Saffron Rice With Pignolis Food

SAFFRON RICE

Steps:

• Heat 3 tablespoons butter in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add 1 finely chopped onion and cook, stirring, until softened, 4 minutes. Stir in 2 cups basmati rice, 2 teaspoons kosher salt and 1/2 teaspoon saffron threads. Add 1 1/2 cups each water and low-sodium chicken broth. Bring to a simmer, reduce the heat to low, cover and cook until the rice is tender and the liquid is absorbed, 15 minutes. Let sit, covered, 5 minutes, then fluff with a fork. Stir in 1/4 cup chopped cilantro and 2 sliced scallions.

SAFFRON RICE WITH PIGNOLIS

Steps:

• Melt 1 tablespoon of the butter in a saucepan and add the onions. Cook, stirring, until the onions are wilted. Add the rice, pignoli nuts, saffron, thyme, Tabasco, bay leaf, water, salt and pepper. Bring to a boil, stirring. Cover the saucepan tightly and simmer 17 minutes.
• Discard the thyme sprigs and bay leaf. Distribute the remaining 1 tablespoon butter and the chopped parsley through the rice. Keep the rice covered in a warm place until it is served.

DIRTY RICE ARANCINI WITH SAFFRON AIOLI

Steps:

• For the dirty rice arancini: Place the chicken stock in a small pot with a fat pinch of saffron and bring to a simmer. Let simmer for a few minutes to infuse. Keep warm over low heat.
• Melt 1 tablespoon of the butter with 1 tablespoon of the olive oil in a medium saucepan. Add the chicken livers and hearts and saute until cooked through. Deglaze the pan with the sweet vermouth and let evaporate. Remove the hearts and livers from the pan and set aside.
• To the same pot, add the remaining tablespoon olive oil. Add the pancetta and cook until browned and crisp. Add the onions and garlic; cook for a few minutes. Add the rice and toast for another 3 to 4 minutes. Deglaze the pan with the white wine and let evaporate. Begin adding the warm stock a ladleful at a time. Cook, stirring constantly, until the rice has absorbed all of the stock before adding the next ladleful. Do this for 17 minutes. When finished, remove the risotto from the heat and stir in the chicken hearts and livers, the remaining 2 tablespoons butter and the Parmesan. Add salt and pepper to taste. Pour the risotto onto a parchment-lined baking sheet and place in the refrigerator to cool.
• Heat the oil in a deep fryer to 350 degrees F..
• Set up a breading station: In the first shallow dish, place the flour and season with salt and pepper. In the next dish, add the beaten eggs and a touch of water; season with salt and pepper. In the last dish, mix together the breadcrumbs, cornmeal, pecorino, parsley, fennel pollen, red pepper flakes, orange zest and lemon zest.
• Take the cooled risotto out of the fridge, form into Ping-Pong-ball-size balls and roll tightly. Dredge the rice balls in the flour, then the egg wash and then in the breadcrumb mixture. Fry in batches until golden brown, about 3 minutes. Remove to a paper-towel-lined plate and season with salt.
• For the saffron aioli: Place a small skillet over medium-low heat. Add the olive oil, followed by the garlic, lemon zest, orange zest and saffron. Cook for 1 minute. Set aside to cool.
• In a small mixing bowl, whisk together the egg yolk and mustard. Whisking constantly, slowly stream in the grapeseed oil to emulsify. When all of the oil has been added, season with salt and lemon juice. Stir in the cooled saffron mixture to combine.
• Serve the arancini on a plate with saffron aioli and lemon wedges.

SAFFRON WILD RICE

Steps:

• Tip the rice into a microwave-proof bowl. Sprinkle over the saffron and pour over the hot stock. Cover with cling film, then pierce it a couple of times. Microwave for 6 mins on High, then 6-8 mins on Medium until the rice is tender.

SAFFRON RICE WITH CHICKEN & PEPPERS

Steps:

• Put the saffron in a small bowl and pour over the warm water. Bruise the strands with the back of a teaspoon to fix the colour, and set aside while you prepare the rest.
• Heat the olive oil in a large, weighty casserole, and when hot tip in the chicken. Stir fry for a minute or two over a high heat to seal in the juices, then set aside.
• Strip the leaves from the thyme sprigs and scatter into the pan along with the onions and garlic. Fry until golden then pour in the lime juice. Turn the heat down a tad, add the pepper and continue cooking for another 5 minutes before adding the wine, stock and seasoning. Return the chicken to the pan and simmer for 6 minutes until the meat is tender and the liquid has cooked down a little.
• Meanwhile, cook the rice in a pan of fast boiling water until tender, but with a slight bite. Drain in a colander and rinse with warm water. Heap over the chicken while still on the heat. Drizzle with the saffron and its soaking liquid, and scatter over the peas. Don't stir the chicken and rice at this stage, but cover and cook over a low-moderate heat until the rice is fluffy and the liquid reduced to a few tablespoons - about 3 minutes. Before serving, gently mix the saffron-streaked rice with the chicken and pepper mixture.

SAFFRON RICE PILAF

Steps:

• Soften saffron in hot water (2 tablespoons) in a small bowl.
• Heat oil in a 5-quart heavy pot over medium-high heat until it shimmers. Fry almonds, stirring frequently, until golden, about 3 minutes. Transfer with a slotted spoon to paper towels to drain.
• Fry onion in oil remaining in pot, stirring occasionally, until golden brown, 15 to 20 minutes. Transfer half of onion to a bowl.
• Add rice to onion in pot and cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 2 minutes. Add water (4 1/2 cups), saffron mixture, 1 1/2 teaspoons salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper and bring to a simmer. Reduce heat to low and cook, covered, until water is absorbed and rice is tender, 18 to 20 minutes. Let rice stand, covered, off heat 5 minutes.
• While rice stands, stir almonds and currants into bowl with onion.
• Fluff rice with a fork and serve with almond mixture spooned on top.