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Black Rice with Mussels and Shrimp in Tomato Broth

Serves 4

3/4 cup Chinese black rice (also called "Forbidden Black Rice"), rinsed
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 cup finely chopped leeks or onions
2 teaspoons minced garlic
1 teaspoon fennel seeds
1/2 cup white wine
1 can (28 ounces) diced tomatoes, with liquid
1/2 teaspoon salt, plus more to taste
Pinch crushed red pepper
2 pounds mussels, beards removed
1 pound shrimp, peeled and de-veined
3 tablespoons chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley, for garnish

Combine the rice and 1 1/2 cups water in a heavy, 2-quart Dutch oven or saucepan. Over high heat, bring to a boil. Skim off any foam that floats to the surface. Cover, reduce the heat, and simmer until the rice is tender, 30 to 35 minutes.

While the rice is cooking, heat the oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the leeks and cook, stirring frequently, until they begin to soften, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and fennel seeds and continue cooking for another minute. Add the wine and cook over high heat until about half has been absorbed. Stir in the tomatoes, salt and red pepper. Set aside.

When the rice is tender, turn off the heat and let it sit while you prepare the mussels and shrimp. Bring the tomato mixture to a boil. Add the mussels, cover, and steam over high heat, shaking the pot occasionally, until the mussels open, 3 to 5 minutes. Reduce the heat slightly. Push the mussels aside and submerge the shrimp in the liquid. Cook until the shrimp are uniformly cooked, 1 to 2 minutes. Adjust seasonings.

To serve: Lift the rice with a slotted spoon (it's OK is there is some unabsorbed liquid) and divide it among four large, shallow, individual soup bowls. Ladle the mussels, shrimp, and broth on top. (Discard any unopened mussels.) Garnish with parsley. Serve immediately.

RESOURCES:

Forbidden Black Rice is available in many gourmet shops and at www.lotusfoods.com.
Thai Black Sticky Rice is available at any Thai or Asian grocery, or at www.kalustyan.com

Lorna Sass is the author of WHOLE GRAINS EVERY DAY, EVERY WAY, which won a 2007 James Beard Foundation Award in the "healthy focus" category. Her website is www.lornasass.com. Sass is also the author of Pressure Perfect: Two Hour Taste in Twenty Minutes Using Your Pressure Cooker.

Note: This information was accurate when it was published. Please be sure to confirm all rates and details directly with the businesses in question before making your plans.