Jeweled Saffron Rice Pilaf Food

SAFFRON RICE PILAF

Steps:

• Melt the butter in a saucepot over medium-high heat. Add the pasta and toast until golden, about 5 minutes. Stir in the chicken stock, rice, raisins, chile pepper, bay leaf, cinnamon stick, saffron and season with salt. Bring to boil, then reduce the heat, cover and simmer for 18 minutes.

SAFFRON RICE PILAF

Steps:

• Rinse and drain the rice.
• Melt butter in skillet over low heat.
• Add onions and cinnamon, cloves, star anise, cardamom- saute until fragrant.
• Add rice and mix well.
• Transfer mixture into a rice cooker.
• Add in raisins and tomatoes.
• Add enough stock to come up to about half inch above the rice.
• Add salt to taste.
• Cook rice thoroughly.
• Add saffron to heated milk.
• Drizzle the mixture over cooked rice.
• Stir and let sit a few minutes for the rice to absorb the flavor and color.
• Serve hot with curry.

JEWELED SAFFRON RICE PILAF

Steps:

• Bring a large nonstick saucepot of water to a boil and generously salt. Transfer ½ cup boiling water to a bowl and stir in the saffron; reserve. Add the rice to a boiling water and cook, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes. Drain well. Melt the butter in the same pot over medium-low heat and stir in the coriander and cumin. Reduce the heat to low and spread one-third of the rice evenly across the bottom. Sprinkle with one-third of the saffron mixture and half of the cranberries and currants. Spoon half of the remaining rice over the dried fruit and sprinkle with half of the remaining saffron mixture and the remaining dried fruit. Top with the remaining rice and saffron mixture. Poke 5 holes in the rice with the handle of a wooden spoon. Wrap a clean kitchen towel around the pot lid, cover the rice, and steam for 35 minutes. Remove from the heat and let stand for 10 minutes. Spoon the rice, including its crunchy golden bottom layer, onto a serving platter and top with the almonds and pistachios.

SAFFRON JEWEL RICE

Steps:

• Sprinkle the saffron into 1/4 cup hot water; let sit 15 minutes. Meanwhile, combine 2 cups water, the sugar and a pinch of salt in a small saucepan and bring to a boil. Add the orange zest and carrot, reduce the heat to medium low and simmer until tender, about 4 minutes. Drain and transfer to a bowl; set aside.
• Heat 2 tablespoons butter in a large pot over medium heat. Add the onion, cinnamon stick, cardamom, allspice, cumin and a pinch of salt and cook, stirring occasionally, until the onion is translucent, about 8 minutes. Add the rice and 3/4 teaspoon salt and stir to coat. Add 3 cups water, increase the heat to medium high and simmer until the water has mostly evaporated, about 4 minutes. Cover the pot with foil and the lid, reduce the heat to low and cook until the water is completely absorbed, about 12 minutes. Remove from the heat and let stand 5 minutes.
• Meanwhile, melt 1 tablespoon butter in a medium skillet over medium-high heat. Add the pistachios and almonds and cook until just lightly golden, about 1 minute. Remove from the heat and add the dried cranberries and apricots, and 1 tablespoon of the prepared saffron water; stir to combine, then transfer to a bowl and set aside for topping.
• Uncover the rice and fluff with a fork; discard the cinnamon stick and cardamom pods. Transfer about half of the rice to a serving bowl. Add the remaining saffron water, 1 tablespoon butter and the reserved orange peel and carrot to the rice in the pot and stir gently. Add the yellow rice to the white rice and gently toss; sprinkle with the pistachio mixture and parsley.

FRAGRANT JASMINE RICE PILAF

Steps:

• 1. Heat the butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add the shallots, cumin and salt. Cook, stirring, until the shallots are tender, 2 to 3 minutes. Stir in the rice until the grains are well coated with the buttery shallot mixture.
• 2. Add the broth, orange zest and cinnamon stick. Bring to a boil, cover and reduce the heat to medium-low. Cook until all the liquid has been absorbed and the rice is tender, about 15 minutes. Remove from the heat and let stand for 5 minutes. Fluff with a fork, discarding the zest and cinnamon stick. Transfer to a serving dish and sprinkle with the cashews and scallions.

