Festive Rice Pilaf Recipes

FESTIVE RICE PILAF

Steps:

• Cook the rice according to instructions, but adding the vegetable stock cubes.
• In a dry non-stick skillet, lightly sautee veggies until done enough for your taste. Set aside.
• When the rice is done, mix rice, almonds, veggies, and cranberries together.
• For glaze, combine all ingredients in a nonreactive bowl and mix well. Glaze may be made up to 4 days in advance.
• Pour glaze over rice, if desired.
• Enjoy! This also works well as a stuffing for winter squash.

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.

BRAZILIAN CHRISTMAS RICE

Steps:

• Soak raisins in a bowl of hot water until soft, 5 to 10 minutes. Drain.
• Heat olive oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Cook and stir onion and garlic in the hot oil until fragrant, about 5 minutes. Stir in raisins, rice, and salt; cook and stir until rice is coated with oil, about 3 minutes.
• Pour boiling water and Champagne into the saucepan. Cover and cook until liquid is absorbed and rice is tender, about 20 minutes.
• Place dried apricots in a small saucepan and cover with water. Bring to a boil; simmer until soft, about 5 minutes. Drain and cool slightly, about 5 minutes. Cut into strips.
• Place grated carrot in a small bowl and cover with boiling water. Season with salt. Let soak until softened, about 5 minutes. Drain.
• Melt butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Stir in apricot strips and sun-dried tomatoes; cook for 2 minutes.
• Fold apricot strips and sun-dried tomatoes into the cooked rice. Pile rice onto a serving platter; garnish with grated carrot.

CHRISTMAS RICE

Steps:

• In a skillet, saute onion, celery and peppers in butter over medium heat for 2 minutes or until crisp-tender. Remove from the heat; set aside. , In a saucepan, bring broth to a full boil. Remove from the heat. Quickly stir in rice, celery mixture, pepper, and, if desired, salt. Cover and let stand for 6-7 minutes. Stir before serving.