Multi Grain Cherry Pilaf Food

MIXED GRAIN PILAF

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Heat oil and butter in a large ovenproof Dutch oven over medium heat. Add onion and garlic; cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, 6 to 8 minutes. Add mushrooms. Raise heat to medium-high, and cook, stirring occasionally, until mushrooms are softened, about 5 minutes. Stir in all of the grains. Cook, stirring often, 12 minutes. Stir in stock; bring to a boil.
• Cover, and transfer to oven. Bake until grains are tender, 40 to 50 minutes (check after 40 minutes, but don't remove lid before then). Season with salt and pepper. Serve immediately.
• Add grains, and stir well, coating them with oil. Cook, stirring often, for about 10 to 15 minutes. Stir in stock, and bring to a boil. Cover pot, and put in oven. Bake for 30 to 40 minutes (check after 30 minutes; remove lid and cook a little longer if grains need to be softer). Fold in chopped herbs. Drizzle with Marsala wine. Season with salt and pepper, and serve immediately.
• To reheat: Place the pilaf mixture in a buttered, ovenproof casserole. Do not fold in the herbs or add Marsala. Cover, and refrigerate until ready to serve. When ready to serve, bring the pilaf to room temperature, about 20 minutes. Heat the oven to 350 degrees. Drizzle with Marsala. Cut a piece of parchment paper to fit the top of the casserole, and butter it. Place the parchment on the pilaf, butter-side down. Place in the oven until heated through, about 30 minutes.

MULTI-GRAIN RICE PILAF

Steps:

• In a large saucepan with a tight-fitting lid, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the pine nuts and swirl the pan until the nuts toast, about 2 to 3 minutes. Add the brown and wild rice and the farro and cook, stirring with a wooden spoon, until lightly toasted. Stir in 5 cups water, the lemon zest, thyme, and 2 teaspoons kosher salt. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to a simmer, cover and cook undisturbed for 45 minutes. Check the texture of the rice, and if needed, continue simmering until tender and the liquid is absorbed, another 10 to 15 minutes.
• Remove from the heat, scatter the scallions and lemon juice over the surface of the pilaf and set aside, covered, for 10 minutes. Fluff with a fork, stirring in the scallions, remove the herb sprigs and serve. Season with remaining salt and black pepper, to taste.

MULTI-GRAIN CHERRY PILAF

Steps:

• Rinse wild rice and wheat berries under cold running water. Drain well.
• In a medium saucepan, cook onion and garlic in olive oil over medium heat about 4 minutes or until tender. Stir in drained wild rice and wheat berries, chicken broth, sage and pepper. Bring to boil. Reduce heat. Simmer, covered, 30 minutes.
• Stir brown rice into wild rice mixture. Return to boil. Reduce heat. Simmer, covered, about 45 minutes, or until grains are tender. (If excess liquid remains in saucepan after grains are tender, remove lid and simmer until liquid evaporates.) Stir cherries and toasted pecans into rice mixture. Serve warm.

GROUND LAMB, APRICOT, AND MULTI-GRAIN PILAF

Steps:

• 1. Soak multi-grain rice in water for an hour, then start cooking in a rice cooker or at a low simmer on the stove top.
• 2. When rice starts cooking, heat the olive oil to 300̊ in a large skillet.
• 3. Add the chopped onion to the skillet, and sauté until transparent.
• 4. Brown the ground lamb with and in the same pan as the onion.
• 5. Add the apricots, bay leaves, and beef broth; boil the mixture for about 15 minutes, uncovered, until it is not soupy.
• 6. While the lamb-apricot mixture is boiling down, combine the chopped tomato, slivered almonds, raisins, seasoning, and cinnamon in another dish.
• 7. Stir the combined ingredients into the reduced lamb-apricot mixture. Hold at 160̊ until the rice is finished.
• 8. Add the finished rice to the lamb-apricot-tomato mixture. Bring to a simmer.
• 9. When the pilaf reaches the desired serving consistency, serve.