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Cheeseburger

one and a half slices cheeseburger grill grilling
OneandahalfSlices food blog recipes One and a half Slices Virginia eat local

The Cheeseburger Post

one and a half slices cheeseburger grill grilling

Disclaimer: This post belongs in the Opinion section of the New York Times. It is pure opinion. Strong ones. Coming at ya fast. Are you ready for the OneandahalfSlices rules regarding Cheeseburgers?

  1. Fresh beef patty required. Not frozen. Hard stop.
  2. cheese: swiss or hard cheddar. no brie. 
  3. toppings: lettuce, tomato, onion, pickles.
  4. pickles: dill, crunchy, homemade. 
  5. fancy toppings: don’t.
  6. (unless): avocado, grilled portobello mushroom slice, or grilled peach slice. maybe. if it’s a leap year.
  7. sauce: none. no mayo. no ketchup. no aioli. 
  8. bun: brioche or fluffy sesame. must not disintegrate. 
  9. basically: don’t fuck with it too much. 
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Katsu Ramen

one and a half slices authentic katsu chicken ramen recipe
OneandahalfSlices food blog recipes One and a half Slices Virginia eat local

Chicken Katsu Ramen

You all know that 2021 was the year of the Ramen for me… I discovered it in the summer of 2020 (thanks Christian and Hadlee 💜) and set to work recreating less sodium-intense, more veggie-friendly versions at home. Taking the extra step to make the chicken katsu isn’t as straightforward as the veggie ramen but it does add another dimension which is very much appreciated on cold winter nights or crisp spring evenings. I adapted this from Half Baked Harvest who has tons of quick, Asian-inspired dishes that cycled through my kitchen at the end of last year. 

what you need

4 garlic cloves, minced or grated

2 shallots or 1/2 onion, minced 

1 ginger knob, minced or grated

1 cup mushrooms of choice, thickly diced

1 teaspoon red pepper flakes

1/4 cup miso paste of choice

2 tablespoons fermented chili paste 

6 cups chicken broth

1/2 cup coconut milk

1/4 cup soy sauce

Ramen noodles of choice

4 cups spinach

1 tablespoon toasted sesame seed oil

2 soft boiled eggs, halved

garnish: diced green onion

🍜

4 small chicken cutlets (if your chicken breasts are thick, it is important that you slice them smaller)

1 cup Panko

3 tablespoons sesame seeds

dash of salt, to taste

dash of cayenne pepper or paprika, to taste

1 tablespoon oregano

how to make it

Place garlic, shallots, ginger, and pepper flakes in a large pot with a tablespoon of oil over medium heat and sauté until fragrant. Add in the mushrooms and sauté another minute. 

Add the chicken broth, coconut milk, and soy sauce, and heat until steaming. At that time, add in the miso paste and the chili paste and bring to a gentle boil. Boil for approximately 10 minutes. Taste for flavor but, at this point, you shouldn’t need salt. 

As the broth gently boils, mix all the ingredients together with the Panko and bread your  chicken. You can use an egg to adhere the crumb mixture to the chicken but I prefer not to. Fry the chicken cutlets in oil over medium-high heat for 3-4 minutes on each side, remove to a cutting board, and cut the katsu into strips. 

Returning to the broth, add the spinach, noodles, and sesame oil, and simmer another ~5 minutes until the noodles soften. Alternatively, you are welcome to cook your noodle separately and pour the broth over them. 

Place noodles and broth in your serving bowls, adding to each bowl a halved egg and two chicken cutlets, sliced. Garnish with diced green onion and toasted sesame seeds and serve warm. 
Give Me Thai, Stir Fry, Ramen, Rice
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Coconut Harissa Meatballs

one and a half slices coconut harissa meatballs local recipe
OneandahalfSlices food blog recipes One and a half Slices Virginia eat local

