Coconut Rice with Beans and Plant Based Sausage

It is always a great pleasure when my  grown up son calls me and tells me that he and my daughter-in-law would like to come over for dinner. “But, of course”, I say. It is a good chance to catch up in person, to relax and to laugh a little bit.

But then, there is the dilemma: What to make, What to make, What to make?  It is a weekday and to tell you the truth, my husband and I often have a tomato sandwich and perhaps a salad for supper.  It is the summertime, after all, and there is such an abundance of fresh produce out there to enjoy. Or maybe there are some leftovers from the weekend that need using up. Waste not, want not!

But, it is a different story when we are having company. I like to do a little something extra. Out came the cookbooks and I started checking  the options. I thought about a curry dish of some sort, but decided against it. I couldn’t find anything that piqued my interest,  so I looked in my cupboard and my freezer and realized that I had enough ingredients on hand to make a rice dish with coconut, sausage, corn and beans.  Grilled peppers and zucchini would do nicely for the side and I even had a rhubarb cake in the fridge, that I had made using some of the rhubarb that grows in our flower garden.

I like to assemble all of my ingredients on the counter to make sure that I have everything I need. This eliminates running around unnecessarily to get  ingredients from the fridge, cupboard or, heaven forbid, the grocery store..

I am not  a recipe developer and don’t pretend to be (that takes a special talent), but I have done a lot of cooking and baking over the years and do know what works and what doesn’t.

This is my own creation and I would like to share it with you.

 Even though much of the fat has been removed from coconut milk, it can still be can be a bit lumpy. I always whisk it a bit before putting it in with the other ingredients. If coconut is not your bag, try veggie broth, or any other nut milk or soy milk.

Adding the lemon peel to the milk and rice before cooking allows the flavor and the oil in the peel to infuse the dish in a delicate and understated way.

Field Roast are my absolute favorite plant based sausage. You don’t need a lot to spice up and add interest to any dish. I dry fry (no oil or liquid added) them for this recipe and recommend that you stay focused here or your sausage will burn. It doesn’t take more than five minutes, tops. 

I almost never saute or fry things in oil, so I recommend  adding a bit of water or Veggie broth to prevent onion from sticking and burning. If you would like that golden look that frying in oil gives, turn the heat to high and high and let onions brown a bit. Gotta stay focused here too, folks. It takes only about five minutes.

Add your choice of beans, corn and cooked sausage  along with the coconut rice. Combine gently.

Season with salt and pepper and serve.

I would say that supper was a success, all the way around. Everyone  said they enjoyed the dish.  I decided, right then and there, to serve the same thing to friends of ours who were coming for dinner on Saturday of that same week. I took pictures on the second go around, so that I could share them with you.

This recipe serves six to eight people and  reheats well. I imagine that it could be frozen for a later date, if you have any left to freeze. We did not.

Coconut Rice with Beans, Corn and Sausage

Print Recipe

This is a great make ahead dish that is delicately flavored with coconut and lemon. Serve with a salad or grilled asparagus or red peppers for a summer fresh meal.

• CourseMain Dish
• CuisineVegan

Servings	Prep Time
6 people	20 minutes

Cook Time

30 minutes

Servings Prep Time 6 people 20 minutes

Cook Time 30 minutes

Coconut Rice with Beans, Corn and Sausage Print Recipe This is a great make ahead dish that is delicately flavored with coconut and lemon. Serve with a salad or grilled asparagus or red peppers for a summer fresh meal. CourseMain Dish CuisineVegan Servings Prep Time 6 people 20 minutes Cook Time 30 minutes Servings Prep Time 6 people 20 minutes Cook Time 30 minutes

Ingredients

• 1.5 cups brown rice rinsed
• 1.5 cups lite coconut milk
• 1.5 cups unsweetened nut based milk or soy milk
• Grated peel of one lemon, juice reserved
• 4 Field Roast, Smoked Apple and Sage Sausage
• 2 onions diced
• 2 cups corn [frozen or canned]
• 2 cups cooked beans (19 fl. oz. if canned)
• salt & pepper to taste

Servings: people

Instructions

1) Rice

1. Before you get started with the rice, measure and pour the lite coconut milk into a bowl. Even though much of the fat has been removed, the milk can be a bit lumpy.
2. I always whisk it a bit before putting it in with the other ingredients. Voila, smooth as a baby's bottom.
3. Place rice and milks and lemon peel in a saucepan and bring to a boil. Cover and simmer for 25 to 30 minutes until all the liquid is absorbed . Remove from heat, let sit for 10 minutes, covered, and then fluff up with a fork.

2) Sausage, Onion, Corn and Beans:

1. Cut sausage lengthwise and then slice into half moon discs. Place sausage in a wok or large pan and dry fry (as in no oil or liquid) until it starts to brown a little bit. Stay focused here or your sausage will burn. It doesn’t take more than five minutes, tops. Set aside.
2. Dice onion and place in the same pan. Add a bit of water or Veggie broth to prevent onion from sticking and burning. Cook, stirring often, until desired doneness is reached:10- 15 minutes.
3. Turn heat to high and let onions brown a bit. Gotta stay focused here too, folks. It takes only about five minutes.
4. Add your choice of beans, corn and cooked sausage along with the coconut rice and reserved lemon juice. Combine gently. Season with salt and pepper and serve.

Recipe Notes

It can be reheated in the microwave on high for about five minutes or warmed up in the oven for about 25 minutes at 325 degrees. Some people, like my husband, enjoy it cold.