Pomegranate Pilaf Recipes

POMEGRANATE QUINOA PILAF

Steps:

• Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a heavy-bottomed saucepan over medium-high heat. Saute the onion until translucent and fragrant. Add the quinoa and stir to coat. Add the chicken broth and bring to a boil. Lower the heat and simmer for about 20 minutes, until the liquid is absorbed and the quinoa is tender.
• In a large mixing bowl, combine 1 tablespoon olive oil, pomegranate seeds, scallions, parsley, lemon juice, zest, and sugar. Add the quinoa and season with salt, and pepper to taste. Garnish with toasted, slivered almonds.
• Serves: 6; Calories: 248; Total Fat: 12.5 grams; Saturated Fat: 1 gram; Protein: 9 grams; Total carbohydrates: 27 grams; Sugar: 4 grams; Fiber: 4 grams; Cholesterol: 0 milligrams; Sodium: 109 milligrams

LAMB CHOPS WITH POMEGRANATE SAUCE AND SAFFRON PILAF

Steps:

• Preheat the broiler and arrange the oven rack 8 inches from the broiler.
• Heat a large sauce pot over medium heat. Add the butter and let it melt, then add the orzo and stir. Toast the pasta until golden brown, 3 minutes, then add the rice and stir to combine. Add the saffron threads and stir in the stock. Bring the liquid to a boil, then reduce the heat to a simmer and cover the pot with a tight-fitting lid. Cook the rice until tender, about 15 to 18 minutes.
• Meanwhile, roll the pomegranate on the counter while applying pressure for a minute. Hold the pomegranate over a small pot and cut into it with a small sharp knife; the juice will come rushing out. Squeeze the pomegranate until 3/4 to 1 cup of juice is produced. Stir in the wine, Worcestershire, peppercorns, cloves, and bay leaf. Bring to a boil, lower the heat to a simmer and reduce the liquid by half, about 6 minutes. Pour a little sauce into a small bowl, stir in the cornstarch, and then pour the mixture into the sauce. Cook until thickened, about 1 minute. Remove and discard the peppercorns, whole cloves and the bay leaf.
• Arrange the chops on a broiler pan and season with salt and pepper, to taste. Broil for 3 to 4 minutes, or only 1 minute on each side for pink centers.
• When the chops go into the broiler, heat the extra-virgin olive oil in a medium skillet over medium heat. Add the garlic and stir for 2 minutes, then add the spinach and let it wilt. Season with salt, pepper, and nutmeg, to taste.
• Arrange 3 chops on each serving plate. Drizzle with pomegranate sauce, and serve the saffron pilaf and wilted spinach alongside.

POMEGRANATE-PISTACHIO PILAF

Steps:

• In a large saucepan, bring the lentils to a boil in about 1 cup water; reduce the heat to low and let simmer until just tender, about 20 minutes.
• Meanwhile, in a large skillet, heat the oil over medium heat and add the onions, carrots and celery and cook until the onions are tender, about 10 minutes. Add the sausage, if using, and cook, breaking up any clumps, until lightly browned, about 8 minutes. Stir in the rice, pistachios, fennel seeds, turmeric, thyme and 1 teaspoon salt; cook until the rice is opaque, about 3 minutes. Stir into the lentils and add 1 3/4 cups water. Bring to a boil, then cover completely and simmer over low heat until cooked, about 45 minutes. Remove from the heat and let stand, without removing the cover, 15 minutes. Fluff with a fork and top with the pomegranate seeds.

POMEGRANATE PILAF

Steps:

• Melt butter in a medium saucepan over medium-low heat. Add onion, and cook until softened, about 4 minutes. Add rice; cook, stirring 1 minute to coat. Add chicken stock; bring to a boil. Cover, and reduce heat to low. Cook until rice has absorbed all liquid, 15 to 20 minutes.
• Remove from heat, and fluff with a fork. Stir in apricots, nuts, pomegranate seeds, and thyme. Season with salt and pepper, and serve immediately.