Coconut Harissa Meatballs

one and a half slices coconut harissa meatballs local recipe

This struck me as the strangest recipe and just the thing OneandahalfSlices needed after what shall henceforth be known as The Great Fridge Hiatus. In the midst of back-and-forth work travel to Florida and other exotic locales (Dayton, Ohio???), my freezer door was mysteriously left – ahem – ajar. Upon my return, with a 14 hour turnaround window, I discovered that the smell of death filled my house and, for once, my sweet felines were not to blame. Chicken and meat juices filled the freezer drawer and I stared in sadness as $300 worth of condiments, to include at least seven types of miso paste, expired in front of my eyes. Fixing the fridge, restocking the freezer, replacing the condiments, and getting my cooking mojo back took a good two weeks. So here we are…with coconut harissa meatballs – by far one of the stranger things I’ve tasted (and, yes, that includes the $100 upcharge at Pineapple and Pearls in 2017 when an overenthusiastic waiter proceeded to steam raw truffles (mushrooms) in brandy over a candle and then pour the concoction over what I’m pretty sure was Breyer’s vanilla ice cream in a desperate attempt at fine dining. I made this dish over the mashed white beans as originally instructed but was not a fan of the beans and am curious to try it over spaetzle or mashed potatoes. If you’re feeling experimental, give this one a try. 

what you need

1 pound ground pork or loose sausage of choice

2 shallots, minced

4 cloves of garlic, minced

Fresh cilantro leaves

1 tablespoon garam masala

1 teaspoon sumac

1 teaspoon harissa seasoning

1/4 cup Moroccan harissa paste (or sauce)

2 tablespoons tomato paste

1/2 cup coconut milk

1 tablespoon coconut oil

1 can white beans, or 5-6 gold potatoes, or 2 servings egg noodles

how to make it

Mix the ground pork, half the minced shallots, half the minced garlic, and the garam masala together with salt and pepper. Roll the meatballs into 12 ~1 inch balls and set aside. 

Add coconut oil to a pan and sauté number of desired meatballs on several sides until brown, ~8 minutes. Remove the meatballs and set aside. 

Add the remaining shallots and garlic to the pan, sautéing until fragrant, ~2 minutes. Add the harissa seasoning, harissa sauce, and tomato paste to the pan, stirring well for another minute. Add the coconut milk, mix, and nestle the meatballs back into the sauce. Allow the mixture to simmer and thicken for ~8 minutes.

Prepare your egg noodles, mashed potatoes, or mashed white beans as desired, spreading them onto a plate and seasoning them with salt and sumac. Set the meatballs on top of your mash, topping with the harissa sauce and fresh cilantro leaves. Serve immediately.

one and a half slices coconut harissa meatballs local recipe
More Moroccan

Moroccan Tagine

I have been SO excited to release this post!!! Why? Because this is your new weeknight dinner. It will impress your family, fill your stomach, warm your heart, and make your house smell like North African spices. I started making tagine years ago when I first moved to DC and came across a tagine in World Market. I was instantly and aesthetically intrigued, and purchased the thing on the spot not having a clue what I would do with it. Well… figured that one out. A tagine is the OG slow cooker.  And whatever you put inside – lamb, chicken, chickpeas, rabbit, potatoes – you will taste the spicy exoticism. If you don’t have a tagine, no worries. You can make it in a Dutch oven, stovetop or, yes, in a slow cooker. And before you think this is just chicken slow roasted in tomato sauce… keep reading…

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September 21, 2024 4 Comments
stew soup recipe fall One and a Half Slices lemon chickpea vegan dish

Lemon Chickpea Stew

Welcoming Fall in vegan/vegetarian style, the theme of this October is lentils and other legumes. The chickpea is a protein-packed, fiber saturated, hearty meal staple. This soup recipe boasts a super unique flavor comprised of lemon zest, really good olive oil, red chili flakes, and the lowly potato. Just one more example of how fresh, local, in-season produce carries all the flavor you’ll ever need. This stew is filling yet humble. It is bold; it isn’t fancy. It doesn’t require an exotic cocktail pairing… it’s just a simple stew for a simple weeknight to remind you to be thankful for a warm stomach, an engaged palette, and a full plate … (or bowl, in this instance).

