Review: Back to the Table

Back to the Table The Reunion of Food and Family
Art Smith
2001 ISBN: 0786868546 hardback 1st edition
color and black and white photos  

This is a wonderful book to read. You can almost feel the love of cooking and feeding those that are special to you in Art's writing of this book. It is filled with great recipes you can make for those you want to share a table with. This is what he considers family, anyone you welcome to your table to enjoy food with.  

I enjoyed reading the little blurbs included with each recipe. The names of the chapters are wonderful as well: Back to the Table; Setting the Table; Bless the Table; Breaking Bread; The Family Meal; Family Traditions; Food as Love; Family Celebrations; and finally Friends as Family. The book starts off with a list of all the recipes. It is filled with great photos as well.  

I made the Red Beans and Brown Rice form my recipe this week. this is noted as a healthful vegetarian version of the Creole Classic and was easy to make and delicious. I'm sure I'll cook for from this one.  It recently came into my collection by way of my wish list on Paper Back Swap. I've been wanting this one since I saw it on Oprah. Art is or was her personal chef and has appeared on her show several times.  

Red Beans and Brown Rice
Makes 6 to 8 servings  

2 cups brown rice
4 1/2 cups water
salt
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 large Vidalia onion, chopped
1 small red bell pepper, seeded and chopped
1 small green bell pepper, seeded and chopped
2 garlic cloves finely chopped
2 teaspoons salt-free Cajun seasoning
1 teaspoon ground cumin
four 15-ounce cans small red beans, preferably organic, drained and rinsed
3 cups vegetable broth, see page 46, or canned low sodium broth
1 sprig of fresh thyme or 1/8 teaspoon dried thyme
1 bay leaf
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
freshly ground black pepper
Hot red pepper sauce  

Bring the rice, water and 1 teaspoon salt to a boil in a medium saucepan over high heat. Cover tightly and reduce the heat to low. Cook until the rice is tender, about 1 hour. Remove from the heat. (The rice will stay warm, tightly covered for up to 30 minutes)  

Heat the oil in a large sauce pan over medium heat. Add the onion and bell peppers. Cook stirring occasionally till softened about 5 minutes . Add the garlic, Cajun seasoning and cumin and cook stirring 1 minute.   Stir in the beans, broth, thyme and bay leaf. Bring to a simmer.

Cook, uncovered, stirring often, until the broth reduces slightly, 15 to 20 minutes. Stir in the parsley, and season to taste with  salt,  pepper, and hot sauce.   Spoon the rice into bowls, top with beans and serve hot.