Colorado in the Kitchen

Colorado, like California, is pretty versatile when it comes to food.  We have many different influences that shape and mold our dishes to make them unique to our state.  When our friends Tim and Leslie came out to visit, I wanted to make dishes that were completely from Colorado, so I went to my Colorado cookbooks for ideas and inspiration.  I knew I was going to make the elk steaks.  I just needed the perfect side dishes to compliment the elk. When Friends Come Together

All I did for the elk was to use the rub I bought from Wally’s that is specifically for big game.  I let it chill in the refrigerator all day before grilling it to perfection, which is a beautiful medium rare.  Wally’s Quality Meats  Elk is very lean and is rich in protein, which makes it very healthy.

Because we were having wild game, I needed something bold and “wild” to accompany it.  I chose to make wild rice with chorizo and vegetables as one of the side dishes.

 

Wild Rice with Chorizo

 

1 1/2 cups wild rice

1 lb ground chorizo

1 red bell pepper, diced fine

1/2 onion, diced fine

1-1 1/2 TBSP garlic

2 roasted Anaheim peppers, peeled, seeded and diced

salt & pepper to taste

2 cans chicken broth

olive oil for cooking

 

Cook the chorizo, then add the vegetables and garlic and olive oil and cook until the vegetables are tender.

Add the rice and saute it for about 1-2 minutes.

Add the chicken broth and seasonings.  Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to a simmer and cook for about 45 minutes, or until the rice is cooked and the liquid has evaporated.

For vegetables, I just cooked some green beans and then sauteed mushrooms, garlic, onions and peppers to add.  It was like putting pieces of a puzzle together.  Everything “fit” together just perfectly.

I have a lot of chorizo rice lift over, so I am pretty sure you will be seeing it again in the very near future, only packaged differently.  🙂

Stay safe and stay well everyone.  ‘Til next time.