Faux Risotto

Also know as: brown rice with chives. Risotto's great, but sometimes I can't stand in front of the stove for thirty minutes straight. Sometimes, someone decides to act like he's on crack and do his weird "dog talk" thing where he follows me around the condo not quite barking, and not quite wimpering, but sounding like a pig being slaughtered. I really need to capture it on video sometime for you all (well, all three of you).

Aborio rice, which is what is used to make authentic risotto, can be expensive and hard to find. I love it; I really do, but even with the tax return I can't go spending all my cash-money on aborio rice, I need the cheap stuff, the hearty stuff -- I need brown rice. But! I want it to taste like risotto. This recipe isn't going to fool your Everyday Italian, but its texture and creaminess fooled my Irish-Lithuanian palate. This was your typical risotto-style rice dish, until the chives were added; they really add a nice flavor.

Brown Rice with Chives, or Faux Risotto (gluten-free, dairy-free, vegan)

3 Tablespoons olive oil (or butter)
1 small onion, diced
1/2 cup carrots, diced
1 cup brown rice
3 1/2 cups vegetable stock (I had homemade on hand, so I used that)
1/2 cups chopped chives, save some for garnish

In a medium sauce pan over medium heat, add two tablespoons of the olive oil. Once the oil gets hot, add the onion and carrots, reducing the heat to medium low. Cook for about ten minutes until translucent. Next, add the brown rice and stir to coat in the olive oil. Add the vegetable stock and turn heat to high and briefly bring to a boil, then simmer over medium-low heat for thirty minutes, or until most of the liquid is gone. Add the chives and the rest of the olive oil. Mix well. Garnish with the rest of the chives and serve (with grilled chicken over spinach and a dijon mustard dressing, like below).