I’m posting this recipe in honor of doing more by doing less. Nourishing Traditions is all about comfort food and this recipe is adapted from Sally Fallon’s Kidney-Rice Casserole. But I can’t use ‘casserole’ in the title (as I mentioned here) – so I’m sticking with Kidneys and Rice.
As the spring thaw has come to Chicago, I was really missing my bike commute. Yet, biking almost always takes longer then driving and I’ve been feeling so busy. How could I find time? Yet, as always promised, ‘less is more‘ still holds true.
I’ve managed to get back on my bike. And find a recipe just long enough to allow me to immerse myself in cooking, which I always love.
The Berenstain Bears and Too Much Driving
That’s not actually the title of a book, but it could be. The story would go like this:
At the crux of Ma’s irritation and moodiness was too much driving.
Ma loved biking in the country, and in the city! When Ma was on her bike, she would notice the birds and trees and the clouds. The concrete jungle would fade as she appreciated the wind and sun (or rain and snow) around her.
On her bike, Ma could not be rushed. Even if she was late, she was just late. “I’ll get there when I get there,” she would smile.
Somehow, being late in a car felt very different to Ma. Ma came from a land of long-distance trips and lead feet. In her car, Ma could not relinquish the idea of making up mere seconds at every turn. “Don’t do that. Slow down!” her kids would say. “You’re right,” she would laugh as she raced on.
Taking responsibility
Circa 2015, pre-babycakes
So something had to change. I did some writing and considered the things that I said were important to me. And compared this to how I was spending my days.
Don’t get me wrong… Even when I complain about something, I believe that if it wasn’t benefiting me in some way, I wouldn’t be doing it. None of us are really that irrational. (Well, at least I’d like to think I’m not!)
I used to think that if I made a list of important things, or things to fill me up and did that diligently, I would be golden. But now, I realize that it’s much more nuanced than that. Sometimes I really do need to do more or give more to feel great. And sometimes I need less, a lot less!
But really, I’ve realized that I don’t like having that dictated in advance. Creating more space in my days gives me the freedom to choose as the moment arises what will work best right now. By doing less, I can choose to do more with that time. (Or take a nap!)
Less is more
In this most recent episode of considering priorities, I decided to reset my definition of ‘enough’ on all fronts. Voila! Plenty of space.
As my friend Thomy says, “You want what you have and you have what you want.” Or, rephrased, “You can see what you want by looking at what you have.” Feels good to be intentional about that.
And so we’ve had some chilly mornings, and some perfect afternoons, a few instances of rain, and the rare Chicago fog that reminds me of San Francisco. The clouds are always amazing and the birds are indeed singing – all over the city! As always, every day on the bike is a good day.
Kidneys and Rice
So this recipe is not the simplest. But it’s not hard either. Kidneys and Rice has all the right ingredients (the kind my grandma used) and it’s the kind of recipe that feels good to make and serve. It takes just long enough to prepare.
Like choosing my bike over the car, this recipe has enough investment to allow me to find myself immersed in the process. Stumbling into flow, I suppose. To me it feels like a decent meal, prepared with love. Enjoy.
Kidneys and Rice
Ingredients
For kidney marinade
- 1.5 lbs kidneys
- 1/2 t salt
- 1/2 t pepper
- juice of 2 lemons
For rice
- 2 T butter
- 2 T extra virgin olive oil
- 1 onion chopped
- 2 c brown rice
- 4 c chicken broth
- 2/3 c raisins
- 1/2 t salt
- pepper to taste
For preparing kidneys and serving
- 1 large onions
- 3 T butter
- 3 T olive oil
- marinated kidneys
- salt
- 1/2 c red wine
- 2 cups broth
- 2 cloves garlic, peeled and crushed
- 1 cup crispy pecans, chopped
- 1 bunch green onions, thinly sliced
Instructions
- Prep kidneys by trimming the white fat and connective tissue from the center of the kidneys. Chop into raisin-sized pieces. Add to bowl with salt, pepper and lemon juice. Cover with water and marinate 20-30 minutes, up to a few hours.
- Meanwhile, prepare rice. In a pot on medium, add butter and olive oil. When foaming subsides, add onion and saute for 6-8 minutes. Add rice and stir until all grains evenly coated with oil. Add broth, salt, pepper, and raisins and bring to a boil. Continue to boil until the liquid has reduced to the level of the rice, then cover and reduce to a simmer. Cook until you can see the air bubbles peeking through, broth has evaporated, and the rice is cooked.
- Meanwhile, while rice is cooking, finish preparing the kidneys. In a pan over medium-high heat, add butter and oil. When foaming subsides, add onion and saute for 8-10 minutes until golden. Remove onions with a slotted spoon and reserve on a plate. Add kidneys to the pan cook, season with salt, and cook until browned. Remove kidneys and reserve with onions. Deglaze the pan: add red wine, broth and garlic and bring to a boil, scraping up brown bits. Continue to boil until liquid has reduced to a thick glaze. Return onion and kidneys to sauce in pan and let them all get to know each other for a minute or so.
- To serve, spread rice on serving dish and pour sauce and kidneys over the top. Garnish with crispy pecans and green onions.
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