winter solstice...

i made the bulk of this dish for winter solstice dinner 2007. the rice dish was a bit different for me. i first made a vegetable stock, then began to cook veggies (mushrooms, peppers, onions, celery, squash, and carrots) and added the dry rice to this mixture. i then slowly added the veggie stock over the course of an hour or so, resulting in a nice creamy, delicious rice (these pictures are a day or so after the fact). i wrapped some of the rice concoction in large pieces of green leaf lettuce. for the original dish (pictured below), i wrapped the rice mixture in steamed beat leaves, added some grated cheddar, and covered it with a simple sweet tomato sauce. and... that's some homemade green tea up in the corner - iced with an infusion of raspberry tea. finally, i just have to pass on what i'm reading right now - "the Omnivore's Dilemma" - which is an excellent read if you're thinking about what you eat. the author investigates the many different food chains that exist in the US, from industrial agriculture, to what is left of hunter/gatherers. highly recommended for a critical look at how we eat. happy solstice!