Currant And Almond Pilaf Recipes

BASMATI RICE PILAF WITH DRIED FRUITS AND ALMONDS

Steps:

• Place the rice in a medium bowl and add enough water to cover by 2 inches. Using your hands, gently swish the grains to release any excess starch. Carefully pour off the water, leaving the rice in the bowl. Repeat four to five times, until the water runs almost clear. Using a fine mesh strainer, drain the water from rice. Place the strainer over a bowl and set aside.
• Melt the butter in a pot over medium-low heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring regularly, until softened but not browned, about 4 minutes. Add the cumin, turmeric, cinnamon, and garlic and cook, stirring constantly, until fragrant, about 30 seconds longer. Add the rice to the pot, and cook, stirring constantly, for about 3 minutes. Add the water, salt, and pepper and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to low, cover, and simmer until all the liquid is absorbed, 15 to 18 minutes. Off the heat, remove the lid and sprinkle the dried fruit over the rice (do not mix in). Place the lid over the pot and let stand for 10 minutes. Toss in the toasted almonds, fluff the rice with a fork, and serve.

RICE AND CHICKEN PILAF WITH DRIED CURRANTS AND TOASTED ALMONDS

Steps:

• Heat oil in heavy large deep skillet (preferably nonstick) over medium-high heat. Add onion and sauté until golden, about 5 minutes. Sprinkle chicken with salt and pepper. Add chicken and garlic to skillet; sauté until chicken is no longer pink, about 4 minutes. Stir in rice, currants, and cinnamon sticks. Add broth and bring to boil. Reduce heat to low; cover and cook until rice is tender and most liquid is absorbed, about 20 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Transfer to bowl. Discard cinnamon. Sprinkle with almonds.

CURRANT-AND-ALMOND PILAF

Steps:

• In a small saucepan, melt butter over medium. Add rice. Cook, stirring, until lightly toasted, about 5 minutes. Add water or reduced-sodium chicken broth and bring to a boil.
• Reduce heat to low, cover, and cook until tender, about 15 minutes. Remove pan from heat and let stand, covered, 5 minutes. Stir in currants and almonds. Season with coarse salt and ground pepper.

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.

CURRANT-LEMON PILAF

Steps:

• Melt butter in heavy large saucepan over medium heat. Add onion and sauté until translucent, about 5 minutes. Add rice; stir to coat with butter mixture, about 1 minute. Mix in broth, water, lemon juice, lemon peel and currants. Bring mixture to boil, stirring occasionally. Cover pan, reduce heat to medium-low and cook until liquids are absorbed and rice is tender, about 20 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Mix in almonds and serve.

RICE SALAD WITH CURRANTS, ALMONDS AND PISTACHIOS

Steps:

• Bring 8 cups water to a boil in a large pot. Add the rice and 2 tablespoons salt. Boil rice as you would pasta, stirring occasionally, for about 15 minutes until done, but still al dente. Drain and spread out on a rimmed baking sheet to cool.
• Once cool, transfer rice to a large salad bowl. In a small bowl, stir together olive oil, tahini, lemon juice and lemon zest. Add salt and pepper to taste. Gently fold mixture into rice.
• Add currants, almonds, pistachios, chives, mint, savory and parsley. Toss to distribute. Taste and adjust seasoning, adding more lemon juice or salt as necessary. Serve at room temperature.