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October 30, 2021 No Comments
creamy coconut sweet potato soup recipe oneandahalfslices

Creamy Sweet Potato Stew

Coming out of Vegan October, we were a little tired of lentils and were looking for something to do with copious amounts of sweet potatoes. Hence this little gem was discovered. Creamy with coconut milk, almost like curry. Spiced with flavors of the same. Hearty with sweet potato and flourished with kale. Yes, there are still a few lentils, but they are hardly the stars of the show. This soup is light enough for any season and feels perfectly at home here at the end of October. 🧡

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November 7, 2021 1 Comment
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Pork and Apples

one and a half slices pork and apples simple recipe
OneandahalfSlices food blog recipes One and a half Slices Virginia eat local

Pork and Apples

one and a half slices pork and apples simple recipe

This Pork and Apples recipe is one of my all-time favorites especially for the new year – the month of January in particular (though it is well-suited to anytime Fall through Winter). A good solid pork roast is combined with hearty potatoes, sweet cabbage, and tangy apples for a truly delicious, surprising, filling meal. Trust me, guys, this is super delicious and unique. Many in the Midwest eat pork and sauerkraut on New Year’s Day. I tend to favor a big pot of black eyed peas myself but Pork and Apples always comes sometime between January 1st and 10th. Do go get yourself a pork roast and give it a try. Mine came from Longstone Farm in Lovettesville, VA. For you Northern Virginian-ers, Longstone has a new self-service market open now on Route 9 – check it out!

Happy New Year, everyone!

what you need

1 pork roast (I have used loin, butt, and shoulder)

3-5 small white or red potatoes, halved or quartered

2 tablespoons butter or olive oil

3 cloves garlic, sliced

1/2 head of cabbage (green or purple), cut into wedges

1 yellow onion, cut into chunks

1 1/2 small apples, cored and cut into wedges

1/8 cup apple cider vinegar

3 tablespoons dried thyme

Salt and pepper to taste

3/4 cup water or vegetable bouillon

1 tablespoon honey

 

how to make it

Preheat oven to 325. 

Stovetop, melt the butter in a large Dutch oven or other covered, oven-safe pot. Brown the roast on all sides then set it aside on a plate. Add the sliced garlic and sauté until fragrant, ~1 minute. 

Remove from heat and add the apple cider vinegar scraping any little brown bits up off the bottom to deglaze the pot. Add the honey and water/bouillon and stir. Replace the roast in the liquid sprinkling generously with dried thyme, salt, and pepper. 

Nestle 3/4 of the apple slices and all the onion slices around the roast. Secure the lid and roast in the oven for 2 full hours (note that butt and shoulder roasts will take a little longer than loins as a general rule). 

After 2 hours, remove the roast and add the remaining apple slices, the potatoes (submerging in the liquid if at all possible), and then layer the cabbage wedges over the top. You may need to add a bit of liquid if it’s looking low. Salt and pepper the cabbage generously and return to the oven for another ~45 minutes. 

Check your pork by cutting with knife and fork. It should be very tender and the vegetables should be soft but not destroyed, hence adding them later. Serve and enjoy! 
More Roasts
pot roast recipe one and a half slices whisky pairing

Pot Roast

This is the main course for the Whiskey Pairing Dinner and, my, what a deep, flavorful pot roast this is! Let me start by saying that I sourced a 4.6 pound chuck roast from the Spring House Farm Store to feed the four of us and had no regrets. A simple pot roast is easy enough to pull off especially if you have a slow cooker, but this really takes the flavor profile up a notch to make this velvety, sinful, fall-off-your-fork roast with plenty of fall veggies.

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November 14, 2021 3 Comments
OneandahalfSlices roasted goose recipe simple holiday

Roasted Goose

Who else has heard of a Christmas Goose? Had the urge to make one? Okay, maybe that’s just a Mel thing, but mostly by accident, I ended up with a locally-sourced, 9-pound Goose to cook this Christmas courtesy of Whiffletree Farms of Warrenton, Virginia. Highly recommend for an elegant, unique holiday meal. It makes for a lovely table. Here it is paired with Citrus Dill Roasted Carrots, Perfect Mashed Potatoes, and Crispy Oven Brussel Sprouts. #Christmasvibes

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December 25, 2021 3 Comments
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Roasted Goose

OneandahalfSlices roasted goose recipe simple holiday
OneandahalfSlices food blog recipes One and a half Slices Virginia eat local

Roasted Goose

OneandahalfSlices roasted goose recipe simple holiday

#Christmasvibes

Who else has heard of a Christmas Goose? Had the urge to make one? Okay, maybe that’s just a Mel thing, but mostly by accident, I ended up with a locally-sourced, 9-pound Goose to cook this Christmas courtesy of Whiffletree Farms in Warrenton, Virginia.

