Indio, California: The wind finally stopped blowing down the Coachella Valley today. The temperature rose to just seventy degrees. I had a strange day. But after yesterday's we are going/we are not going/we are going day, today was a snap:
1. I have to run 16 miles this week and made a bad start by taking today off as I had to help My Beloved this morning with his computer stuff. Martyr.
2. At lunch, my margarita cost more than my tacos.3. After lunch we went to Bristol Farms to buy parmesan cheese and a roasting chicken. The chunk of cheese costs more than the (organic, free-range) chicken.
4. We are not Persian, yet tonight we celebrated the Persian New Year because of a recipe for Javaher Polow (Persian Jeweled Rice) posted this weekend in the New York Times. (This should not seem strange, as we are not Irish, but still had corned beef and cabbage on Saturday.)
Click here to see the New York Times photo - just slightly better than mine
The recipe was a bit ambitious for a RV kitchen, but I was willing to give it a try (and I have a dishwasher). Basmati rice is par-boiled, then drained. Onion is sauteed in butter with sweet spices and saffron-infused water. Next, the rice and onion mixture are layered in a pot lined with melted butter and a little more saffron-infused water is poured over the top layer. The whole thing is left to develop a crispy bottom crust and when finished, toasted pistachios and slivered almonds are sprinkled over. The recipe uses very little water, yet the rice cooks through and the crusty crunchy bottom layer of rice is fabulous.
I am so happy the three pans needed to produce this dish did not deter me, because the rice was one of the nicest things I have tried in quite a while. I could not find the barberries, nor the goji berries, and thought substituting cranberries would be strange as I am fairly certain there are no cranberry bogs in Iran... so I went with a few chopped dates. The author, David Tanis, suggested serving this dish with roasted chicken. So I did.
With an impromptu carrot roasting rack.
Another adventure awaits tomorrow.Until my next update, I remain, your "Happy New Year" correspondent.
RV Park: Motorcoach Country Club - The Crown Jewel of Motorcoach Resorts. 400 sites, three pools, three spas, fitness center, golf, bocce ball, tennis, 2-mile waterway, fine-dining restaurant, bar, security, free wifi, planned activities, perfectly maintained. Sites for sale or rent.