Yellow Rice Pilaf With Raisins & Almonds

Pin It

This is a much simpler version of Colin Cowie's Aromatic Basmati Rice or as I like to call it, Basmatic Rice.  It is the one I use for family and casual weeknight entertaining when I'm cooking certain chicken or fish recipes and want something sweet and sour to complement the dish.

Rice is the traditional accompaniment in most Latin dishes and as such, we have as many recipes as Americans have for potatoes.  If my mother could have gotten away with it, we would have had rice every night of the week.  White, yellow, with vegetables, mushrooms or chicken bouillon... any combination she could think of.  So I grew up eating lots of rice and not as many potatoes.  Saffron used to be the traditional spice we used in those days but with the astronomical price you now have to pay for a few threads, well, you just have to be creative.  I found some at Marshall's a few weeks ago and bought the entire lot.  It is safely tucked away in the back of my jewelry box.

Saffron threads an saffron powder

I have started using turmeric as a less expensive alternative for coloring the rice and almost have the family convinced that they like it.  But it's been an uphill battle so if you don't care for turmeric, by all means, substitute saffron.  In that case, I sometimes add a teaspoon of tomato paste for a different dimension and omit the cinnamon stick!  You will be left with essentially a Cuban yellow rice with raisins and almonds...not a bad combination!

Tumeric root and tumeric powder

Monks in Sri Lanka, formerly Ceylon

Yellow Rice Pilaf With Raisins And Almonds

Servings: 8


Ingredients

2 TB butter

1/2 cup chopped onions

1 bay leaf

3 cups light chicken stock

2 cups long-grain rice

1/2 cinnamon stick

One 1-inch piece of tangerine or orange zest, white pith removed

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon turmeric

3 tablespoons unsalted butter

1/2 cup sliced almonds (about 2 ounces)

1/2 cup raisins or yellow raisins(about 3 ounces)

Chopped Parsley


 Directions

1.In a medium saucepan, melt the butter and sautee the chopped onions until translucent.  Add the bay leaf halfway through.  Combine the chicken broth with the rice, cinnamon stick, tangerine zest, salt and turmeric. Stir well and bring to a boil. Cover and cook over very low heat until the liquid is absorbed and the rice is tender, 15 to 17 minutes.

2. Meanwhile, in a large saucepan, melt the butter over moderate heat. Add the almonds and cook, stirring, until golden, about 2 minutes. Stir in the raisins and remove from the heat. Add to rice together with the chopped parsley.  Fluff gently with a fork to combine. Transfer to a bowl and serve.

If you want a little flair in your presentation, sprinkle a little shredded coconut on top

Cooks Note.

If you want to keep this simpler, saute the almonds and raisins first and transfer to a plate.  Wipe the pan and proceed to step #1.  I hate cleaning up so I am always thinking of ways to cut back on pans


Photos Getty Images
.

Flourless Almond Torte with Chocolate Coffee Sauce

Pin It When I saw this recipe, I immediately thought of my good friends Andrew and Juan, who make the most divine Chocolate Flourless Cake. Now, these two are hosts par excellence, and an evening at their home is the epitome of what a great dinner party should be. I must say I have learned a lot from them and some of the things I have observed only serve to reinforce what I have already learned and applied to my own dinner parties. I want to write a separate post on entertaining soon so I won't digress from this wonderful dessert.

This recipe is from the book Effortless Elegance by Colin Cowie, one of the West Coast's preeminent caterers and event planners. In this book, he applies the same principles he uses in creating some of the most famous parties in LA to entertaining at home. It is ironic that I would find this recipe in his book considering how I feel about my friends Andrew and Juan's entertaining style. Just a coincidence? perhaps...

Flourless Almond Torte

2 1/2 C blanched almonds
1 1/2 C sugar
7eggs
Dash salt
1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
Grated peel of 1 lemon
Powdered sugar
Chocolate Coffee Sauce (see following recipe)

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees

2. Butter a 10 inch spring form pan, then line it with wax paper. Butter the wax paper.

3. In a food processor, combine the sugar and almonds. Process until almonds are finely ground. Set aside

4. Separate 4 of the eggs, placing the yolks in a large bowl and reserving the whites. Add the remaining eggs, along with the salt, vanilla, and lemon peel, to the bowl with the yolks and beat to blend well. Gradually beat in the almond mixture. The mixture will become very thick.

5. In a large bowl of a electric mixer, beat the reserved whites until they are stiff but not dry. Gently fold them into the batter, a third at a time.

6. Transfer the batter to the prepared pan, and bake for 45 minutes, or until a wooden toothpick inserted near the center of cake comes out clean.

7. Cool the cake in the pan on a wire rack. Remove the sides of the pan and sprinkle the cake with powdered sugar. Serve with Chocolate Coffee Sauce.

Chocolate Coffee Sauce

1 1/4 C milk

1 vanilla bean, split

1 TB unsweetened cocoa powder

1 TB finely ground coffee

2 egg yolks

2 TB sugar

Directions

1. In a saucepan, bring the milk with the vanilla bean to a simmer over medium heat. Reduce the heat.

2. Transfer 2 TB of the hot milk to a bowl and stir in the cocoa powder and the coffee. Set aside.

3. In another bowl, beat the yolks and the sugar until light. Set aside.

4. Remove the vanilla bean and scrape the insides into the milk. Discard the bean.

5. Stir a small amount of the hot milk into the yolk mixture, then stir the yolk mixture, along with the cocoa mixture, into the pan of milk. Cook, stirring constantly, over medium heat until the sauce begins to thicken and coats the back of a metal spoon, about 10 minutes. Transfer to a serving bowl and stir for 1 minute to cool slightly.

Cooks Note: This is a great cake to serve for Passover.