I thought it would go about like a turkey and then started reading recipes – man, was I wrong. Goose is super intimidating. It’s heavier than both chicken and turkey, and is technically more akin to duck, which means the breasts should be served medium rare with the rest of the bird cooked through. Some light Googling of recipes had me panicked about two-day preparation routines, de-skinning my goose, or dismembering my goose for a staged cooking enterprise. This was not what I intended to sign up for.

Finally I landed on a recipe that didn’t look too difficult. I ended up with a variation on the theme of Gordon Ramsay and I do not regret a single moment of my Christmas Goose endeavor. Highly recommend for an elegant, unique holiday meal. It makes for a lovely table. Here it is paired with Citrus Dill Roasted Carrots, Perfect Mashed Potatoes, and Crispy Oven Cranberry Brussel Sprouts. The wine pairing is a Georgian Saperavi – a medium-bodied red with sweet, red berry flavors. 

🎄

what you need

1 whole goose (7-10 pounds, giblets and excess fat removed)

1 bundle of fresh herbs (I used three large sprigs of rosemary)

1 lemon, zested with zest set aside, then cut in half

3-5 garlic cloves, peeled and cut in half

2-3 shallots, peeled and cut in half

3 tablespoons dried thyme

Plenty of sea salt

5-7 short stalks of celery

3 tablespoons of honey 

2 tablespoons paprika

1 tablespoon chili powder

how to make it

Prepare. Preheat oven to 450. First, remove giblets and excess fat from your goose. Rinse it in cold water, place it in its roasting vessel, and pat it dry with paper towels.

Season. Combine lemon zest, sea salt, dried thyme, paprika, and chili powder in a dish. Run generously into the goose skin, sprinkling some inside the goose cavity.

Stuff. Stuff the goose from back to front: half the lemon, half the garlic cloves, half the shallots, the herb bundle, the celery stalks, the remaining garlic and shallots, and finally the remaining lemon half. 

Roast. Roast the goose for 10 minutes at 450 then lower the oven temperature to 375. You want to cook your goose for 28 minutes per kilogram of weight. For a 9-pound goose, that is right around 1 hour and 45 minutes. Baste the goose once after the first hour,  drizzle on the honey, and cover with foil. There will be a lot of fat rendered off the goose. You’re aiming for an internal goose temperature of around 140-150 degrees at the breast, and 160+ everywhere else. You’re also looking for that crispy, golden brown skin, so feel free to finish it under the broiler if the skin doesn’t get there (but it should). 

Rest. Your goose is tired from all that roasting. Give it a break. Remove foil, let it steam, then tent it with foil for 30 minutes while you finish off your side dishes. This will make it easy to cut and serve.  
🦃More from the 2021 Holiday Collection🎄
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Pot Roast

pot roast recipe one and a half slices whisky pairing
OneandahalfSlices food blog recipes One and a half Slices Virginia eat local

OneandahalfSlices Pot Roast

From the @whiskey_CA_mmelier Collaboration Dinner

pot roast recipe one and a half slices whisky pairing

This is the main course for the Whiskey Pairing Dinner and, my, what a deep, flavorful pot roast this is! Let me start by saying that I sourced a 4.6 pound chuck roast from the Spring House Farm Store to feed the four of us and had no regrets. A simple pot roast is easy enough to pull off especially if you have a slow cooker, but this really takes the flavor profile up a notch to make this velvety, sinful, fall-off-your-fork roast with plenty of fall veggies. Pairing. For the roast, @whiskey_CA_mmelier wanted something to play with bourbon (all of our fav), especially since we went rogue and kicked off the evening with a scotch pairing (how dare we). He selected several aged bourbons that were exceptional but definitely dominated the roast. It wasn’t until we made our way around to the milder Noah’s Mill that things started to make sense. Noah’s Mill from the Willet Distillery- those who haven’t tried it are missing out. And it complemented this roast perfectly.

