Wild Rice And Basmati Pilaf With Sausage Food

BASMATI RICE PILAF

Steps:

• In a wide pan with a lid (like this one, this one, or this one), melt butter over medium-high heat. Add onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until translucent and just starting to brown, about five minutes. While onion cooks, rinse rice in a fine-mesh sieve until the water runs clear and shake out any excess water.
• Add garlic to pan and cook, stirring, until very fragrant, about a minute. Add rice and stir to coat with butter, then cook, stirring once or twice, for two minutes. Pour in stock and give it all a good stir. Bring to a boil over high heat. Then cover pan, lower heat to maintain a gentle simmer, and cook until broth is absorbed, 15 to 20 minutes.
• Off the heat, place a clean kitchen towel between the pan and the lid to absorb excess steam and let pilaf rest for 5 to 10 minutes. Sprinkle with chives and almonds if using and serve.

COUNTRY WILD RICE WITH SAUSAGE

Steps:

• Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a large saucepot over medium-high heat. Add the rice and cook, toasting until the rice begins to smell nutty, about 5 minutes. Add the chicken stock along with some salt and bring it to a boil, then reduce to a simmer and cover. Simmer until the rice is tender and has absorbed all the liquid, about 25 minutes
• Meanwhile, heat the remaining tablespoon oil along with the butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onion, pepper and a generous pinch of salt and cook until just tender and beginning to brown, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic, sausage, thyme and sage, and cook, breaking up with a wooden spoon until browned and cooked through, 4 to 5 minutes more.
• When the rice is cooked and liquid is absorbed, turn off the heat, remove the lid and add the sausage and vegetables. Fluff and stir gently with a fork to combine. Add the rice to a serving dish and sprinkle with the chives before serving hot.

WILD RICE PILAF

Steps:

• Melt 2 tablespoons of the butter in a medium saucepan, add the onion, and cook over low heat for 5 to 10 minutes, until translucent. Add 5 cups of water, 2 teaspoons of salt, and the wild rice. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat to very low, and simmer, covered, for 50 minutes to 1 hour, until the rice is tender. Drain well.
• Place the drained rice in a bowl, add the remaining tablespoon of butter, the scallions, 1 1/2 teaspoons salt, and the pepper. Taste for seasonings and serve hot.

BAKED CAVATAPPI WITH SAUSAGE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 500˚ F. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the pasta and cook 2 minutes less than the label directs for al dente. Reserve 1 cup cooking water, then drain.
• Meanwhile, cook the sausage in 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat, breaking up the meat, until browned, 5 to 6 minutes. Remove to a plate using a slotted spoon.
• Heat 1 more tablespoon olive oil in the skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onion and cook until tender, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and herbes de Provence and cook 30 seconds. Stir in the tomatoes, sausage and 1/4 cup of the reserved cooking water; season with salt and pepper. Bring to a gentle boil, then reduce the heat and simmer until thickened, 3 to 5 minutes. If the sauce is too thick, add a bit more cooking water. Stir the pasta into the sauce.
• Whisk the ricotta, 1/4 cup cheese blend, the lemon zest, 1/2 teaspoon each salt and pepper and 3 tablespoons cooking water in a bowl. Layer half of the pasta and ricotta mixture in an 8-inch square baking dish, then top with the remaining pasta, ricotta mixture and cheese blend. Bake until bubbly, 8 to 10 minutes.
• Toss the lettuce with the lemon juice and remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil; season with salt and pepper. Serve with the pasta.

CLAMS WITH SAUSAGE AND PEPPERS OVER RICE PILAF

Steps:

