Crispy Spiced Pilaf

[Bethp]

I was wondering if anyone could send me the Crispy Spiced Pilaf from Issue #27, page 35. I don't have issues back that far and this sounds like a great recipe for my guests this week.

[cjs]

Here you go Beth! Gee, this sounds good! And the related recipes sound really interesting! thanks for requesting this. did you want any of those recipes also???

Crispy Spiced Rice Pilaf
(Cuisine, June 2001, Issue 27, p. 35)
Makes: 6 Cups Total Time: 45 Minutes Rating: Easy

Simmer:
1 3/4 cups (one 14-oz. can) low-sodium chicken broth

Steep in Broth; Strain:
Pinch saffron threads

Sweat in 3 T. Unsalted Butter:
1/2 cup yellow onion, diced
5 whole cloves
2 bay leaves
1 cinnamon stick

Add and Saute:
12 oz. (2 cups) raw basmati rice

Stir in; Cover and Cook:
Infused chicken broth
1/4 cup dry white wine
1 t. kosher salt

Add and Cook:
1/2 cup dried apricots, sliced
1/2 cup sliced almonds, toasted
1/2 cup frozen peas
1 t. lemon zest, minced

Simmer broth in a small saucepan over medium heat.

Off heat, add saffron; let steep 15 minutes. Pour broth through coffee filter-lined strainer and set aside. Melt butter over medium heat, in a large nonstick saute pan with tight-fitting lid. Add onion, cloves, bay leaves, and cinnamon.

Sweat onion and spices for 5 min.

Add basmati, stir to coat with oil, and saute another 5 minutes.

Stir in the strained saffron broth, wine, and salt; cover pan and reduce heat to low. Cook until rice is tender and liquid is absorbed, about 15 minutes.

Add apricots, almonds, peas, and lemon zest on top of the rice—don’t stir them in. To get the crusty rice on the bottom, cover the pan, increase heat to medium-low, and continue cooking for 3–5 more minutes. You’ll hear the rice crackle as it browns. Check to be sure rice isn’t burning, and when ready to serve, fold the rice with a spatula from the bottom to the top. Don’t fold too much—try to keep the browned rice in clumps.


Related Recipes:
Mango Lassi
Iced Chai
Tandoori Game Hens
Curried Potatoes and Cauliflower
Chickpea Salad

Nutrition Information (Per 1/2 cup):
207 calories 25% calories from fat 6g total fat 34g carb. 222mg sodium

[Bethp]

Thank you so much!! I'm having friends over who have had a tough year - his second open heart surgery so I'm planning on fixing the talapia on a bed of jullianned vegetables (Issue 45)- heart friendly! I would love the tandori chicken & the chick pea salad for a later date tho if it's not too much trouble. I really appreciate you typing out the recipe for me!

[cjs]

You're welcome - but, I have access to the other C@H site (where the archives are), so I just copy and paste - didn't type this all up.

Tandoori Game Hens
(Cuisine, June 2001, Issue 27, p. 32)
Makes: 6 Servings Total Time: 1 Hour + Marinating Rating: Intermediate

Prepare:
3 24-oz. Cornish game hens

Toast and Crush:
1 t. fennel seed
1 t. cumin seed
1/2 t. ground coriander
1/2 t. ground cardamom
1/2 t. ground cinnamon
1/4 t. crushed red pepper flakes

Combine and Marinate Hens in:
Crushed toasted spice mixture
3/4 cup plain lowfat yogurt
1/2 cup fresh lemon juice
3 T. fresh ginger, peeled, minced
3 T. garlic, minced
1 T. jalapeño, seeded, minced (about 1/2 pepper)
1 T. paprika
2 t. kosher salt
1 t. cayenne
1/2 t. turmeric

Grill Hens. Brush with:
1/4 cup unsalted butter, melted

For preparation, split the hens, first trim out the backbone. With hen breast side down, use kitchen shears to cut down both sides of backbone from head to tail. Now turn the hen over and split it in two by cutting through the middle of the breast bone. If you have a hard time using shears for this, the hens can also be split with a large chef’s knife. To help the leg and thigh cook quickly, cut through the leg joint. Locate the joint with your finger (it’s where the fat line is), then slice almost through the joint—but don’t cut off the leg! Puncture both sides of the hen halves with a paring knife to help the marinade penetrate the meat. Go all the way through and be sure to lift the wings and poke under and around them too. Place hens in a large, shallow glass or ceramic dish.

Toast fennel seed, cumin seed, coriander, cardamom, cinnamon, and pepper flecks in a saute pan over medium heat about 2 minutes or until fragrant.

Combine all marinade ingredients in a large mixing bowl and pour over the halves, turning to coat completely. Cover and chill 3–4 hours. Preheat both sides of gas grill to high. When hot, clean grates then turn off the heat on one side. Scrape the excess marinade off the hens (reserve it for basting) and place halves on the unlit side.

Cover and grill 20 minutes. For even cooking, rotate the hens that are on the outer edge of the grill to the inside.

Baste with some of the reserved marinade, then cover and grill another 20 minutes. After 40 minutes of grilling, take the hens’ temperature—they should be around 140° in the thigh/leg area. Rotate and brush with marinade again.

Cover and grill 20–30 more minutes. When hens reach 165° (after about an hour total), take them off the grill, tent with foil, and let rest 10–15 minutes to redistribute juices. Before serving, brush hens with melted butter.

Nutrition Information (Per half hen):
647 calories 67% calories from fat 47g total fat 4g carb. 538mg sodium
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Chickpea Salad
(Cuisine, June 2001, Issue 27, p. 34)
Makes: About 3 Cups Total Time: 10 Minutes Rating: Easy

For Dressing, Whisk Together:
3 T. vegetable oil
3 T. fresh lemon juice
2 t. sugar
1/4 t. kosher salt
Pinch ground cumin
Pinch ground cardamom

Toss in Dressing; Marinate:
2 cans (14 oz. each) chickpeas, drained, rinsed
1/2 cup red bell pepper, diced
1/2 cup cucumber, seeded, diced
1/4 cup scallions, sliced

Whisk together dressing ingredients in a large bowl.

Toss chickpeas, bell pepper, cucumber, and scallions in dressing. Marinate an hour at room temperature. (Chill salad if making ahead. Serve room temperature.)

Nutrition Information (Per 1/2 cup):
231 calories 32% calories from fat 8g total fat 33g carb. 494mg sodium

[Bethp]

Thank you very much! One more question = how do I access the other website for the archive recipes?

[cjs]

I'm sorry to tell you you can't - at least at this time. The powers that be opened 'membership' for a very short period of time and then closed it down. It resulted in just a very few of us getting in on time.

[bjcotton]

Those of us that made it in, Beth, don't mind sharing.