Dirty Rice with Meatballs and Peppers (From Canadian Cookbook)

[MelissaS]

Dirty Rice with Meatballs and Peppers
This complete dinner can be cooked in your Thermomix. Even meatballs can be mixed in your Thermomix, so no more messy hands!

Servings: 6
Prep Time: 15 min.
Cook Time: 29 min.

Ingredients:
Meatballs
•   1 small onion
•   1 glove garlic
•   480g ground beef
•   30g dry bread crumbs
•   1 tbsp. steak sauce
•   1 egg
•   salt & pepper, to taste
Vegetables
•   1 red bell pepper, cut into rings
•   1 green bell pepper, cut into rings
•   1 yellow bell pepper, cut into rings
Rice
•   1 small onion
•   1 glove garlic
•   60g butter
•   salt & pepper, to taste
•   600g beef bouillon
•   300g water
•   200g converted white rice
•   150g fresh, sliced mushrooms
•   2 tbsp. parsley
Sauce
•   3 tbsp. cornstarch
Topping
•   90g Parmesan cheese

Instructions:
Place onion and garlic into the Bowl. Mix for 5 seconds on speed 4. Add ground beef, bread crumbs, steak sauce, egg, salt and pepper to the Bowl. Mix for 20 seconds on speed 4. Scrape down the sides of the Bowl, using the Spatula, if needed, and mix a little longer. Shape into 2.5cm balls. Place meatballs in lightly oiled lower Varoma tray. Place peppers on top of meatballs. Set aside while preparing rice. Place onion, garlic, and butter into the Bowl. Cook for 3 minutes at 100°C on speed 4. Add .salt and pepper, bouillon, and water to the Bowl. Place the Basket into the Bowl. Add rice, mushrooms, and parsley to the Basket. Properly install the Varoma tray. Cook for 25 minutes at Varoma temperature on speed 4. Remove the Varoma tray and the Basket, leaving liquid in the Bowl. Gradually add cornstarch to the Bowl. Cook for I minute at 100°C on speed 4. Place rice, meatballs, and peppers in middle of serving platter. Pour sauce on top, and sprinkle with Parmesan cheese.

Chelsea:I modified the recipe a little to suit our tastes.  I used 1 sliced green capsicum and 1 sliced carrot rather than the three capsicums.  I also used half brown rice (that I had cooked for 20 minutes beforehand) and half white rice. I also reduced the mixing time and speed when making the meatballs, as I felt the given times would over-process the mixture.  I used about a quarter of the sauce, so I will tip some out before thickening it next time.
Chelsea:I didn't have any steak sauce so I threw in a splash of Worcestershire.  The rice weight I used was uncooked - 100g brown and 100g white.  Next time I would put another 50g of brown in as well though.  The white rice was quite soft after the 25 minutes so if I was just using white I probably would add the rice basket with 17-20 minutes to go rather than at the start. 

[CarolineW]

This looks nice, I'll have to give it a go.  And I'm so excited that someone has the Canadian cookbook!!!!!  What is it like?  I had a go a while ago to get one, but either there wasn't one yet, or it wasn't available internationally - not sure which.

[brazen20au]

sounds great!

[Thermomixer]

Thanks Melissa - this is a great recipe to show somebody just how versatile the TMX is.  Love the whole recipe. 

[Chelsea (Thermie Groupie)]

Just wondering if anyone has tried this yet?  I love all in one meals and was thinking about putting this in my menu plan for the coming week.  I think the name has been putting me off trying it in the past. 

[cathy79]

Looks nice.  Any idea what converted rice is?
I stumbled across the Canadian forum the other day.  Not sure how long it's been there, but there's not a single post.  Maybe their all here!

[judydawn]

It is instant rice Cathy - like Uncle Bens.  Precooked and dehydrated stuff.

[cathy79]

It is instant rice Cathy - like Uncle Bens.  Precooked and dehydrated stuff.

So how would you convert this to ordinary rice I wonder?  My guess would be to use cooked rice like in Porcupine Meatballs.  Maybe 100g uncooked rice, then cooked, then added.  This recipe seems to be getting harder  .

[Thermomixer]

The converted rice is BROWN rice that has been partially cooked and dehydrated, so cooking times for white rice/arborio would be about the same in this dish, maybe a bit less ?  May need to add some extra stock/water - check after 20 mins and see.

[Chelsea (Thermie Groupie)]

So if I wanted to use ordinary brown rice would I be best to partially cook it before starting the recipe?? 

[Thermomixer]

Definitely - probably about 20 mins.

[Chelsea (Thermie Groupie)]

I made this tonight and was quite happy with it.  I really do love all in one dishes - no timing worries! There was a lot more flavour than I was expecting and the mushroom rice was especially delicious. The only criticism I have of the dish is that it doesn't look overly appealing (grey meatballs, rice and sauce), so I probably wouldn't serve it up when we have company.

I modified the recipe a little to suit our tastes.  I used 1 sliced green capsicum and 1 sliced carrot rather than the three capsicums.  I also used half brown rice (that I had cooked for 20 minutes beforehand) and half white rice. I also reduced the mixing time and speed when making the meatballs, as I felt the given times would over-process the mixture.  I used about a quarter of the sauce, so I will tip some out before thickening it next time.

I would definitely cook it again as the boys and DH really loved it.  DH rated it 9/10 and I would give it 8/10. 

[Thermomixer]

9/10 is pretty good - great work.  masterchef material

[JaneeZee]

Did you use steak sauce in it Chelsea or something else?

Is the rice weight cooked weight?

I think I would use a variety of vegetables too Chelsea.

Many thanks for review.

[Chelsea (Thermie Groupie)]

I didn't have any steak sauce so I threw in a splash of Worcestershire.  The rice weight I used was uncooked - 100g brown and 100g white.  Next time I would put another 50g of brown in as well though.  The white rice was quite soft after the 25 minutes so if I was just using white I probably would add the rice basket with 17-20 minutes to go rather than at the start.