what you need

A 3-5 pound chuck roast

2 onions, 1/2 diced and the rest quartered 

4-6 thick carrots, cut into chunks

4-5 celery stalks, 2 stalks cut into chunks, 2 stalks diced

4-5 red potatoes, peeled and quartered 

3 cloves garlic, sliced finely 

1 bundle of fresh thyme

1 bundle of fresh rosemary

2 bay leaves

2 table spoons Worcestershire sauce

2 tablespoons tomato paste

1 1/2-2 cups good red wine

2 cups beef broth

3 tablespoons black coffee 

1 tablespoon soy sauce or Tamari

3 tablespoons olive oil

Salt and Pepper to taste

Pairing.  Noah’s Mill Small Batch Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey from the renowned Willet Distillery.

how to make it

Heat oven to 325 and heat 3 tablespoons of olive oil in a Dutch oven over high heat. Truss the roast (in other words, tie it up) and brown it on all sides. Remove from Dutch oven and set aside on a plate. 

Lower stove heat to low. Add one more glug of olive oil, the sliced garlic, the minced onion, and the diced celery to the pot (I also added a few diced shallots for good measure). Season with salt and black pepper. Sautee for a minute or two. Deglaze the pan with the soy sauce, Worcestershire sauce, tomato paste, and coffee, scraping up all the brown bits from the bottom as you stir and bring the mixture to a simmer (might need to raise heat to low-medium).

Toss in the bay leaves, the bundle of rosemary/thyme, and the beef broth, and bring the liquid to a light boil. Situate the roast back in the liquid trying not to let the roast pin the herb bundle to the bottom.

Place half the chunked carrots, celery, onions, and potatoes around the roast, which should be sticking out of the liquid just a bit. Top with another glug of wine, and season generously with salt and pepper. Secure the lid on the Dutch oven and throw the whole shooting match in the oven for 2 1/2 ish hours depending on the size of your roast (my 4.6 pound roast took 3 1/2 hours but a smaller roast will likely take less time). 

Remove from oven and serve warm. The liquid should be mostly cooked down by now to a sort of gravy. You may have to spoon some fat off the top which is perfectly normal. 
More from the Collab Dinner
pecan pie recipe maple bourbon one and a half slices

Pecan Pie

This is the dessert for the Whiskey Pairing Dinner generously provided by The Piemaker. I’ve never been a huge pecan pie fan (nor was I a big Key Lime Pie fan) until The Piemaker came into my life. This pecan pie is as ‘from scratch’ as it comes, with hints of bourbon and maple folded into the filling, served with a luxurious maple cinnamon cream. This is a decadent dessert – decadent is an understatement. But if you’re looking to level up your Holiday meal game, this is the place to start. We definitely felt the need to eat one and a half slices… 😃

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November 15, 2021 3 Comments
one and a half slices sazerac rye whiskey rcipe

Sazerac

This is the opening cocktail for the Whiskey Pairing Dinner. The Rye Sazerac is one of the oldest, prohibition-era cocktails. It’s classic, elegant, and simple. With rye whiskey, lemon, absinthe, and bitters, a Sazerac is as refined as a cocktail can be. Here we present this  simple cocktail recipe as a forward to the rest of a classic meal. The absinthe on the nose provides an interesting twist to a classically whiskey-based cocktail. We used Sazerac Rye as the base.

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November 13, 2021 3 Comments
brussels sprout recipe whiskey pairing whisky one and a half slices

Spicy Brussels

Brussels Sprouts are one of our favorite falltime veggies, especially when they’re made crispy. There are so many unique toppings for sprouts (sprouts!) that they’ll never get boring. Here they are paired with a round, fruit-forward Orkney Island Scotch Whiskey to really accentuate their sweetness.

