Pomegranate Baked Rice And Onions With Dill Food

POMEGRANATE RICE

Steps:

• Cook 2 teaspoons each minced ginger and garlic in butter in a saucepan, 2 minutes. Add 1/2 teaspoon each cumin seeds and ground coriander and 2 strips lemon zest; toast 2 minutes. Stir in 1 1/4 cups basmati rice, 2 cups water and 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt. Bring to a boil, then cover and simmer 10 minutes. Uncover and cook 3 more minutes. Fluff with a fork, season with salt and let stand 5 minutes. Toss with 1/2 cup pomegranate seeds and 1/4 cup each chopped mint and pistachios.

POMEGRANATE BAKED RICE AND ONIONS WITH DILL

Steps:

• Heat oven to 400 degrees and lightly butter a 9-by-13-inch baking dish or large, shallow gratin dish.
• Coarsely chop one of the yellow onions. Cut the remaining yellow and red onions from root to stem into ¾-inch-thick wedges and set aside.
• In a large skillet over medium-high heat, combine chopped yellow onion, 2 cups water and a pinch of salt. Bring to a simmer and cook, partly covered, until onions are very tender, 15 to 20 minutes. Drain onions, saving the onion broth. (You should have about ¾ to 1 cup broth.) Transfer onions to a bowl, and set aside broth and onions.
• In the same skillet (no need to clean it), melt 6 tablespoons butter over medium heat. Add pine nuts and cook, stirring constantly, until golden brown, about 2 to 4 minutes. Stir in shallots and cook until tender, 4 to 6 minutes longer.
• Add rice and cooked chopped onion. Stir in baharat, 1 teaspoon salt and 3 tablespoons onion broth. Cook, stirring occasionally, until rice softens slightly and absorbs most of the liquid, about 15 minutes. If the mixture starts to stick to the pan, add another tablespoon or two of onion broth.
• Stir in dill. Spoon rice mixture into the prepared baking dish in an even layer. Shingle onion wedges on top, alternating between red and yellow onions.
• In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together pomegranate juice, olive oil, honey, pepper, remaining ¾ teaspoon salt and ½ cup onion broth. Pour over the onions and rice.
• Cover pan with foil and bake for 50 minutes. Uncover pan and continue to bake until the rice is tender and onions are soft, glossy and sticky, about 35 to 45 minutes longer. Serve with yogurt, if you like, and more dill.

HERBED RICE WITH DATES AND POMEGRANATE

Steps:

• Bring rice, 1/4 teaspoon salt, ginger, and 1 1/2 cups water to a boil in a small saucepan. Cover, reduce heat to a simmer, and cook until all of water is absorbed, 16 to 17 minutes. Remove from heat. Let stand, covered, 10 minutes. Fluff rice with a fork and remove and discard ginger.
• Transfer rice to a large bowl; let cool 5 minutes. Stir in dill, pomegranate seeds, pistachios, dates, oil, and lemon juice. Season with salt and serve.

STUFFED ONIONS WITH SPICED LAMB AND POMEGRANATE

Steps:

• Boil the onions:
• Fill a medium pot with enough water to cover the onions and bring to a boil. Add whole onions, return to a boil, and cook until tender, 20 to 25 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, remove onions to a colander, drain, and let stand until cool enough to handle. Cut a 1/2-inch wedge from the outside to the core of each onion, then carefully peel 5 outer layers from each onion and reserve; chop the onion wedges and core, and reserve separately.
• Make the stuffing:
• In a medium skillet, heat the oil over medium-high. Add the chopped onion and cook, stirring, until golden, 4 to 5 minutes. Add the lamb, anchovies, salt, and pepper and cook, breaking meat up with a wooden spoon, until lamb is no longer pink, 5 to 6 minutes. Add the rice and cook, stirring, until translucent, 2 to 3 minutes. Add the spices and 1 cup broth; cook, stirring, until evaporated, 4 to 5 minutes. Transfer lamb mixture to a rimmed baking sheet and cool slightly; cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes. Remove from the refrigerator, transfer to a bowl, and add parsley, cilantro, and 1 tablespoon pomegranate molasses.
• Stuff and bake the onions:
• Preheat the oven to 250°F. In a small bowl, whisk together the remaining broth and pomegranate molasses with the tomato paste. Wrap one onion layer around about 2 to 3 tablespoons filling and arrange seam-side down in a 2-quart shallow baking dish. Repeat with remaining onion layers and filling.
• Pour liquid over stuffed onions, cover with foil, and roast until tender and some of the liquid is absorbed, 2 hours (you can roast for up to 3 additional hours for softer, more savory onions). Remove from oven and uncover. Preheat broiler and broil until golden brown, 1 to 2 minutes. Let cool for 10 minutes. To serve, drizzle with oil, and garnish with pomegranate seeds, parsley, and cilantro.

DILLED RICE

Steps:

• In a small saucepan, saute rice in butter until golden, stirring constantly. Add broth and onion; bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low; cover and cook for 20 minutes or until rice is tender. Stir in dill.