Coconut Rice and Beans

Our favorite local food writer, Jennifer Fields from Savor It, brought this delicious rice dish to accompany a girls night-in dinner party. We paired it with Jamaican Jerk Chicken and Mango/Cilantro Salsa. She mentioned to a Ivy Manning, a local chef, that she was looking for a gluten-free recipe to pair with chicken and Ivy shared this recipe that she is testing for a new cookbook. We loved it and Jennifer shared our rave reviews back with Ivy.

2 tablespoons olive oil
1 cup chopped onion
1/2 cup chopped red bell pepper
2 teaspoons minced ginger
1 teaspoon paprika
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon turmeric
1 cup long grain rice
1 cup coconut milk
1 cup warm water or chicken stock

3/4 teaspoon salt
1 15-ounce can unsalted organic red beans, drained and rinsed
1/2 cup chopped fresh tomatoes
1 tablespoon hot sauce (optional)

Heat the oil over medium high heat in a lidded sauté pan until hot. Add the onion, pepper and ginger and sauté until vegetables are tender, 4 minutes. Add the paprika, nutmeg, turmeric and rice and stir to coat the rice with the spices. Add the coconut milk, water and salt and bring to a simmer. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover with a tight fitting lid, and cook until most of the liquid is absorbed and the rice is just tender, about 15-20 minutes, stirring once while cooking. Fold in the beans, tomatoes and optional hot sauce and stir gently with a rubber spatula.

Serves 4-6.