Sweetly Spiced Rabbit Pilaf Recipes

SWEETLY SPICED RABBIT PILAF

Steps:

• Melt the butter and oil in a wide, lidded pan, and add the onions and garlic. Soften gently for 5 mins, then tip in the rabbit and cook for 5 mins more, stirring until it changes colour all over (it doesn't need to be particularly browned). Turn up the heat a little, add the spices and fry for 2 mins until aromatic. Lift out the pieces of loin and set aside.
• Tip in the rice, squash and prunes, cover with the stock and season. Bring to a simmer, cover and cook gently for 10 mins. Put the loin meat on top of the rice, re-cover and cook for another 5 mins or until you can see channels appearing in the surface of the rice and most or all of the liquid has disappeared. Remove from the heat and set aside for 10 mins.
• Fluff up the tender rice with a fork, check the seasoning and scatter with the fresh herbs and the nuts. Serve each portion with a blob of yogurt topped with a sprinkling of chilli or paprika, plus a drizzle of tangy pomegranate molasses or lemon juice.

SPICED BASMATI RICE AND SWEET CORN PILAF

Steps:

• Put rice in a medium bowl and cover with cold water. Swish with fingers, then pour off water. Repeat 2 or 3 times, until water runs clear. Cover again with cold water and soak 20 minutes, then drain.
• Melt 2 tablespoons butter or ghee in a heavy-bottomed saucepan over medium-high heat. Add garlic, ginger, turmeric, saffron, coriander, cumin, cloves, peppercorns and cardamom, and stir to coat. Let sizzle a bit, then add onion and cook, stirring, until softened and beginning to color, about 5 minutes. Add remaining 2 tablespoons butter or ghee, the rice and the corn, and season with 1/2 teaspoon salt. Cook for 1 minute. Add raisins and 2 cups broth or water and bring to brisk simmer. Taste cooking liquid for salt and adjust if necessary.
• Cover with tight-fitting lid, turn heat to low and let cook 15 minutes. Let rest 10 to 15 minutes off heat. Fluff rice and transfer to serving bowl. Sprinkle with cilantro, scallions and cashews, if desired. Serve with yogurt raita.

TASTY SPICY RICE PILAF

Steps:

• Melt butter in a large pot over medium heat; cook and stir onion, red pepper, mushrooms, and garlic until tender, about 10 minutes. Stir in rice. Add chicken stock; cover and boil until liquid is absorbed, about 10 minutes. Season with red pepper flakes, salt, and black pepper.

SWEET SPICED MUSHROOM AND APRICOT PILAF

Steps:

• Bring a small pot of water to a boil and heat the oven to 450 degrees Fahrenheit/230 degrees Celsius.
• Add the ancho chile to a heatproof bowl and pour over enough boiling water to cover. Let sit to rehydrate, about 20 minutes, then discard the soaking liquid and roughly chop the chile, seeds and all.
• Transfer the dried porcini mushrooms to a medium saucepan and add the stock, 1 1/2 cups/360 milliliters water, 1 1/4 teaspoons salt and a good grind of pepper. Bring to a simmer over medium-high heat, then set aside.
• Add the oyster and portobello mushrooms, onion, apricots, garlic, cinnamon, star anise, chopped ancho chile, 1/2 cup/120 milliliters oil, 1 teaspoon of salt and a good grind of pepper to a roasting pan (tin) that is about 10-by-13 inches/26-by-34 centimeters. Give everything a good stir, then bake until the vegetables are soft and well browned, 40 to 45 minutes, stirring halfway through. Remove from the oven, transfer half the mixture to a medium bowl, then arrange the remaining mushrooms in an even layer in the pan. Sprinkle the rice evenly on top of the mushrooms in the pan, without stirring, and set aside.
• Bring the porcini mixture back up to a simmer over medium-high heat. Pour the porcini mixture over the rice, again without stirring, and cover the roasting pan tightly with foil. Return to the oven and bake until the rice is cooked through and has started to brown on the bottom of the pan, and the apricots begin to caramelize, about 25 minutes. Remove from heat and let sit, covered, for 10 minutes. Remove the foil and gently stir everything together.
• Add the scallions, parsley and the remaining 2 tablespoons/30 milliliters oil to the bowl with the reserved mushroom mixture; stir to combine. Spoon this over the rice mixture and serve.