Raisin / Pistachio Pilaf

I may only make this during asparagus season. The pairing was too perfect.

This pilaf recipe is originally from Sunday in the Kitchen, though I got it from a friend after being dazzled and perplexed by it at a potluck. The flavors are so well balanced and comforting. I also love that it has just enough international flair to be interesting, yet it's still neutral enough be served with a wide variety of other flavors. I highly recommend that you make asparagus one of those other flavors.

This is the secret step.

Why don't we Americans toast our rice with spices ALL THE TIME? It's so, so good.

The Recipe:

1/2 onion, diced

1 tsp turmeric

1/2 tsp ground cardamom

2 tsp butter

1 c jasmine rice

2 c chicken broth

3 tb roasted pistachio nuts, chopped

1/4 c raisins

salt to taste

Melt butter in a sauce pan over medium heat. Add onions and saute until soft. Add turmeric, cardamom, and salt, and stir over heat for 1 minute.
Add dry rice and cook, stirring constantly, 1 minute.
Add broth and simmer 15 minutes, or until liquid is absorbed.
Add raisins and pistachios, turn off heat, and let sit 1 minute.

The Verdict:

Overall grade: A-

Overall reason: Relatively fancy for very little work. I'll be making this for company.

Time to prepare: 5 minutes of work, plus 15 minutes of waiting

Husband quote: "I like this because it's a little sweet and a little salty. From the raisins, and the pistachios, and the... pilaf?"

Comments

Kitchen renovation!

BEFORE: AFTER: Still to come: a beautiful new induction range and some wood shelving on the left side, above the backsplash. And maybe the shelving unit on the wall facing the cabinets should be green, but we're going to live with a while before making that decision.

Pickled radishes

I made those! When the CSA box hands you radishes, you eat one. Then you try to give the rest to the neighbors. Then, left with no other option, you pickle them. Then you discover that the pickled radishes are really good. I followed this super-simple method from My Korean Kitchen . I picked it because it had good reviews on Pinterest, but mostly because it was easy, and I wasn't willing to dedicate a lot of time and effort to these things that none of us really liked. But it turns out that they are delicious. As is clear from the original recipe, these are good with Korean food. They are also good on Vietnamese rice bowls. And they are PERFECT on salad with hard boiled egg and honey-mustard dressing. And the toddler ate half of them in one sitting, just as a snack. We might actually need to buy more radishes. The Recipe: 1 bunch radishes 1 c water 1 c sugar 1 c white vinegar Pinch of salt Thinly slice the radish bulbs and place them in gla...

Spicy Tomato Jam

Little pot of bubbling goodness seeks lentil patties, sweet potato fries, or pretty much anything else. I recently made this recipe from Crumb Blog for lentil patties with tomato jam. The lentil patties were pretty good, but the tomato jam was really something to write home about. It's one of those foods that makes you feel warm, even when it's cold. It has just the right balance of sweetness, acidity, and spice. The mustard seeds are a must (haha, must ard seeds). Their crunch, and the little burst of toasty peppery flavor that follows, are amazing in contrast to the rest of the flavors. The next time you're tempted to put ketchup on something, consider this instead. I have a little bit of this gold left over in the freezer. I'm thinking I may thin it out with vegetable broth and use it as a sauce for a stir-fry. Stay tuned for the results. The only change I made to this recipe was upping the amount of mustard seeds. I think 1 tsp is the perfect a...

Adventures of a healthy-ish pseudo-foodie

Search This Blog