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November 14, 2021 2 Comments
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Beef Stew

OneandahalfSlices food blog recipes One and a half Slices Virginia eat local

Beef Stew

I know it isn’t exactly stew season (August) but I’ve had stew beef from the meat shack (Springhouse Farm Store) for a hot minute and stew needed to be made. Beef Stew is also not the most photogenic main course but man is it satisfying. So here it is – a quintessential, traditional, hearty, beautiful Beef Stew.

what you need

1-1 1/2 pounds stew meat

6-8 small potatoes (red or white) or 2 medium sized baking potatoes

2-3 medium carrots

3/4 cup tomatoes (cherry or regular sized, diced – can substitute with 1 can of diced tomatoes)

1 onion (Vidalia or Spanish/Yellow)

3 1/2 cups beef broth 

Salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes to taste

1 cup red wine

2 tablespoons red wine or sherry vinegar

3 tablespoons Worchester sauce

2 bay leaves

2-3 tablespoons oregano

1/4 cup flour

3 tablespoons olive or vegetable oil

(optional) 6-8 button or cremini mushrooms, halved

how to make it

Note: You can get away with shortening the simmer times slightly if you’re on a compressed timeline, but be sure the meat simmers for at least 1 1/2 hours total.

Heat oil in dutch oven or stew pot over high heat. Toss stew meat in flour, salt, and black pepper. Add meat to pot, ensuring not to crowd, and brown on all sides. Remove from pot and set aside.

Add vinegar, red wine, beef broth, and Worchester sauce to the pot and stir, scraping the leftover meat bits up off the bottom. Add the bay leaves, oregano, red pepper flakes, and black pepper, and bring to a boil. Add the meat and simmer on lowest heat, covered, for 2 hours. 

Consume remainder of bottle of red wine, because, you know, it will go to waste… 😏

At the two hour mark, chop about 1/3 of the potatoes into course chunks and add to stew pot. Simmer another 1 hour.

Add carrots, remaining potatoes, onion, tomatoes, and mushrooms (if using) to pot and continue to simmer (covered) for an additional 45 minutes. 

Stir vigorously and cook uncovered for an additional 30 minutes, or just let the bot sit so some of the liquid can evaporate. Serve hot, in cauldrons, with crusty bread and a flagon of wine, if at all possible. 🍷
More Stews
lentil sausage stew soup recipe oneandahalfslices

Viking Lentil Stew

If there is crisp in the air, you want this. You want two bowls of this. And you want it with parmesan cheese on top. It is the most flavor-rich, complex soup I have probably ever tasted. It leaves you full, warm, and longing to make another pot. The secret is in the quality of the sausage.

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October 21, 2020 1 Comment
one and a half slices dahl indian lentil stew

Dahl (Indian Lentil Stew)

Dahl is an understatement of a dish. Pitch “lentils and spinach cooked until mushy” to most people and you’re unlikely to garner much enthusiasm. But this dish… this dish… is a healthy, satisfying, vegan, weeknight game changer. It is rich and hearty, and I am pretty sure you could top crispy, sea-salted naan with Pennzoil and I’d eat it. The curry spices are not as prominent as in most Indian dishes so the flavors are subtle and the lemon keeps it fresh.

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October 22, 2020 3 Comments

White Bean Chorizo Soup

As we enter into the longest winter months with January barely having come to a close, it seems like it will never be warm again. These are the months for soups, stews, and roasts; hearty and cozy. This is one such soup. It is creamy (without any cream) and I hereby dub it my Winter Soup, topped with spicy chorizo, salty pepitas, and a dash of oregano.

