Apples and Rice... a seemingly unlikely pairing... but stick with me a minute. substituting water for stock when making your rice gives this pretty pilau a deep base of flavour to build upon. Add the sweet richness of caramelised onions, the brightness of Granny Smith apples, the satisfying crunch of toasted nuts, the zing of dried cranberries and the bite of fresh herbs and you have a deliciously decadent winter side dish! Serve proudly along side a beautiful piece of fish, bit of chicken, or even on it's own for a hearty vegetarian meal.
With so many textures and complimentary flavours, this dish is satisfying, comforting and very versatile. Go on- give it a try!
What You Need:
2 cups rice
3-4 cups chicken stock (replace water for stock according to the amounts called for by your variety of rice)
1 cup roughly chopped pecans, walnuts or almonds toasted
½ cup olive oil
1 medium red onion)
3 cloves garlic minced
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon black pepper
2 medium Granny Smith Apples cored and cut into chunks
1 cup dried cranberries
4 tablespoon mixed fresh herbs chopped- basil, flat leaf parsley, thyme, tarragon, etc
What To Do:
Cook rice and stock in accordance with packet instructions.
To toast nuts: Place a large pan on the stovetop. Turn heat to medium-high. Add nuts in a single layer. Let sit for a few seconds, then stir toasting for 1-2 minutes or until fragrant. Remove and set aside.
Five minutes before rice is done, place olive oil in pan over medium-high heat, add onions, keeping heat on medium-high. Cook for 2-3 minutes, just until translucent and beginning to brown. Add garlic, salt and pepper cooking for 1 minute longer.
To the pan add apple and cranberries. Cook for 2-3 minutes, then add cooked rice and nuts back to the pan. (Reserve some nuts for garnishing)
Turn off heat add half of the fresh herbs and mix well.
Serve immediately garnished with reserved herbs and nuts.