• Prepare a grill for medium heat. If using a charcoal grill, build an even layer of hot coals on the bottom.
• For the rice pilaf: Melt the butter and olive oil in a large ovenproof pot or Dutch oven. Add the garlic and onions with a pinch of salt and cook, stirring occasionally, until the onions are softened, 3 to 5 minutes. Add the coriander, cumin and nutmeg and continue to cook to toast the spices, 2 to 3 minutes. Add the rice, stirring to coat, and toast, about 2 minutes. Add the bay leaf and chicken stock. Bring to a gentle boil then season with salt and cover the pot. Cover the grill and cook until the rice is cooked and all the liquid is gone, about 18 minutes.
• Meanwhile, prepare the foil packets for the clams with sausage and peppers: Lay out a double layer of large heavy-duty aluminum foil pieces in an X formation, totaling 2 packets. Distribute the garlic, peppers and onions evenly between the packets. Top each with the clams and sausage. Bring up all 4 sides of the foil, but don't seal. Divide the stock, wine and butter between each packet. Season with salt and pepper. Tightly seal the foil.
• Remove the rice from the grill, remove the lid and fluff with a fork. Place a kitchen towel over the pot and place the lid of the pot back over the kitchen towel. Let sit for 10 minutes without opening. This will help absorb the moisture in the pot so the rice is fluffy and not mushy.
• Remove the ring from the grill if it has one so the coals are exposed and place the packets directly onto the coals. Steam until the clams open and everything is heated through, 7 to 8 minutes.
• When ready to serve, transfer the rice pilaf to a serving plate. Carefully open the foil packets and pour everything over the rice pilaf, making sure to get all the juices from the packets. Sprinkle with cilantro leaves, drizzle with some olive oil and serve!
• (Alternatively, you can cook the rice pilaf in a 350 degrees F oven for 18 minutes and bake the clams with sausage and peppers foil packets in a 375 degrees F oven for 8 to 10 minutes.)

WHITE & WILD RICE PILAF

Steps:

• Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet.
• Add onion, carrots, celery and garlic and cook until tender.
• Add wild rice and broth.
• Heat to a boil.
• Cover and cook over low heat for 25 minutes.
• Add white rice.
• Cover and cook over low heat for 20 minutes or until done.
• Stir in parsley.

WILD RICE PILAF WITH NUTS AND LEMON

Steps:

• In a small saucepan heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the pine nuts, garlic, zest, and thyme, swirl the pan until the nuts and garlic are beginning to brown, about 2 minutes. Add the wild rice and cook stirring with a wooden spoon until lightly toasted, about 3 more minutes. Stir in the chicken broth and salt. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to a rapid simmer and cook, stirring occasionally, for 45 minutes to 1 hour. Check the texture of the rice, and continue simmering until tender, if needed. Add more liquid as needed, another 10 to 15 minutes. (Note: The rice should only just begin to crack when done. If it begins to curl it is overcooked. There are numerous varieties of varying qualities, which affect cooking times greatly.) Remove from the heat, scatter the scallions over the surface and fluff with a fork, remove the herb sprigs and lemon zest before serving. Season with salt and black pepper, to taste.

BASMATI RICE PILAF

Steps:

• To wash or not to wash rice? In the case of basmati, no matter what my preparation is, I always wash it. It cleans out any small particles and it also rids the rice of any starch on the grain. This starch makes the rice gummier when cooked.
• Preheat the oven to 250 degrees F.
• In a medium bowl, add the rice and 4 cups of cold water. Soak the rice for 1/2 hour.
• In a small bowl, add the cumin seeds, cardamom, fennel seeds, cinnamon, black peppercorns, and bay leaves and stir to combine. Turn the mixture out onto a baking sheet and put it in the center of the oven to lightly toast the spices and awaken the flavors, about 2 to 3 minutes. Remove the baking sheet from the oven and allow the spices to cool.
• Heat a medium saute pan over medium heat and add the butter and the onion. Season with salt and cook until the onions are translucent but not brown, about 3 to 5 minutes. Stir in the spices. Drain the rice but reserve the soaking water. Stir in the rice and cook until you hear the rice crackling, about 2 minutes. Gently stir in the reserved soaking water. Season with a generous portion of salt and bring the liquid to a simmer over medium heat.
• Cook the rice over medium-low heat, uncovered and undisturbed, for about 8 minutes. Take a fork (so as not to damage the rice) and flake a few grains off to taste for doneness. It may need to be cooked another 2 to 4 minutes. Remove from the heat and allow the rice to "rest" (as you would a roast beef) for 10 minutes before "forking" it gently into a serving bowl. Stir in 3 tablespoons of butter, if desired, and serve.

SAUSAGE RICE PILAF

Steps:

• In a large skillet over medium heat, brown sausage; drain. Add onion and mushrooms; saute until onion is tender. Add rice, consomme, water and oregano; mix well. Transfer to an ungreased 13-in. x 9-in. baking dish. Cover and bake at 350° for 55-60 minutes or until rice is tender, stirring once. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese if desired.