Pumpkin Almond Pilau Rice Recipes

ALMOND RICE PILAF

Steps:

• Melt butter in a 12-inch skillet with a lid over MEDIUM heat. Add rice, orzo and almonds and cook, stirring, for several minutes until they are lightly toasted.
• Carefully pour in the chicken broth. Add all the seasonings, except the parsley. Stir to combine and bring to a low boil. Reduce heat to LOW, cover the skillet and cook for 20 minutes or until the broth has been absorbed and the rice and orzo are tender and fluffy. Remove from the heat, stir in parsley, and serve.

RICE PILAF WITH PUMPKIN, CURRANTS AND PINE NUTS

Steps:

• Warm olive oil in a heavy-bottomed pot with a lid or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add pumpkin, season with salt, and cook, stirring, until pumpkin begins to brown, 5 to 8 minutes. Remove and set aside, leaving oil in pot.
• Add onion and cook, stirring, until quite brown, about 5 minutes. Add pine nuts and let them brown a bit. Add currants, pepper, allspice and cinnamon.
• Stir in the rice and cook for 2 minutes more, making sure rice is well coated with oil. Add broth or water and 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt and bring to a boil.
• Reduce heat to a bare simmer. Taste broth and adjust for salt - it should be quite well seasoned. Add reserved pumpkin, cover with a lid, and cook over very low heat until all liquid is absorbed, about 20 minutes. Turn off heat, and let rice steam with lid on for 10 to 15 minutes. Add butter and fluff rice gently with two wooden spoons.

PUMPKIN AND SAFFRON JASMINE RICE PILAF

Steps:

• Rinse the rice, cover with cold water by at least 2 inches, and refrigerate overnight.
• Place the pumpkin in a food processor with 1 1/2 cups water. Process until very smooth. Squeeze through a fine-meshed strainer over a bowl, pressing down on the solids to release the juice. Pour the liquid into a large measuring cup and add enough water to make 2 cups. (The pumpkin pulp may be used for another purpose, like soup.)
• Heat the oven to 350 degrees. Drain the rice. Heat the olive oil, garlic, saffron and allspice in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add the onion and salt and cook until the onions are translucent, about 3 minutes.
• Add the rice and stir gently so as not to break the grains, coating it evenly with the aromatics. Cook until the rice is fragrant and lightly toasted, about 3 minutes. Add the pumpkin juice and stir for 30 seconds to prevent clumping. Cover and bring to a boil.
• Transfer to the oven and cook until all the liquid has been absorbed, about 25 minutes. Remove, and keep covered in a warm place for 25 minutes. Uncover, fluff with a fork and serve.