- 4 TBS (50g) butter, divided
- 3 fat cloves of garlic, peeled and minced
- 2 cups (210g) frozen or fresh corn kernels
- 1/4 tsp salt
- pinch black pepper
- 1 cup (185g) long grain rice, uncooked
- 1 3/4 cups (420ml) low sodium chicken stock
- 2 spring onions, washed, trimmed and thinly sliced
- Melt half of the butter in a heavy bottomed saucepan over medium heat. Add the garlic and cook for about half a minute. (Using a heavy-bottomed saucepan ensures an even cook. Do not allow the garlic to burn or it will turn bitter.)
- Add the corn and half of the salt. Cook and stir for 2 minutes. (You are basically just taking the chill off of the corn.)
- Add the rice, stir for half a minute and then add the stock, remaining salt and black pepper. Bring to a rolling boil. (The whole surface should be rumbling.) Reduce to medium low and pop on the lid. (Make sure the lid is tight fitting and do not leave it ajar.)
- Cook for 12 minutes without peeking. Tilt the pan and see if there is any liquid left. It should have all been absorbed. If it hasn't then cook for a few minutes longer until it has. (Mine is always perfectly cooked in 12 minutes with no liquid left.)
- Remove from the heat of the burner and leave to stand, covered, for 10 minutes. (Again, don't peek.)
- Fork through the remaining butter and the spring onions. Serve hot. (Using a fork will fluff things up very nicely. You can pour it into a serving dish at this point if you wish and fluffy it up again.)
- Before cooking, rinse your rice under cold water until the water runs clear. This removes excess starch so that you don’t end up with mushy rice. In all transparency, I don’t do this every time and find it to be less important when baking than when cooking on the stovetop. But it IS good practice, especially if you often find yourself with mushy rice. (Rinsing your rice is NOT necessary for this particular recipe.)
- The water-to-rice ratio is crucial. A commonly given ratio is 2 cups of liquid for every 1 cup of rice, but I honestly find this to be too much water, which leads to your rice coming out mushy. I tend to use a little less than that. Also basmati rice in particular usually does well with even less to keep the grains separate and fluffy.
- If you’re cooking your rice in water instead of broth, add some spices and seasonings to the cooking water for extra flavor.
- Try not to stir rice while it’s cooking. Stirring will release more starch and can make the rice gummy. You also want to avoid lifting the lid off while it’s cooking. Lifting the lid will release the steam and cause some of the necessary liquid to evaporate.
- When cooking on top of the stove try to use a heavy-bottomed pan or pot. This helps distribute heat evenly and reduces the risk of burning or sticking.

Hot Buttered Corn Rice
A delicious side dish that is simple to make and that goes with just about any cuisine. You can use either fresh or frozen corn niblets.
Ingredients
- 4 TBS (50g) butter, divided
- 3 fat cloves of garlic, peeled and minced
- 2 cups (210g) frozen or fresh corn kernels
- 1/4 tsp salt
- pinch black pepper
- 1 cup (185g) long grain rice, uncooked
- 1 3/4 cups (420ml) low sodium chicken stock
- 2 spring onions, washed, trimmed and thinly sliced
Instructions
- Melt half of the butter in a heavy bottomed saucepan over medium heat. Add the garlic and cook for about half a minute.
- Add the corn and half of the salt. Cook and stir for 2 minutes.
- Add the rice, stir for half a minute and then add the stock, remaining salt and black pepper. Bring to a rolling boil. (The whole surface should be rumbling.) Reduce to medium low and pop on the lid.
- Cook for 12 minutes without peeking. Tilt the pan and see if there is any liquid left. It should have all been absorbed. If it hasn't then cook for a few minutes longer until it has.
- Remove from the heat of the burner and leave to stand, covered, for 10 minutes.
- Fork through the remaining butter and the spring onions. Serve hot.
Did you make this recipe?
This content, written and photography, is the sole property of The English Kitchen. Any reposting or misuse is not permitted. If you are reading this elsewhere, please know that it is stolen content and you may report it to me at mariealicejoan at aol dot com.