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February 6, 2021 1 Comment
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Omni Veggie

Rice Pilaf

OneandahalfSlices food blog recipes One and a half Slices Virginia eat local

Customizable Rice Pilaf

This highly customizable rice pilaf rounds out my rice trifecta – Customizable Fried Rice, Indian Biryani Rice, and this one. This is by far the most customizable of the three. You can make it how you want it – side dish, main course, protein of choice, strictly vegetarian. You can choose a Moroccan, Mediterranean, or Latin flavor profile with the spices that you select. My favorite is a chicken-centric, Moroccan-esque varietal. All you have to do is follow a simple process: 1) Base, 2) Spices, 3) Veggies, 4) Rice, 5) Broth, 6) Garnish, and it’s ready in 30.  

how to make it

(the bolded ingredients make my stand-by, Moroccan profile rice pilaf pictured above)

1) BASE. This is where you establish the flavor profile of your pilaf. Start by heating 1 tablespoon of olive oil over medium heat in a large pan. Then add 3/4 cup of any of the following along with salt and pepper, and sauté ~2-4 minutes. 

  • Diced Vidalia or Spanish onion
  • Minced ginger root
  • Minced shallot
  • Diced carrot
  • Diced celery
  • Diced fennel 

2) SPICES. This is where you build the flavor profile of your pilaf. You don’t want to drown the rice in spices like you might a curry; rather, lightly fragrance the rice with 1-3 spices of your choosing. Add 1 scant tablespoon of spices total, choosing from the following:

  • Lemon zest
  • Cinnamon
  • Cayenne
  • Oregano
  • Mint
  • Turmeric
  • Coriander
  • Cumin
  • Saffron

3) VEGGIES. This is where you can give your rice a little extra, if you desire. Throwing in some small broccoli florets, green peas, snap peas, or diced bell pepper here can give your rice a little more body. For my Moroccan pilaf, I add a handful of Golden Raisins or sometimes a diced apple. Give your mixture a good stir and another 60 seconds over medium-high heat

4) RICE. Now add 1 cup of rice of choice, dry. Jasmine rice or basmati rice tend to work best to absorb the flavors, but I’ve also made it with long-grained brown rice. Stir the grains until coated and sauté an additional ~2-3 minutes. If the mixture is starting to burn or looking a little dry, you can add another dash of olive oil or toasted sesame oil. 

5) BROTH. This is the part that sets rice pilaf apart from normal rice – it is cooked in broth. Add 1 1/2 cups of broth – chicken, vegetable, homemade, or Knorr, your choice. Throwing in a splash of white wine is also acceptable and perhaps a little more salt and pepper. Bring the mixture to a boil over high heat, then reduce to a light simmer, cover, and cook for ~15 minutes until the liquid is absorbed. Then remove the rice from the heat, cover with a clean dish towel, and replace the lid, letting the rice rest for 10 minutes (this is key to making your rice fluffy not sticky!). 

6) GARNISH. This is the best part of the entire pilaf. It’s where you add freshness and crunch to the beautifully rich flavor profile you’ve just created. Choose one thing green and one thing crunchy from the options below:

  • Minced chives
  • Fresh parsley
  • Fresh cilantro
  • Fresh mint
  • Toasted almonds
  • Toasted pistachios 
  • Toasted pine nuts (also a favorite)
  • Toasted hazelnuts (also a favorite)
  • Toasted cashews (also a favorite)
  • Toasted pecans
  • Marinated, baked, chunked chicken or protein of choice

Fold in your garnish, fluff up this rice, and serve. The Moroccan style tends to pair well with a lemon wedge to squeeze on top for that added brightness. It may look like a lot but these six simple steps, once mastered, yield a full-bodied, hearty rice pilaf that can serve as a side dish or an entire meal. Of all three OneandahalfSlices rice dishes, this is by far my fav!
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Other Rice Things

Fried Rice

July 24, 2025 4 Comments

A quintessential fried rice recipe. AKA what to do with leftover rice, weeknight style. This hits. Make it spicy. 🌶️ Get some sake. Fuck it, go to Japan.

