it’s pretty easy. if I can find fhe cookbook I learned it from, I’d cite it. But the technique is simple, and scalable.
Start out with a saucepan appropriate to the volume you’re gonna need. I’m going to guess that’ll be a 2 1/2 or 3 quart saucepan, especially if you want leftovers. And who doesn’t want leftover rice?
We’re going to start with one cup of rice. Add not quite twice as much water. Let’s say, 1 3/4 cup to start. Adjust subsequent batches to taste. Add your additions to taste. I add a little salt, a little turmeric, maybe a little butter.
Now: bring it to a boil.
Take the heat down to where it is barely simmering – medium low on my stove.
Put a lid on the pan, barely cracked. Set your timer for 15 minutes.
When the timer goes off, take the pan off heat and set the timer for another 15 minutes. Close the pan lid on the pan.
That’s it. You’re done,. When that’s done, your rice is done,. Fluff it up with a fork and serve. it won’t be sticking in the pan or burnt on. It’ll be… perfect. If it’s not quite perfect, you might need to use a little more water, or use a little less, to your taste.*
I made white sangria yesterday for friends, and it was popular enough that I thought I would create a post about it and share the recipe.
White sangria
There are drinks I think of as summer drinks and winter drinks, and sangria is one of those summertime drinks. It’s delicious and refreshing, and easy to make from ingredients you may already have on hand from a moderately well-stocked bar.
Here’s how I made mine.
I was planning on making it for a small group, so I wanted to make about two liters. I started with a simple box wine. Use the wine that is the level of sweetness you prefer.
Find a good-sized container, and add about five cups of that white wine. If you have the opportunity, you might want to chill the wine first. (If you don’t, it doesn’t hurt it for you to add some ice cubes to the finished product.)
To that white wine, add:
1 cup peach schnapps
1 cup apricot brandy
1 cup triple sec
That’s it! That’s the base sangria!
Ah, but we’re just getting started. Now we need some fresh fruit. I bought some strawberries, one orange, one lemon, one lime, and one nectarine.
I cut these up and added some of each to each glass (or let the individual add whichever they preferrred). I filled the glass part-way up with the white sangria, topped it off with some chilled spumante, and added a couple ice cubes. Done!
And this is where you can take this recipe and make it your own. Use a sweeter wine, or a drier one. Use red or rose if you prefer. One rascal spotted some spiced rum on the table and splashed some of that in. Use club soda or ginger ale instead of spumante or champagne or sparking wine. Instead of peach schnapps, use peach nectar. Throw some orange juice in, or orange juice concentrate instead of the triple sec. Use plain brandy instead of apricot brandy, or use some other fruit brandy. The choice is yours.
Now, you may be saying, that’s fine if you’re making sangria for a group. What if I only want a small amount?
The base is no problem. Since the above recipe is in units of cups, use a smaller unit. A shot is an ounce and a half, so if you combined five shots of white wine with one shot each of peach schnapps, apricot brandy, and triple sec (or your preferred substitute), you’ve got eight shots of sangria base. That’s twelve ounces; about enough for two glasses of sangria once you add in the fruit, the sparkling liquid of choice, and maybe an ice cube or two.
And if you don’t have all those fruits on hand, no problem! One of my friends assembled a glass with just strawberries. A little citrus does help offset the sweetness, but get inventive and make whatever replacements suit your taste.
I wish you happy experimentation in making your own sangria! And I’m going to bet any sangria you make will be far better than any you’ve ever bought in a bottle or box.