- Trim any fat or sinew from the turkey. Cut the turkey into 1/2 inch cubes. (If using chicken do the same. No need to trim if using ground turkey or chicken.)
- Heat a large saucepan over medium heat. Spray with the oil. Add the onions, green chili, and garlic, and cook over medium heat for about 5 minutes, until beginning to soften. (If you are adding fresh mushrooms or diced zucchini, this is when you want to add it.)
- Add the turkey cubes, and frozen mushrooms, and cook, stirring occasionally until the turkey is no longer pink. (There should be no pink juices at this point.)
- Add the chili powder, bay leaf, cumin, oregano, and some seasoning. Cook for a few minutes until very fragrant. (Don't over season. It is better to taste at the end and adjust the seasoning as needed.)
- Add the chicken stock, a splash of hot sauce, the frozen corn and the beans. Bring to the boil, then reduce to a simmer. (I love the Green Tabasco Sauce. It adds a nice Tex Mex flavor.)
- Cover and then simmer for about 25 to 30 minutes, stirring every now and then. Stir in the sour cream and heat through for about 5 minutes. Do not allow to boil. (If you let it boil at this point your sauce may split because of the sour cream. If you want to add a squirt of lime juice add it now, or pass wedges of lime at the table for people to add their own.)
- Spoon out into heated soup bowls, and pass any add-ons at the table.
- Read through the recipe prior to beginning to help familiarize you with any ingredients or equipment needed.
- Assemble all of your ingredients together before you begin. This can help to prevent you from leaving anything out by accident.
- You can adjust the heat of this chili by cutting down or adding more green chilies or hot sauce.
- If you would like to add extra veggies, feel free to add some diced zucchini along with the onions.
- Feel free to use fresh sliced mushrooms instead of frozen. Add at the same time as the onions and sauté to soften.
- Add a splash of fresh lime juice at the end to add another level of flavor.
- If you feel the chili is too thick, feel free to add a bit more stock.
Turkey Chili with White Beans
A low fat white bean turkey chili made from turkey breast meat or steaks and a few other bits. Delicious!
Ingredients
- spray oil
- 1 large onion, peeled and finely chopped
- 3 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
- 1 small green chili, trimmed, deseeded and chopped
- 1 tsp mild chili powder or to taste
- 1 small bay leaf, broken
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- 1tsp dried oregano
- 7 ounces/190g raw white turkey breast meat
- 1 (16oz/400g) tins of white cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
- 1/4 cup (40g) of frozen sweet corn (1/2 cup)
- a large handful of sliced frozen mushrooms
- 1 cup (240ml) chicken stock
- splash of hot sauce
- salt and black pepper to taste
- 1/4 cup (30g) sour cream
- grated cheddar, pickled jalapenos, sour cream, chopped spring onions (all optional)
Instructions
- Trim any fat or sinew from the turkey. Cut the turkey into 1/2 inch cubes.
- Heat a large saucepan over medium heat. Spray with the oil. Add the onions, green chili, and garlic, and cook over medium heat for about 5 minutes, until beginning to soften.
- Add the turkey cubes, and frozen mushrooms, and cook, stirring occasionally until the turkey is no longer pink.
- Add the chili powder, bay leaf, cumin, oregano, and some seasoning. Cook for a few minutes until very fragrant.
- Add the chicken stock, a splash of hot sauce, the frozen corn and the beans. Bring to the boil, then reduce to a simmer.
- Cover and then simmer for about 25 to 30 minutes, stirring every now and then. Stir in the sour cream and heat through for about 5 minutes. Do not allow to boil.
- Spoon out into heated soup bowls, and pass any add-ons at the table.
Did you make this recipe?
This content, written and photography, is the sole property of The English Kitchen. Any reposting or misuse is not permitted. If you are reading this elsewhere, please know that it is stolen content and you may report it to me at mariealicejoan at aol dot com.
