Festive Rice Pilaf Recipes

FESTIVE RICE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 325°. In a small saucepan, bring first 5 ingredients to a boil. Remove from heat. Pour over rice in a greased 8-in. square baking dish. Bake, covered, until all liquid is absorbed, 30-35 minutes., Meanwhile, in a small nonstick skillet over medium-high heat, cook pumpkin seeds, brown sugar and cayenne pepper, stirring constantly until sugar melts and cayenne coats pumpkin seeds, 4-5 minutes. Remove from heat; transfer to a plate, spreading out seeds to cool., Sprinkle cooked rice with feta, mint, cranberries and spiced pumpkin seeds.

MIDDLE EASTERN RICE PILAF WITH POMEGRANATE

Steps:

• Heat oil in a saucepan over medium heat and cook onion until soft and translucent. Add rice and toast until fragrant, 2 to 3 minutes. Pour in hot vegetable broth and bring to a boil. Add saffron and allspice, reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer until rice is tender and liquid has been absorbed, about 20 minutes.
• Toast pistachios in a skillet over medium heat until nuts start to turn golden brown and become fragrant, 5 to 10 minutes. Set aside.
• Stir butter into the cooked rice. Remove from heat and mix in pistachios and pomegranate seeds. Fluff with fork and season with salt and pepper.

CITRUS RICE PILAF

Steps:

• In a large skillet, saute rice mix in butter until golden brown. Stir in water and contents of rice seasoning packet. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 15 minutes. Stir in peas, water chestnuts, marmalade and pepper. Cover and cook for 3-4 minutes or until rice and vegetables are tender.

CLASSIC RICE PILAF

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
• Melt butter and olive oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add onion; cook and stir until onion is lightly browned, 7 to 8 minutes. Remove from heat.
• Combine rice and onion mixture in a 9x13-inch casserole dish placed on a baking sheet. Stir thoroughly to coat the rice.
• Combine chicken stock, salt, saffron, and cayenne pepper in a saucepan. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to low, and simmer for 5 minutes.
• Pour chicken stock mixture over rice in the casserole dish and stir to combine. Spread mixture evenly along the bottom of the pan. Cover tightly with heavy-duty aluminum foil.
• Bake in the preheated oven for 35 minutes. Remove from oven and allow to rest, covered, for 10 minutes. Remove foil and fluff with a fork to separate the grains of rice.

FESTIVE RICE PILAF

Steps:

• Cook the rice according to instructions, but adding the vegetable stock cubes.
• In a dry non-stick skillet, lightly sautee veggies until done enough for your taste. Set aside.
• When the rice is done, mix rice, almonds, veggies, and cranberries together.
• For glaze, combine all ingredients in a nonreactive bowl and mix well. Glaze may be made up to 4 days in advance.
• Pour glaze over rice, if desired.
• Enjoy! This also works well as a stuffing for winter squash.

FLUFFY RICE PILAF

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350 degrees. Bring stock to a simmer in a small saucepan.
• Melt butter in a 2-quart ovenproof saucepan over medium heat. Add onion, bay leaf, and salt and cook until onion is soft and translucent, stirring occasionally, about 3 minutes.
• Add rice and stir well to coat each grain with butter mixture. Cook until rice is fragrant and starting to turn translucent, stirring frequently, about 3 minutes.
• Add stock and return to a simmer. Transfer to oven, cover, and bake for 16 minutes. Remove from oven. Cover and let steam for 10 minutes, then fluff with a fork before serving.

FESTIVE RICE

Steps:

• Rinse jasmine rice thoroughly under cold water in a large strainer.
• Heat oil in a large frying pan with a lid. Cook the garlic, onion, and turmeric over low heat for 2-3 minutes until the onions have softened. Add the rice and stir well to coat in oil.
• Pour in the coconut milk and water and add the lemon grass. Bring to a boil and cook gently until all the liquid has been absorbed by the rice, about 12 minutes.
• Remove pan from heat and leave for 15 minutes.
• Remove lemongrass stalk and transfer to a serving platter, add garnishes.