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Moroccan Tagine

September 21, 2024 4 Comments

I have been SO excited to release this post!!! Why? Because this is your new weeknight dinner. It will impress your family, fill your stomach, warm your heart, and make your house smell like North African spices. I started making tagine years ago when I first moved to DC and came across a tagine in World Market. I was instantly and aesthetically intrigued, and purchased the thing on the spot not having a clue what I would do with it. Well… figured that one out. A tagine is the OG slow cooker.  And whatever you put inside – lamb, chicken, chickpeas, rabbit, potatoes – you will taste the spicy exoticism. If you don’t have a tagine, no worries. You can make it in a Dutch oven, stovetop or, yes, in a slow cooker. And before you think this is just chicken slow roasted in tomato sauce… keep reading…

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oneandahalfslices black bean bowls homemade grilled corn mexican

Black Bean Bowls

October 15, 2022 3 Comments

Man, I gotta say, bowls have to be the biggest culinary hack for weeknight dinner. These Mexicali bowls are one of my standbys. The recipe I’m going to give you is for homemade black beans which, after you make them once, you’ll never buy another can of black beans again. Then I’ll leave a few bowl assembly hints for you at the bottom. #summervibes

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Cashew Chicken Noodle

OneandahalfSlices food blog recipes One and a half Slices Virginia eat local

Spicy Cashew Chicken Noodles

This is a sweet, interesting, one-pot weeknight meal that can be made quickly with fresh mango, pineapple, peach, or preserves. Throw in some Thai basil or spinach for a little hint of green and choose your favorite rice vermicelli noodle! If you’re a fan of cashews, this one is a winner. 🍜

what you need

1 1/2 cups pureed mango, pineapple, or peach

OR

1/2 cup mango, pineapple, or peach preserves

1/4 cup soy sauce or Tamari

1 tablespoon honey (you can skip this if using preserves)

1 squeeze fresh lemon juice

1 small knob of fresh ginger, minced

//

2 medium chicken breasts, diced

1 handful Thai basil or spinach, cut into ribbons

1 cup cashews, lightly toasted in the oven

1 package vermicelli rice noodles or noodle of choice 

1 tablespoon sesame oil

1 large clove garlic, minced

1/4 cup red onion or shallot, sliced thinly

1 tablespoon red chili flakes

sesame seeds, for garnish

4 tablespoons coconut milk or cream

how to make it

Toast the cashews. In the oven until lightly browned.

Marinate the chicken. Mix together pureed fruit, soy sauce, honey, lemon juice, and ginger. Pour 1/3 of mixture over diced chicken and allow to marinate for at least one hour. 

Cook the noodles. Heat one small pot of water to boiling, remove from heat, and insert noodles. Stir and let stand for ~5 minutes. Strain and toss with salt and coconut milk. Set aside. 

Make the sauté. Heat the sesame oil over med-high heat. Add garlic, red onion, and chili flakes, stirring about 2 minutes. Reduce heat to medium and add marinated chicken chunks and cook almost through, about 7 minutes. (The longer you leave the chicken undisturbed in the pan, the more likely it is to caramelize). Once almost cooked through, add the remaining marinade and stir for an additional 3-5 minutes.

When ready (when chicken is cooked through and/or caramelized), add the toasted cashews and spinach, and stir until spinach begins to wilt.

Presentation. Using a spoon, push all the chicken to the sides of the pan leaving a hole in the middle. Twist the vermicelli noodles into four bouquets to fill this hole and then arrange the chicken back around it so that all the food is in the center of the pan. Sprinkle with additional Thai basil and sesame seeds. 

Watch a live video of this one-pot meal being made on the @oneandahalfslices Insta!

 
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A quintessential fried rice recipe. AKA what to do with leftover rice, weeknight style. This hits. Make it spicy. 🌶️ Get some sake. Fuck it, go to Japan.

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30 Minute Curry

OneandahalfSlices food blog recipes One and a half Slices Virginia eat local

30 Minute Curry

I know there is already a recipe up for my beloved Chicken Korma curry, best served with naan, over basmati rice or, my favorite, with arugula dressed with lemon juice, salt, and pepper. As I’ve been chatting with more and more folks, I continue to hear that homemade, restaurant-grade curry is intimidating to make because of all the grinding, mortar-and-pestling, and slow cooking that is required. So I decided to make a video with the 30 minute version of my chicken korma to show that, as long as you have enough forethought to marinate some chicken in some lemon juice, this really doesn’t have to be all that difficult. So for those who don’t follow OneandahalfSlices on Instagram (which you totally should), here you go! You could have this in 30! 

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