By Monday I showed up at the Hartford Food Bank. The community kitchen. I had been planning this for a month. I had emailed the coordinator, Amelia, who had been thrilled. I had filled out the volunteer paperwork. I had scheduled myself for two lunch services a week — Monday and Thursday — cooking for the drop-in lunch program that feeds about a hundred and twenty people per sitting.
Monday the kitchen was disorganized in a way that made my jaw tighten. The volunteer cook who had been running the lunch was well-meaning and overwhelmed. The menu was a rotation of pasta with jarred sauce, peanut butter sandwiches, and canned vegetable soup. The industrial stove had one working burner out of six. The receiving dock was a disaster — cardboard piled up, donated vegetables going soft in the corner.
I stood in the middle of the kitchen for about ninety seconds and I took it in. Then I got to work. I did not say anything critical. I said, "I am Carmen. I am here to help. Where is the rice?"
Monday's lunch was what the volunteer cook had planned. I executed it. I made the pasta. I made the sauce hotter and rounder with a splash of vinegar and a diced onion I found wilting in the walk-in. I added a shake of garlic powder. The pasta was — by the standards of community lunch — elevated. The hundred and twenty people who ate lunch at the food bank Monday ate slightly better pasta than they would have otherwise.
Monday afternoon I sat down with Amelia. I said, "Amelia, I have thirty-five years of running a hospital cafeteria. I would like to suggest some operational changes." She said, "Please." I pulled out a notebook. We talked for two hours. By the end of the meeting I had volunteered to reorganize the walk-in, introduce a three-week menu rotation, retrain the existing volunteers, and introduce one new dish a month from my own recipes. Amelia said, "Carmen, you are going to transform us." I said, "I am going to help." Same thing, different grammar.
Thursday I was back. I made arroz con pollo — my adaptation, scaled for 120, using the food bank's rice and the half-case of chicken thighs that had been donated. The rice was correct. The sauce was correct. There was no cafeteria griddle, which limited me. But the arroz con pollo went out at 12:05 PM and was gone by 12:45, and the room was quiet because people were eating, and that is the sound I have missed since retirement.
Eduardo on Thursday night said, "Carmen, how was it?" I said, "Eduardo, I found my people." He said, "Good." He said, "I am going to drive you Monday and Thursday." I said, "Eduardo, the food bank is twelve minutes away, I can drive." He said, "I am going to drive you." Okay. He is going to drive me. We will have a routine. Wepa.
That Thursday’s arroz con pollo —scaled for 120, made with donated chicken thighs and the food bank’s plain white rice—reminded me of something I had almost forgotten: rice is the most democratic ingredient in any kitchen. It stretches, it absorbs, it carries flavor without complaint, and it feeds people with dignity. If you are looking to build your own rice repertoire—whether for a crowd or just your family on a weeknight—these 30 remarkable rice recipes are the place to start. Eduardo is driving me Thursday. I plan to have a new one ready.
30 Remarkable Rice Recipes
Prep Time: 10 min | Cook Time: 25 min | Total Time: 35 min | Servings: 4
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups long-grain white rice
- 3 cups low-sodium chicken broth
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1/2 medium yellow onion, finely diced
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more to taste
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste
- 1 tablespoon fresh flat-leaf parsley or cilantro, chopped (for garnish)
Instructions
- Rinse the rice. Place rice in a fine-mesh strainer and rinse under cold water until water runs clear. This removes excess starch and keeps the grains distinct.
- Sauté aromatics. Heat olive oil in a medium heavy-bottomed saucepan over medium heat. Add onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened and translucent, about 4 minutes. Add garlic and cook 1 minute more until fragrant.
- Toast the rice. Add rinsed rice to the pan and stir to coat with the oil. Toast for 2–3 minutes, stirring frequently, until grains turn slightly golden and smell nutty.
- Add seasonings and paste. Stir in tomato paste, cumin, smoked paprika, salt, and pepper. Cook for 1 minute, stirring to coat the rice evenly.
- Add broth and simmer. Pour in chicken broth and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Once boiling, reduce heat to low, cover tightly, and cook for 18 minutes. Do not lift the lid during cooking.
- Rest and fluff. Remove from heat and let rice rest, covered, for 5 minutes. Uncover, fluff gently with a fork, and taste for seasoning.
- Serve. Transfer to a serving dish and garnish with fresh parsley or cilantro. Serve immediately as a side or base for arroz con pollo, braised meats, or roasted vegetables.
Nutrition (per serving)
Calories: 290 | Protein: 6g | Fat: 5g | Carbs: 54g | Fiber: 1g | Sodium: 420mg