recipe goodness :: clean-the-cupboard poached egg over red rice with cilantro and black truffle oil

Poached Egg Over Bhutanese Red Rice with Cilantro and Truffle Oil

I’ve been trying to make a conscious effort to use things in my cupboards before I stock up on more boil-water-to-cook items. I seem to have a smattering of 1/4-full bags of every size and variety of grain that are just taking up space. Not enough for a dinner party, but certainly enough for a mid-week meal. Here’s the thing, if you have one fresh herb on hand at all times and a pantry with a few key spices or oils, you can pretty much create a spectacular meal out of next to nothing and in relatively little time. The equation for success: a flavorful grain, a fresh herb, 1-2 pantry seasonings {maldon sea salt and truffle oil in this one, but this is where experimenting gets fun} and maybe top it all off with a creamy protein-rich poached egg ?

Clean-the-Cupboards Poached Egg Over Red Rice
with Cilantro and Truffle Oil

1 cup Bhutanese Red Rice {or farro, quinoa, freekeh, rice, couscous…}
1 1/2 cups of water {or whatever your chosen grain package calls for}
1 farm-fresh egg
1 tablespoon vinegar {any kind}
Maldon salt and pepper to taste
Truffle Oil for drizzling
Small handful of fresh cilantro, chopped {or any other herb you love}

1.  Combine 1 1/2 cups of water, 1 cup red rice and a pinch of salt. Bring to a boil over high heat. Cover, reduce heat and simmer for 20 minutes.
2. Meanwhile, bring another small pot of water to a boil for the poached egg. Crack your egg into a small bowl and set aside.
3. Once rice is done, remove from heat, fluff and serve in a bowl.
4. When water for the egg is boiling add a tablespoon of vinegar to the water and gently slide the egg into the water, stirring in a circle to help the white come together. Let the egg cook 1-2 minutes until the white is firm, but center is tender. Using a slotted spoon, remove from the boiling water and place on top of your rice.
5. Drizzle entire dish with truffle oil, sprinkle with maldon salt and pepper and top with some roughly chopped cilantro. Thank me later.

More Easy Mid-Week Meals:
Barcelona Balsamic Chick Pea Salad
Grilled Thyme-Cumin Vegetable Kabobs
Roasted Cauliflower with Gremolata Breadcrumbs
Savory Cauliflower Fried Rice
Spicy Tomato-Meyer Lemon Stewed Chick Peas
Farro Salad with Steamed Kale and Roasted Pinenuts