SAFFRON RICE PILAF WITH TOASTED ALMONDS

Steps:

• In a medium saucepan on medium-low heat, toast almonds until they turn a golden-brown color. Remove from saucepan and set aside.
• In the same saucepan on medium heat, melt butter.
• Add vermicelli noodles and brown for 1 minute.
• Add rice and brown for 1-2 additional minutes being careful not to burn noodles or rice.
• Add seasoned salt, saffron, toasted almonds and chicken broth and bring to a boil.
• Cover saucepan and reduce heat to lowest setting. Cook covered for 16 minutes.
• Remove lid and fluff with a fork.

MOROCCAN RICE PILAF

Steps:

• Melt 2 tablespoons with olive oil in a medium saucepan.
• Saute onion until soft.
• Add garlic and chili and saute.
• Season with salt and pepper.
• Add rice and saute until slightly toasted.
• Meanwhile heat chicken broth in microwave or other pot on stove.
• Add saffron crushing slightly to broth and let steep.
• When rice is slightly toasted add wine and stir to combine stirring as it boils off and most of the liquid cooks off.
• Add broth and stir to combine.
• Bring to boil, cover and reduce to simmer.
• After 10 minutes add the almonds, chopped dried fruits and ginger.
• Allow to cook another 10 minutes.
• Add remaining butter and chopped herbs.
• Cover pot, remove from heat, and leave covered for 10 minutes.
• Uncover and fluff with a fork, taste for seasoning and serve in a large bowl garnishing with extra chopped herbs and extra toasted almonds.

JEWELED RICE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°. Spread pistachios on a rimmed baking sheet and toast until just beginning to brown, about 4 minutes. Transfer to a plate, let cool, then coarsely chop. Spread almonds on the same baking sheet and toast until golden brown, 5-8 minutes; let cool. Set nuts aside.
• Place rice in a fine-mesh sieve and rinse under cold water until water runs clear. Cook rice in a large pot of boiling salted water, stirring occasionally, until grains have lengthened but are still firm, 6-7 minutes; drain and rinse under cold water. Spread rice on another rimmed baking sheet; let cool.
• Meanwhile, using a vegetable peeler, remove zest from orange and thinly slice lengthwise (reserve flesh for another use). Bring sugar and 1 cup water to a boil in a medium saucepan, stirring to dissolve sugar. Add orange zest and carrots, reduce heat, and simmer, stirring occasionally, until carrots are tender, 15-20 minutes; drain and set aside (discard syrup).
• Combine barberries and raisins in a small bowl and cover with hot water; let soak 10 minutes. Drain and set aside. Place saffron in another small bowl and add 1/4 cup hot water; set aside.
• Heat butter and 1 tablespoon oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add onion, season with salt, and cook, stirring often, until soft and beginning to brown, 8-10 minutes. Add cardamom, cumin, turmeric, and 1 tablespoon saffron mixture. Cook, stirring constantly, until fragrant, about 1 minute.
• Reduce heat to low, add barberries and raisins, and cook, stirring often, about 3 minutes. Stir in reserved nuts and orange zest and carrot mixture; season with salt. Set fruit and nut mixture aside.
• Heat remaining 3 tablespoons oil in a large wide heavy pot over medium heat. Add half of rice, spreading evenly; top with fruit and nut mixture, then remaining rice, spreading evenly. Using the end of a wooden spoon, poke 5-6 holes in rice all the way through to bottom of pot (to help release steam and help rice cook evenly).
• Drizzle remaining saffron mixture over rice. Place a clean kitchen towel over pot, cover with a tight-fitting lid, and secure loose edges of towel on top of lid, using a rubber band or masking tape.
• Cook until pot begins to steam, 5-8 minutes. Reduce heat to very low and cook, without stirring, until rice is tender and bottom layer of rice is browned and crisp, 30-40 minutes.
• Scoop rice into a wide serving bowl, breaking bottom crust into pieces.
• DO AHEAD: Fruit and nut mixture can be made 2 days ahead. Cover fruit and nut mixture and remaining saffron mixture separately and chill.

