Picadillo Chowder with Rice Browns

In Latin America, a picadillo usually consists of finely chopped well-seasoned meat and vegetables served alongside a bed of rice. Here, we've transferred the concept to the soup pot to spice up your cold winter nights.

Photo: Jodi Pudge

By Lisa Howard

Serves: 4
Hands-on time: 30 minutes
Total time: 1 hour

INGREDIENTS:

• 3/4 cup brown rice
• 2 egg whites
• 2 tsp extra-virgin olive oil, divided

CHOWDER

• 1 lb lean ground pork
• 1 medium yellow onion, chopped
• 4 cloves garlic, chopped
• 32 oz low-sodium fat-free chicken broth
• 1 cup black beans, drained and rinsed
• 1/4 cup brown rice
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 1 tsp chile powder
• Juice 1 lime
• Chopped fresh parsley for garnish, optional

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Prepare 3/4 cup rice according to package directions. Remove from heat and fluff with a fork; set aside.
2. Prepare chowder: Place a large stockpot on medium heat. Add pork and onion and cook for 3 minutes or until pork is opaque and onion begins to turn translucent. Stir in garlic and cook for 2 more minutes.
3. Remove pot from heat, pour pork mixture into a heat-proof colander and drain fat from meat. Return pork mixture to pot and add broth. Stir in beans, 1/4 cup rice, cumin and chile powder. Bring chowder to a boil, then reduce to a simmer and cook for 20 minutes. Stir in lime juice and continue to simmer for another 15 minutes.
4. Prepare rice browns: In a large bowl, gently combine cooked rice from Step One with egg whites, mixing with fingertips. Heat 1 tsp oil for 1 minute in a medium pan on medium heat. Add 4 separate 1/8-cup scoops of rice mixture to pan and use the flat side of a spatula to gently press each 1 into a small patty. Cook for 4 minutes, shaking pan slightly halfway through to ensure patty doesn’t stick. Quickly slide a spatula underneath each patty and flip over. (TIP: The goal is to jostle the cakes as little as possible.) Cook for 4 more minutes, then remove patties from heat and place on a paper towel to drain. Repeat process with remaining 4 rice browns. Garnish chowder with parsley, if desired, and serve with crispy-hot rice browns on the side.

Nutrients per serving (2 rice browns and 2 cups chowder): Calories: 362, Total Fat: 7 g, Sat. Fat: 2 g, Monounsaturated Fat: 4 g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 1 g, Carbs: 40 g, Fiber: 3 g, Sugars: 3 g, Protein: 34 g, Sodium: 171 mg, Cholesterol: 74 mg

Nutritional Bonus:
In 1 serving of this dish, you’ll consume 15% of your day’s iron, 58% niacin, 80% thiamine and 53% vitamin B6. Plus, the selenium-rich pork also boosts thyroid function and may help reduce pain from rheumatoid arthritis.

FULL PRICE
$11.35
COST PER SERVING
$2.8
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