Almond And Raisin Pilaf Recipes

Steps:

• In a 5- to 6-quart pan over medium heat, melt 4 tablespoons butter. Break or crush the vermicelli into 1-inch lengths. Add the pasta and rice to the butter and stir often until golden, about 5-8 minutes, being careful not to burn the vermicelli.
• Add the broth, allspice and salt and pepper. Bring to a full boil over high heat, then cover, reduce heat to low, and simmer until rice is tender to bite, about 20 minutes.
• Meanwhile, in a sauté pan over medium heat, melt remaining 1 or 2 tablespoons butter. Add the almonds and stir often until golden, about 5 minutes. Add the raisins and stir until they puff, about 2 minutes. Remove from heat.
• Stir peas if using, parsley and lemon juice into rice. Cover and simmer until peas are hot, about 3-4 minutes.
• Pour pilaf into a serving bowl or on a platter and sprinkle with the raisin and nut mixture over the top. (Diced dried dates, figs, apricots or chopped walnuts may also be used in this topping.)

Steps:

• Put the rice in a bowl. Wash in several changes of water. Drain. Let the rice soak in water that covers it generously for 30 minutes. Drain through a sieve and leave in the sieve suspended over a bowl to drip. Pour the oil into a heavy, medium pan (that has a tight-fitting lid) and set over medium-high heat. When hot, put in the cinnamon. Let it sizzle for 10 seconds. Put in the onions. Stir and fry the onions until they start to brown. Add the almonds. Stir until they are golden. Add the raisins. Stir until they are plump, just a few seconds. Add the drained rice and salt. Stir very gently to mix. Add 2 2/3 cups water and bring to a boil. Cover tightly, turn heat to very, very low, and simmer gently for 25 minutes.

Steps:

• Combine quinoa, cold water, and salt in a saucepan; bring to a boil, reduce heat to medium-low, place a cover on the saucepan, and cook until the liquid is fully absorbed, about 15 minutes.
• Heat olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Cook and stir celery, onion, carrot, and garlic in the hot oil until the onion is translucent, 5 to 7 minutes. Stir almonds, tomato, raisins, salt, pepper, thyme, and oregano into the vegetable mixture; cook and stir 1 minute more.
• Fluff the quinoa with a fork and stir into the mixture in the skillet; cook and stir until evenly mixed and hot, about 30 seconds.
• Divide between 3 plates; sprinkle the top of each portion with a scattering of a few coarse sea salt granules for a surprising crunch of salty goodness.

Steps:

• Melt butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Saute onion, stirring, until tender. Stir in the rice, raisins, broth, salt and pepper. Bring to a boil.
• Reduce heat to low, cover and simmer 15 to 20 minutes, or until rice is cooked and liquid is absorbed. Stir in almonds before serving.

Steps:

• Bring chicken broth to boil in a saucepan over medium-high heat; continue simmering while preparing remaining ingredients.
• Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Cook and stir celery, onion, green onion white portions, garlic, curry powder, and salt in the hot oil until vegetables are tender, about 5 minutes. Transfer vegetables to a bowl.
• Cook and stir rice in the same skillet until lightly toasted, about 3 minutes.
• Stir toasted rice into boiling chicken broth. Reduce heat to medium-low; continue simmering until rice is tender and broth is absorbed, about 15 minutes.
• Remove rice from heat and stir in raisins, green onion tops, and celery mixture until well blended.

Steps:

• In a small saucepan, bring 1/2 cup broth to a boil. Remove from the heat; add raisins and set aside (do not drain). In a large saucepan, bring 3 cups of broth and 2 tablespoons of butter to a boil. Add wild rice; cover and simmer for 55-60 minutes or until the rice is tender; drain if necessary., Meanwhile, in large saucepan, combine the brown rice, 2 tablespoons butter and remaining broth. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 35-40 minutes or until rice is tender; drain if necessary., In a small skillet, saute the almonds in remaining butter until lightly browned. In a serving bowl, combine the wild rice, brown rice, raisin mixture, almonds, parsley, salt and pepper.

Steps:

• For the Grilled Moroccan Chicken, remove the skin and any fat and set aside.
• In a small bowl combine the red chili powder, 1 teaspoons of salt, 1 teaspoons of paprika, cumin, coriander, onion powder, cinnamon, cayenne pepper, and four minced garlic gloves. Stir to combine and drizzle with 1 tbs. of olive oil to create a paste.
• Using your hands, rub the mixture into the chicken completely coating each piece. Place in a re-sealable bag and refrigerate overnight or for at least 6 hours.
• Grill the chicken on a clean and oiled grill that is set to medium-high heat. Cook until the inside of the meat registers 160 degrees on a meat thermometer, approximately 6 minutes on each side.
• For the Raisin and Almond Pilaf, heat a medium saucepan over medium heat and add the remaining 1/2 tbs. of olive oil. Once hot add the remaining two minced garlic gloves, stirring constantly (30 seconds or so) before adding the raisins and almonds. Stir to combine and then add the rice, 1 teaspoons of salt, the chicken broth, and 1 1/2 cups of water. Stir and bring to a boil before lowering the heat to the lowest setting and covering for 20 minutes. Once done, fluff with a fork and add 2 tbs. each of the fresh parsley and cilantro.
• For the Cool Cucumber dressing, add the cucumber, sour cream, garlic powder, black pepper, 1/2 teaspoons salt, remaining 1/2 teaspoons of paprika, and the remaining 2 tbs. each of the fresh parsley and cilantro. Pulse until smooth and refrigerate for 30 minutes before serving.
• For the flat bread, in a bowl combine the flour, baking soda, and the remaining 1 teaspoons of salt. Slowly add the hot water gradually, combining the flour mixture and water with your hand. Stop adding water when the mixture become dough-like and you can roll it onto a floured surface. Knead the dough several time before rolling it out to 1/4 inch. thickness. Spray each side with a light coating of olive oil spray before grilling on medium heat for 2-3 minutes on each side. Once done, cut flat bread with a pizza cutter and serve with the meal.

Steps:

• Heat broth and water in a small saucepan over moderate heat until hot, then crumble saffron into liquid and stir. Remove from heat.
• Cook onion in butter in a 2-quart heavy saucepan over moderate heat, stirring occasionally, until golden brown, 5 to 8 minutes.
• Add rice and cook, stirring, until fragrant and pale golden, about 3 minutes. Stir in saffron broth, salt, and pepper and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low and cook, covered, until rice is tender and liquid is absorbed, about 18 minutes. Remove from heat and let stand, covered, 5 minutes, then fluff rice with a fork and fold in almonds.

Steps:

• Melt 1 tbsp butter in saucepan, add mushrooms and saute 3 minutes over high heat, remove mushrooms and reserve.
• Melt remaining butter, in same pan, add onions and peppers, saute until soft.
• Stir in the salt, thyme, rice and broth.
• Bring mixture to a boil, cover, lower heat and simmer for 20 - 25 minutes, until all liquid is absorbed.
• Remove from heat, add in the reserved mushrooms, almond slices and raisins.
• Mix well, pour into a nice dish, season with freshly ground black pepper and garnish with finely chopped green onions.

Steps:

• Melt butter in a large saucepan over medium heat; cook and stir onion and carrot until onion is translucent, about 5 minutes. Stir in basmati rice and salt; cook and stir until rice is slightly opaque, about 3 minutes.
• Pour in water; stir to combine. Mix in saffron threads, rose water, apricots, and almonds; bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer until rice has absorbed the liquid, about 20 minutes. Remove from heat and allow pilaf to stand covered for 10 more minutes. Stir before serving.