Pilaf (or pilau, or pulao) is a rice dish that is not originally from the Mediterranean (being it typical of Iran, Eastern Europe, the Middle East and India).
I adore this dish and I make it often. I like to cook the rice in broth entirely in the oven - it slowly absorbs all the flavours and develops such a nice crispy crust on top.
While the following might not be the authentic way of making pilaf (starting from the variety of rice used), it’s kind of the Italian way…or at least how I’ve always made it. Let me know what you think!
Ingredients (for 4)
320g Carnaroli rice
1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
50g butter, cubed
640ml veggie stock
1 large onion, chopped finely
1 small head of radicchio, chopped
250g chestnut mushrooms, wiped clean, stems removed, chopped
100g gorgonzola cheese
A bunch of fresh parsley
Salt and pepper to taste
Method
Pre-heat the oven to 200° C static.
In an oven-safe casserole, warm up the oil and slightly toast the rice, onion till golden. Add the radicchio, mushrooms, season with salt and pepper and cover with the veggie stock.
Top with the cubed butter, cover the casserole with tin foil and bake in the oven for 20 minutes. Remove the tin foil, top with the gorgonzola and parsley and place back in the oven.
Change the oven mode to grill and bake for additional 10 minutes or until the top becomes crispy and golden. Serve immediately.
Word of the Day
Radicchio
(A kind of chicory, pronounced ra·dìk·kio)
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