PISTACHIO-POMEGRANATE PILAF

Steps:

• Heat butter and 1 tablespoon olive oil in a pot over medium heat. Add shallots, and cook, stirring frequently, until golden, 12 to 14 minutes. Transfer shallots to a bowl. Add wild rice to pot, and stir for 1 minute. Add stock and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Bring to a boil, and stir again. Cover, reduce heat, and gently simmer until grains burst, about 40 minutes. Uncover, and cook until liquid has been almost completely absorbed, about 15 minutes more. Spread on a baking sheet to prevent rice from overcooking.
• Meanwhile, in a separate pot, heat 1 tablespoon olive oil over medium heat. Add basmati rice, and stir for 1 minute. Stir in the water and 1/2 teaspoon salt, and bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat, and gently simmer for 10 minutes (do not uncover). Remove from heat, and let stand, covered, for 3 minutes. Spread on a baking sheet to prevent rice from overcooking.
• Whisk vinegar, sesame oil, remaining 3 tablespoons olive oil, and salt and pepper to taste in a large bowl. Stirring constantly, gradually add wild and basmati rice. Add shallots, pomegranate seeds, pistachios, and herbs. Season with salt and pepper. Serve immediately.

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.

BARLEY AND WILD RICE PILAF WITH POMEGRANATE SEEDS

Steps:

• Heat oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add onion and cook, stirring often, until softened. Add wild rice and barley; stir for a few seconds. Add broth and bring to a simmer. Reduce heat to low, cover and simmer until the wild rice and barley are tender and most of the liquid has been absorbed, 45 to 50 minutes.
• Meanwhile, toast pine nuts in a small, dry skillet over medium-low heat, stirring constantly, until light golden and fragrant, 2 to 3 minutes. Transfer to a small bowl to cool.
• Add pomegranate seeds, lemon zest, parsley and the toasted pine nuts to the pilaf; fluff with a fork. Serve hot.

QUINOA PILAF WITH CHICK PEAS, POMEGRANATE, AND SPICES

Steps:

• Heat a large, heavy frying pan over medium-high heat and add the cumin seeds and coriander seeds. Toast in the pan, stirring or shaking the pan, until they begin to smell fragrant, and transfer to a spice mill. Allow to cool for a few minutes, then pulse to crush or coarsely grind. Set aside.
• Return the frying pan to medium heat and add 1 tablespoon of the olive oil. Add the onion and cook, stirring often, until tender, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and salt, stir together for about half a minute, and stir in the cumin seeds, and coriander seeds. Add the remaining olive oil and stir in the quinoa, chick peas, and 3 tablespoons of the pomegranate seeds. Stir over medium heat to heat through, several minutes. Taste and adjust salt. Transfer to a platter or wide bowl and decorate with the remaining pomegranate seeds. You can also mold the pilaf into 1/2-cup ramekins or timbales and unmold onto the plate, then decorate with pomegranate seeds.
• Stir the garlic into the thickened yogurt. Serve the pilaf topped with the yogurt.

CHICKEN & POMEGRANATE BULGUR PILAF

Steps:

• Heat a little oil in a large casserole dish (with a tight-fitting lid). Coat the chicken pieces with some seasoning, and half of the spice mix and add to the pan, brown well on all sides.
• Add the remaining spice mix and cook for 1 min. Pour over the stock, season and stir, then cover and cook for 25 mins over a low-medium heat.
• Remove the lid, increase the heat to a medium simmer and add the bulgur wheat. Cook for 10 mins, then re-cover, turn off the heat and leave to stand for a further 10 mins.
• When all the liquid has been absorbed and the bulgur wheat is tender, stir through the chopped mint and scatter over the pomegranate seeds.

CRISPY ZA'ATAR CHICKEN PILAF WITH POMEGRANATE

Steps:

• Toss together the chicken thighs oil, 1 tsp salt, garlic and lemon juice in a large bowl. Cover and chill for at least 1 hr, or up to 12 hrs.
• Heat the oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4, and heat a frying pan over a high heat. Fry the chicken, skin-side down, for 5-7 mins, or until golden and crisp. Transfer to a baking tray and sprinkle with the za'atar, then roast for 10 mins.
• For the rice, heat the oil and butter in a large, shallow casserole or frying pan over a low-medium heat. Fry the onions with a pinch of salt for 15 mins until caramelised and sticky. Stir in the rice, stock, pistachios and chilli flakes. Season. Arrange the roasted chicken thighs on top of the rice, and pour over any roasting juices from the tray. Cook in the oven for 45 mins, or until the rice is tender. Remove from the oven, cover and rest for 5 mins.
• Scatter the chicken pilaf with the pomegranate seeds and parsley, then serve in shallow bowls.