DAVID TANIS'S PERSIAN JEWELED RICE

Steps:

• Rinse the rice several times in cold water until the water runs clear. Drain. Bring 3 quarts water to a boil in a large pot with 2 tablespoons kosher salt. Add the rinsed rice and boil, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes, then drain well in a colander.
• Heat 1 tablespoon butter in a small skillet over medium heat. Add the onion, season lightly with salt and cook until softened and lightly colored, 4 to 5 minutes. Moisten with 1 tablespoon saffron water and stir in the cinnamon, cardamom, allspice, black pepper and cumin. Cook for 1 minute more. Stir in the apricots, raisins (or currants) and barberries (or cherries or cranberries).
• Melt 4 tablespoons butter in a heavy-bottomed enamel or nonstick Dutch oven over medium heat. Spread half the par-cooked rice over the bottom of the pot. Spoon over the onion-fruit mixture, then the remaining rice. Leave the pot on the flame, uncovered, for 5 to 8 minutes to gently brown the rice. (Do not stir or move the rice - you will need to rely on your nose to tell if the rice has browned.)
• Drizzle the remaining saffron water over the rice and put on the lid. Adjust the heat to very low and leave undisturbed for 30 minutes. Turn off the heat and let rest at least 10 minutes.
• Heat the remaining 1 tablespoon butter in a small skillet over medium-low heat and gently toast the almonds and pistachios for a minute or so, taking care not to get them too brown. Set aside for garnish.
• To serve, spoon the rice into a wide bowl or platter. With a spatula, carefully lift the bottom crust, placing the crisp side up. Sprinkle with the toasted nuts.

MOROCCAN RICE PILAF WITH SAFFRON

Steps:

• In a sauce pan, heat the stock almost to boiling.
• Meanwhile, mix the remaining ingredients (except the saffron) in a very large skillet or shallow stock pot.
• Cook the rice and vegetables over medium heat, stirring frequently, for about 10 minutes, or until the onions are translucent and the rice begins to color.
• Add the stock and saffron to the rice, stirring only once. Bring the stock to a simmer, and taste for salt.
• Adjust the seasoning if desired.
• Cover the rice, reduce the heat to low, and simmer gently and undisturbed, for about 25 minutes, or until the liquid is absorbed and the rice is tender.
• Fluff the rice with a fork, and serve.

CHICKEN WITH SAFFRON JEWELED RICE

Steps:

• Heat half the butter in a large frying pan.
• Add the sliced onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until golden, Remove to plate.
• Heat remaining butter in the pan and add the chicken.
• Cook, turning occasionally, until brown all over and half cooked or more. Remove to plate.
• Add the dried cranberries & chopped dates to the pan and sprinkle with the icing sugar.
• Cook, stirring, for 1 minute.
• Return onion and browned chicken to the pan.
• Add drained rice, water as needed, I'd use just under 2 cups, use the amount you would usually to cook rice. Add the orange zest, coarsely grated carrot, saffron, cumin, cinnamon, cracked cardamom pods, sea salt, to taste and stir to combine.
• Increase heat to high to bring to the boil.
• Reduce heat to low and cook, covered, for 15-20 minutes or until rice is tender and liquid is absorbed.
• Remove from heat and set aside, covered, for 5 minutes to rest.
• Use a fork to fluff the rice.
• Add half of the toasted almonds and pistachios and stir through the rice.
• Transfer to a serving platter.
• Sprinkle with remaining pistachios, almonds, and rose water if using.
• Arrange lime wedges around dish.
• Serve immediately.
• Avoid actually eating the cardamom pods.