Gilli's Chilli and Rice Casserole - In honour of Mr Obama

Wednesday 21st January 2009 NZ Time
Today is the start of a new age - The Barack Obama Age.
This morning our time, he was inaugurated as 44th President of the US of A
I listened to the ceremony on my little transistor radio very early this morning.
The reception is less than memorable and most the time I have to hold the little radio in the air.
But it was worth it. His speech was stunning.
I took this shot around 7am, I thought it was worth recording.
What a beautiful day…what a good start to this new age.

Luckily for us we are tied up with Silverado and Geoff has My Sky and he recorded the ceremony, so we spent the morning watching this momentous occasion.
How is that…here we are in Whangaroa Harbour, on the other side of the world…on a boat… through the wonders of technology able to watch this world event

We were blown away with this charismatic man – if anyone can get the people going again in this global situation he will I’m sure.
What an orator.
I love the fact that he included 2 lines from this song written for Fred Astaire and Ginger Roger’s 1936 movie “Swing time”
Lyrics by Dorothy Fields and Jerome Kern

"Pick yourself up
Dust yourself off"

I was inspired to sing
"Let’s start all over again"

Such a great sentiment. Go Obama
Here is our future
Isn't that fabulous?
But onto food I made a good dish yesterday.
As a starter we were lucky enough to have a beautiful whole snapper grilled
Courtesy of Laurian off Silverado
It was slashed, covered in coriander, parsley, salt, pepper and lemon, a touch of garlic some olive oil
It was fabulous but would you believe that I didn’t take a shot of any of the glorious food.
Smack my hand.
Anyway we followed it with the My Chilli
Really simple.
I like to use tinned Mexican style beans all prepared for you but I do add some spices of my own and of course tinned tomatoes

500 gms mince
1 tablespoon olive oil
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 teaspoon cumin
1 teaspoon celery salt
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon chili flakes

1 more tablespoons olive oil
1 onion sliced
1 small carrot chopped
2 cloves garlic crushed and chopped
1 tin Mexican beans
1 tin cherry tomatoes in juice

First
Brown the mince in olive oil
Season with spices
Cook for a couple of minutes
Remove from pan set aside

Saute onion, garlic and carrot till soft
Add back the mince
Plus beans and tomatoes.

Check seasoning and adjust if necessary
If the beans are not hot enough some more chilli flakes would be good.

Cook gently for about 30 minutes
This improves on hanging about but you can eat it straight away.

Serve with Steamed rice mixed with fresh coriander leaves
Pop some sour cream and extra coriander leaves on the top

Excellent.

Now we had left overs and I forgot to put the leftover rice in the fridge.
Sat on top of the stove all night.
Bit worried that I might poison us, (a bit like Ruth Reichl’s mother!)
so I decided I should turn these leftovers into
A Chilli Casserole
"Gilli's Chilli and Rice Casserole"
Baked in the oven that will kill any stray bacteria.

So as this kind of dish a bit like the Famous American Tuna Casserole
I dedicate it to Mr Obama and his beautiful family
First I made a béchamel sauce
2 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons flour
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 1/2 cups milk

3 tablespoons grated cheese

Left over rice and chili
Extra grated cheese and 2 tablespoons fresh coriander
1 tablespoon Panko breadcrumbs

Make the roux
Add milk and cook till thickened
Add cheese
Season
Add rice and chili
Mix well
Into casserole dish and top with Grated cheese and coriander and the Panko breadcrumbs.

Bake medium hot oven about 30 minutes

This was fabulous we greedily ate it all, we should have shared it, but it was too good.

So in the words of Dorothy Fields

"Nothing's impossible I have found,
For when my chin is on the ground,
I pick myself up,
Dust myself off,
Start All over again."