Make Your Own Variation of Rice Pilaf. Here’s Our Version

Normal rice is one of the singularly most eaten starch in the world, and people have been levelling up their rice dishes for about as long as it’s been eaten. Rice Pilaf is defined as any rice dish that has been cooked in meat or vegetable broth, so the variations are many. The following is a standard in my family, although the flexibility of being able to introduce other vegetables makes it easy to leverage leftover side dishes and saving the veggie bin from being merely the place where good eating intentions go to die.

Special Equipment:

1 medium or large covered casserole (round for even cooking is recommended); kitchen apron

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 cups Basmati rice (you can substitute your own favorite long grain rice here)
• 3 cups chicken broth (substitute vegetable broth if you desire)
• 2 tablespoons cooking oil
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp freshly ground pepper
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 tsp thyme
• 1/2 tsp sage
• 1/2 cup fresh corn
• 1/2 cup mushrooms (I use canned in a pinch),
• 1/2 cup peas
• 1/2 small onion, chopped
• 1/2 cup carrots, diced small

(See notes in Directions for the use of frozen vegetables.)

Directions:

Assemble your vegetables and place them into a medium or large covered casserole. The round shape aids in even cooking without hotspots. Preheat the oven to 375° F. Add the onion, mushrooms, corn and carrots to the casserole. Place the 3 cups broth in a small saucepan and heat to simmer.

A note regarding using frozen veggies: As I am using frozen peas in this instance, I am placing the peas in with the broth to heat them so it doesn’t affect cooking times. You can do this with any other of the vegetable components; using fresh veggies does not require this.

Add the thyme, bay leaf, sage, salt and pepper, bay leaf and bullion cube to the simmering broth. Stir the broth to ensure the cube dissolves.

At this point, it is highly recommended that you use a kitchen apron. Hot oil and toasted rice can splatter and result in painful injury.

While the broth is heating up, preheat a medium skillet to medium heat, and add the cooking oil. Add the rice, and using a high-heat silicon spatula, arrange the rice to a level surface over the bottom to maximize contact with the bottom. Stir frequently to get the rice off of the bottom of the skillet and re-level the rice every minute or two for 8 to 12 minutes.

Near the end of the toasting of the rice, place the simmering broth mixture in with the vegetables in the casserole.

The rice will take on a golden brown appearance and will feature a nutty aroma when done. Note the distinctive color difference below.

Carefully -and slowly- add the toasted rice to the casserole with oven mitts. It will hiss as the hot rice enters the broth and vegetable mixture. Do not add the broth to the rice– the temperature differential could make a steam flash and cause burns.

Stir the contents of the casserole so that the majority of the rice sinks to the bottom and the vegetables float to the top. This keeps rice submerged in the broth as it soaks up the moisture during cooking.

Place the lid on the casserole dish and place on the middle rack of the oven for one hour. Be careful in removing the casserole dish, it’s hot. Remove the lid, stir to distribute the vegetables, and let to sit for five to ten minutes before serving.

Serves six to eight.