Golden Pilaf With Apricots Raisins And Almonds Recipes

GOLDEN PILAF

Steps:

• In a saucepan, heat oil over medium heat. Add onion, and cook until soft. Stir in rice, salt, turmeric, bay leaf, cinnamon, and broth. Bring to a boil; cover, and simmer 15 minutes.
• Stir in raisins with a fork, and simmer until stock is absorbed, about 5 minutes. Set aside, covered, 5 minutes.

APRICOT ALMOND PILAF

Steps:

• Melt butter in a large saucepan over medium heat; cook and stir onion and carrot until onion is translucent, about 5 minutes. Stir in basmati rice and salt; cook and stir until rice is slightly opaque, about 3 minutes.
• Pour in water; stir to combine. Mix in saffron threads, rose water, apricots, and almonds; bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer until rice has absorbed the liquid, about 20 minutes. Remove from heat and allow pilaf to stand covered for 10 more minutes. Stir before serving.

GOLDEN PILAF WITH APRICOTS, RAISINS AND ALMONDS

Steps:

• Brown almonds in saucepan with olive oil over medium heat.
• Remove almonds and set aside.
• Add onion to the same saucepan and cook for 5 minutes.
• Stir in cinnamon, sazon, salt, cardamom and nutmeg.
• Cook for 1 minute.
• Add rice, cook, stirring, for 1 minute.
• Stir in water, milk, apricots and raisins.
• Bring to a boil, cover, reduce heat and simmer for 10 minutes or until liquid is absorbed.
• Remove from heat and let stand, covered, for 5 minutes.
• Fluff with a fork, garnish with reserved almonds and serve.

ALMONDS, MUSHROOMS, RAISINS AND RED PEPPER PILAF

Steps:

• Melt 1 tbsp butter in saucepan, add mushrooms and saute 3 minutes over high heat, remove mushrooms and reserve.
• Melt remaining butter, in same pan, add onions and peppers, saute until soft.
• Stir in the salt, thyme, rice and broth.
• Bring mixture to a boil, cover, lower heat and simmer for 20 - 25 minutes, until all liquid is absorbed.
• Remove from heat, add in the reserved mushrooms, almond slices and raisins.
• Mix well, pour into a nice dish, season with freshly ground black pepper and garnish with finely chopped green onions.

RICE PILAF WITH ALMONDS AND RAISINS

Steps:

• Put the rice in a bowl. Wash in several changes of water. Drain. Let the rice soak in water that covers it generously for 30 minutes. Drain through a sieve and leave in the sieve suspended over a bowl to drip. Pour the oil into a heavy, medium pan (that has a tight-fitting lid) and set over medium-high heat. When hot, put in the cinnamon. Let it sizzle for 10 seconds. Put in the onions. Stir and fry the onions until they start to brown. Add the almonds. Stir until they are golden. Add the raisins. Stir until they are plump, just a few seconds. Add the drained rice and salt. Stir very gently to mix. Add 2 2/3 cups water and bring to a boil. Cover tightly, turn heat to very, very low, and simmer gently for 25 minutes.

SAFFRON RICE PILAF WITH APRICOTS AND ALMONDS

Steps:

• Melt butter in heavy medium saucepan over medium heat. Add chopped onion, ground saffron and cloves and saut&5 minutes. Add rice and stir to coat grains. Mix in chicken stock, dried apricots and currants. Bring to boil. Reduce heat to low. Cover and cook until rice is tender and liquid is absorbed, about 15 minutes. Fluff rice with fork. Add slivered almonds and season to taste with salt and pepper. Transfer to bowl and serve.

ARMENIAN RICE PILAF WITH RAISINS AND ALMONDS

Steps:

• In a 5- to 6-quart pan over medium heat, melt 4 tablespoons butter. Break or crush the vermicelli into 1-inch lengths. Add the pasta and rice to the butter and stir often until golden, about 5-8 minutes, being careful not to burn the vermicelli.
• Add the broth, allspice and salt and pepper. Bring to a full boil over high heat, then cover, reduce heat to low, and simmer until rice is tender to bite, about 20 minutes.
• Meanwhile, in a sauté pan over medium heat, melt remaining 1 or 2 tablespoons butter. Add the almonds and stir often until golden, about 5 minutes. Add the raisins and stir until they puff, about 2 minutes. Remove from heat.
• Stir peas if using, parsley and lemon juice into rice. Cover and simmer until peas are hot, about 3-4 minutes.
• Pour pilaf into a serving bowl or on a platter and sprinkle with the raisin and nut mixture over the top. (Diced dried dates, figs, apricots or chopped walnuts may also be used in this topping.)