- 3/4 cup (175g) butter, at room temperature
- 1 tsp strong coffee essence (see notes)
- scant half cup (90g) caster sugar (superfine granulated sugar)
- 2 cups (250g) plain, all-purpose flour
- demerara sugar for coating (raw sugar, turbinado)
- Cream the butter and sugar together with the coffee essence until light and fluffy. Add the flour, and then using your hands, work it completely in until you have a dough with a smooth consistency. (Make sure everything is evenly mixed so that you don't end up with pockets of coffee essence, or flour, etc.)
- Roll into a sausage shape about 12 inches long, then pat to make either a square or a triangular shape. (I use my hands to do this. On this day I shaped into a square, but triangles also look very nice.)
- Spread an abundant amount of the demerara sugar onto a piece of baking paper. (Don't worry, whatever you don't use can be put back into the bag/container.)
- Press each side of the dough log into the sugar to coat. Wrap and chill for half an hour or longer, until very firm. (I wrap in plastic cling film. The longer chilled the better and easier it is to cut the cookies.)
- Preheat the oven to 160*C/325*F/ gas mark 3. Line a couple of baking sheets with baking paper.
- Cut the log into thick slices (about 1/3 inch or so) and place slightly apart on the prepared baking sheet. (A really sharp knife is ideal for cutting them. Preferably WITHOUT a serrated edge.)
- Bake for 20 minutes until just beginning to turn brown.
- Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. Store in an airtight container.
- Don't substitute butter for shortening in a recipe which calls for shortening. shortening has a higher melting point, which means it doesn't liquify as quickly, and does a better job of holding the ingredients together. High butter cookie = a cookie that spreads.
- Grease your baking sheets only if the recipe requests you to do so. Most cookies will not stick unless they contain large amounts of butter or sugar.
- Make sure you preheat your oven before baking. If the oven is not hot enough the fat in the cookies will melt before the other ingredients have time to set up.
- Use flat cookie sheets without sides for even baking.
- Place cookies at least 2-inches apart on baking sheets to allow for spreading.
- Use a sheet of baking parchment or a light spritz of cooking spray to grease your cookie sheets. It's not necessary to repeat this step for every batch but do wipe off any crumbs or sugar from the surface before adding the next batch.
- Place your cookie sheets in the middle of the oven.
- Make sure the sides of your cookie sheets don't touch the edges of the oven so that heat can circulate evenly and properly.
- Pay particular attention to bake times. An extra minute or two can make a big difference to the end result since cookies are for the most part quite small and bake quickly. Always aim to underbake rather than overbake. Cookies do continue to bake after you remove them from the oven.
Slice & Bake Coffee Shortbreads
These crisp, short and buttery cookies are completely comfortable with being dunked. Be it in your hot cuppa at tea break, or coffee break or enjoyed with a glass of milk après school!
Ingredients
- 3/4 cup (175g) butter, at room temperature
- 1 tsp strong coffee essence (see notes)
- scant half cup (90g) caster sugar (superfine granulated sugar)
- 2 cups (250g) plain, all-purpose flour
- demerara sugar for coating (raw sugar, turbinado)
Instructions
- Cream the butter and sugar together with the coffee essence until light and fluffy. Add the flour, and then using your hands, work it completely in until you have a dough with a smooth consistency.
- Roll into a sausage shape about 12 inches long, then pat to make either a square or a triangular shape.
- Spread an abundant amount of the demerara sugar onto a piece of baking paper.
- Press each side of the dough log into the sugar to coat. Wrap and chill for half an hour or longer, until very firm.
- Preheat the oven to 160*C/325*F/ gas mark 3. Line a couple of baking sheets with baking paper.
- Cut the log into thick slices (about 1/3 inch or so) and place slightly apart on the prepared baking sheet.
- Bake for 20 minutes until just beginning to turn brown.
- Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. Store in an airtight container.
Notes
To make the coffee essence:
Stir together 2 tsp dry coffee granules and 1 tsp boiling water to give you a thick essence of almost syrup consistency.
Did you make this recipe?
This content, written and photography, is the sole property of The English Kitchen. Any reposting or misuse is not permitted. If you are reading this elsewhere, please know that it is stolen content and you may report it to me at mariealicejoan at aol dot com.









Social Icons