Croatian Rizi-Bizi (Rice and Green Peas)

This is very popular side dish in Croatia, served with various meats and sauces. It is almost inevitable Sunday side dish with roasted or fried chicken. The recipe is with fresh green peas removed from shucks but it can be done with canned or frozen peas. This recipe is from Cooking High School in Zagreb, 1st year, slightly adopted to avoid too many steps and dishes (they, students, don’t wash their dishes).

• Ready In: 50 mins
• Serves: 5
• Yields: 5 portions

Ingredients

• 500  g arborio rice
• 350  g  fresh green peas
• 100  g butter
• 60  g onions
• 30  g fresh parsley leaves
• 30  g salt
• 1⁄8 teaspoon pepper

Directions

1. Sauté finely minced onion on butter and when transparent add green peas and parsley leaves (it will be even better if you use baby onions).
2. Add some water and cook until green peas are almost soft (skip this if you use canned green peas, just sauté onion a bit). At the moment peas are soft; all liquid must evaporate, but be careful not to burn green peas.
3. Add some more butter and whole rice. Sauté it until rice become greasy with butter, than add water, salt and pepper. Usual measure of the manufacturer for cooking rice is 1:3 (rice: water), so do it as they say.
4. Cook rice stirring occasionally until rice is done.
5. Put rice in casserole pot (greased with some butter) and put it in preheated oven (180°C) for 15 minutes. Serve hot.