Aunties Armenian Rice Pilaf Food

AUNTIE'S ARMENIAN RICE PILAF

Steps:

• In 2-qt. heavy saucepan with tight-fitting lid, melt butter over medium heat until foam subsides.
• Add vermicelli noodles and saute until dark and reddish in color.
• Stir in rice and saute in butter until rice is fragrant and nutty in aroma.
• Raise heat to medium-high; pour in boiling chicken broth and stir.
• Add salt and pepper, tasting a bit of the broth to ensure desired seasoning.
• Cover and bring to a boil.
• Once boiling, reduce heat to keep broth at a simmer and cook for exactly 20 minutes.
• After 20 minutes, remove cover and taste a few grains of rice for doneness. If still a bit hard, replace cover and cook for two additional minutes.
• When rice is tender, remove pot from heat. Place a paper napkin directly on top of the pilaf and replace cover; let sit undisturbed for 5 minutes.
• After rest-time has elapsed, remove cover, discard the paper napkin, and stir the pilaf before serving.

RICE PILAF

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350.
• Melt the butter in a 3-quart saucier over medium heat.
• Stir in the onion, bell pepper and 2 pinches of salt.
• Decrease the heat to low and sweat until the onion is translucent and aromatic but not browned, 3 to 4 minutes. Increase the heat to medium and add the rice. Cook, stirring frequently, until you smell nuts, another 3 to 4 minutes.
• Add the saffron and its water, the broth, orange zest, bay leaves and the remaining 1 1/2 teaspoons salt. Increase the heat and bring to a boil.
• OK, now the weird part: Thoroughly wet a clean towel, kill the heat, scatter the peas on top of the rice, then place the towel across the top of the saucier. Top with the lid, then fold the towel corners up over the lid.
• Transfer the saucier (towel and all) to the oven and bake 15 minutes.
• Remove and rest at room temperature for 15 more minutes without opening the lid.
• Fish out the orange zest and bay leaves. Turn the pilaf out onto a platter, fluff with a large fork and garnish with the raisins and pistachios. Serve family-style, right in the middle of the table.

ARMENIAN RICE PILAF

Steps:

• Melt butter in large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the egg noodles and stir until they begin to brown, being careful not to burn the butter. Stir in the rice. Continue stirring until rice is coated with butter.
• Pour in the chicken broth and add the bouillon cubes. Bring to a boil; reduce heat to low and cover tightly. Cook without uncovering pot until all the liquid has been absorbed, about 20 minutes.

ARMENIAN RICE PILAF

Steps:

• Heat oil and brown orzo.
• Add rice and stir, coating rice with oil so grains will be fluffy when cooked.
• Add chicken broth, salt and pepper. Broth should taste a little salty.
• Cover and cook slowly for 20 minutes or until all broth is absorbed. Add currants and nuts if desired.
• Add butter and stir.

ARMENIAN RICE PILAF

Steps:

• Heat butter in 2qt saucepan until frothy.
• Add vermicelli; saute until golden, dont burn.
• Add rice, stir.
• Add chicken broth, stir to mix.
• Cover and cook for 17 minutes on simmer.

ARMENIAN PILAF

Steps:

• Put the butter and oil in a medium sauce pan. Break Vermicelli into two inch pieces and place in butter.
• Heat the butter, oil and Vermicelli, on medium heat, stirring constantly, until the Vermicelli is golden brown. During this time, the butter and oil will foam. This is fine, just keep stirring until all of the Vermicelli is golden brown.
• Pour the chicken broth into the pan, which will stop the frying of the Vermicelli.
• Add rice, and continue to heat, until the broth starts to boil.
• Cover the pan, with a tightly fitting lid, lower heat, to lowest temp, and allow to simmer for 20 minutes, without stirring or lifting the lid.
• After 20 minutes, stir rice mixture, and recover. Allow to sit another 10-15 minutes. When the liquid is fully absorbed, it is ready to serve.

ARMENIAN PILAF

Steps:

• Toast pasta in a medium saucepan over medium heat until deep golden brown, about 4 minutes. Add butter, and let melt. Add rice, and stir in stock and salt. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat, and let simmer, covered, until liquid has been absorbed and rice is tender, about 16 minutes. Let stand, covered, for 10 minutes. Fluff with a fork.

ARMENIAN RICE PILAF

Steps:

• Add vermicelli (or orzo) to deep, covered pan suitable for cooking rice. Heat until vermicelli is golden brown. Add rice and sauté for a minute in the butter and vermicelli. Add chicken broth and mix well. Bring to a boil and then lower heat and simmer for 20 minutes until rice is cooked.
• DO NOT OPEN LID and PEEK!
• Rice pilaf should not be gummy or salty. It is a subtle side dish, and is a complement to fish, poultry, lamb and veal.