Persian Rice With Duck Confit And Dried Cherries Recipes

ALBALOO POLO

Steps:

• Cook rice in a large pot of salted water as you would pasta, boiling until just cooked through with some bite in center, 7 to 9 minutes. Drain in a fine-mesh sieve, then rinse with cool water; drain again. In a small bowl, steep saffron in hot water until liquid is bright orange, 5 minutes.
• Melt 2 tablespoons butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Add one-third of cooked rice, spreading it to edges of pan in an even layer. Scatter half of preserves on top of rice, then poke 4 holes through rice with the bottom of a wooden spoon. Cut 1 tablespoon butter into small pieces; place on holes. Spoon half of remaining rice on top, followed by remaining preserves; poke 4 more holes and dot each with remaining 1 tablespoon butter, cut into small pieces. Stir saffron mixture into remaining rice; add to pot as final layer. Wrap lid with a clean kitchen towel and cover pot. Reduce heat to low and cook until rice is tender, 25 to 30 minutes. Fluff with a fork and season with salt; serve.

WILD RICE WITH CHERRIES

Steps:

• In a large saucepan, add the stock, wild rice and salt and pepper, to taste. Bring to a boil over medium heat. Reduce the heat and simmer for 15 minutes. Cover and simmer, stirring occasionally, until the rice is tender and is beginning to split, about 30 to 40 minutes. Drain of any excess liquid and fold in the cherries, nuts and parsley. Taste for seasoning and adjust if necessary. Transfer the rice to a serving bowl and serve.

JEWELED RICE WITH DRIED FRUIT

Steps:

• Rinse rice in several changes of cold water in a large bowl until water runs clear. Drain in a large sieve.
• Bring water and salt to a boil in a 6-quart heavy pot, then add rice and boil, uncovered, stirring occasionally, 5 minutes from time water returns to boil. Drain rice in sieve.
• Toss together dried fruit in a bowl. Melt 6 tablespoons butter with cardamom and pepper in cleaned and dried pot, stirring to combine, then alternately layer rice and dried fruit over it, beginning and ending with rice and mounding loosely. Make 5 or 6 holes in rice to bottom of pot with round handle of a wooden spoon, then cover pot with a kitchen towel and a heavy lid. Fold edges of towel up over lid (to keep towel from burning) and cook rice over moderately low heat, undisturbed, until tender and a crust forms on bottom, 30 to 35 minutes. Remove from heat and let rice stand, tightly covered and undisturbed, at least 30 minutes.
• Heat remaining 2 tablespoons butter in a small skillet over moderate heat and cook pistachios, stirring, until lightly browned, 2 to 3 minutes.
• Spoon loose rice onto a platter, then break crust into 1-inch pieces and scatter over rice. Sprinkle with pistachios.

DUCK FESENJAN

Steps:

• Season duck legs all over with salt and black pepper.
• Heat vegetable oil in a large skillet over high heat. Place duck legs, skin-side down, in hot oil and cook until browned, 2 to 5 minutes; turn and cook until browned on the other side, 2 to 4 minutes more. Transfer legs to a plate; pour rendered duck fat into a bowl.
• Pour water into the skillet and bring to a boil while scraping the browned bits of food off of the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon. Remove from heat.
• Heat about 2 tablespoons duck fat and olive oil in Dutch oven medium heat. Cook and stir onion in hot oil and fat until golden brown, 7 to 10 minutes. Add turmeric, cinnamon, nutmeg; cook and stir until fragrant, 1 minute.
• Pour chicken broth, pomegranate molasses, honey, and reserved water mixture from the skillet into onions; bring to a simmer.
• Grind walnuts to a fine powder in a food processor.
• Cook and stir walnuts in a skillet over medium heat until fragrant, 2 to 3 minutes. Stir walnuts into broth mixture; place duck legs in broth to cover in broth. Reduce heat and simmer until duck legs are tender, 3 to 4 hours. Transfer duck to a serving dish.
• Bring broth mixture to a boil; cook until reduced and desired sauce consistency is reached. Season with salt. Ladle sauce over duck legs.