a-roni version disappeared off of our stores’ shelves. One night while preparing a chicken dish, I adapted that recipe to create this lemon basil rice recipe to complement the parmesan in the chicken.
Lemon Basil Rice
- 2 1/4 cups water
- scant spoonful of Better than Bouillion vegetable base
- 1/4-1/2 tsp salt
- 2 tbsp butter, divided
- 2 tbsp lemon juice, divided
- 1 tsp basil, divided
- 1/2 tsp parsley, divided
- 1 cup uncooked rice
In a medium, nonstick saucepan, bring to a boil the water, vegetable base, salt, 1 tablespoon of butter, 1 tablespoon of lemon juice, 1/2 teaspoon of basil, 1/4 teaspoon parsley, and the uncooked rice.
Reduce heat and cover. Simmer approximately 20 minutes, or until the rice is fully cooked.
Meanwhile mix together the remaining tablespoon of butter, tablespoon of lemon juice, 1/2 teaspoon of basil, and 1/4 teaspoon of parsley in a ramekin or small bowl.
When rice is cooked, remove it from heat. Stir in remaining ingredients. Let rest 5 minutes. Stir before serving.
I recently served lemon basil rice with a pork tenderloin–seasoned with Herbes de Provence and finished with garlic parmesan butter–and a side of broccoli. It was delicious. What will you serve it with?
ShldBWriting 