Creative Cooks

Jeweled Rice Pilaf with Carrots
ACTIVE: 25 MIN TOTAL TIME: 1 HR SERVINGS: 6

INGREDIENTS
½ cup sliced almonds
1 pound carrots, peeled and sliced ¼ inch thick
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
Kosher salt
Pepper
2 leeks, white and light green parts only, thinly sliced
2 ½ ounces angel hair pasta, broken into 2-inch pieces (1 cup)
2 cups basmati rice
Pinch of saffron threads
One 3-inch cinnamon stick
3 ¾ cups low-sodium vegetable broth
3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice, plus lemon wedges for serving
½ cup chopped pitted Picholine olives
¼ cup chopped parsley

Preheat the oven to 450°. Spread the almonds in a pie plate. On a rimmed baking sheet, toss the carrots with 1 tablespoon of the olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Roast the carrots until golden and tender, about 15 minutes. While the carrots are cooking, toast the almonds until golden, 3 to 4 minutes; let cool.
Meanwhile, in a large enameled cast-iron casserole, heat the remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Add the leeks and angel hair pasta, season with salt and pepper and cook over moderate heat, stirring frequently, until golden, about 5 minutes. Stir in the rice, saffron and cinnamon stick and cook, stirring, until the rice is golden, about 3 minutes. Stir in the broth and bring to a simmer.
Cover the rice and cook over low heat until all of the broth has been absorbed, about 25 minutes. Remove the pan from 
the heat and let stand, covered, for 10 minutes.
Fluff the rice and stir in the carrots, toasted almonds, lemon juice, olives and parsley. Transfer the rice to a bowl and serve with lemon wedges.

MAKE AHEAD
The rice can be refrigerated overnight and rewarmed before serving.

Company Rice
MAKES: 10 servings TOTAL TIME: Prep: 10 min. Cook: 55 min.

Ingredients

1 celery rib, thinly sliced
1 large carrot, finely chopped
1 small onion, finely chopped
2 tablespoons butter
5 cups chicken or vegetable broth
1 cup uncooked wild rice
1 cup uncooked long grain rice
2/3 cup dried cherries or cranberries
1/2 cup chopped pecans, toasted

Directions

In a large saucepan, sauté the celery, carrot and onion in butter until tender. Stir in broth and wild rice. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 25 minutes.
Add long grain rice; cover and simmer 20 minutes longer. Stir in cherries; cook 5 minutes longer or until the liquid is absorbed. Just before serving, stir in pecans.

Nutritional Facts

2/3 cup: 238 calories, 7g fat (2g saturated fat), 9mg cholesterol, 516mg sodium, 38g carbohydrate (7g sugars, 2g fiber), 5g protein.

Pineapple Coconut Cashew Rice
Prep time 5 mins Cook time 20 mins Total time 25 mins serves: 4-6

Ingredients

1 ½ cups uncooked long grained rice, rinsed and drained
1 20 oz. Can crushed pineapple chunks
1 13.5 oz. Can unsweetened coconut milk
3 tablespoons sweetened coconut flakes
1 tablespoon Thai red curry paste
1 teaspoon garlic powder
½ teaspoon onion powder
½ teaspoon ground ginger
½ teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon pepper

Garnish

3 tablespoons lime juice, more or less to taste
½ cup salted roasted cashews
½ cup chopped cilantro
Freshly cracked salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

Drain pineapple juice from crushed pineapple in a measuring cup. Add coconut milk to equal 3 cups liquid, adding water if necessary.
Add liquid to a large pan and bring to a gentle simmer then stir in all remaining ingredients EXCEPT Garnishes. Bring to a boil then cover and reduce heat to low (dial should be a little above lowest setting). Simmer for approximately 20 minutes or until rice is tender, stirring at 15 minutes, adding water if necessary.
When rice is tender, remove from heat and let rest 5 minutes, covered.
When ready to serve (not before), stir in lime juice, cilantro and cashews.
Taste and season with freshly cracked salt and pepper and additional lime juice to taste if desired.

Coconut Rice Salad
ACTIVE: 10 MIN TOTAL TIME: 40 MIN SERVINGS: 4

1 cup jasmine rice
2 cups unsweetened coconut milk
1 tablespoon sugar
½ teaspoon kosher salt, plus more for seasoning
2 cups shredded cooked chicken
2 small Kirby cucumbers, chopped
1 tablespoon canola oil
Chopped scallions, for garnish

In a large saucepan, combine the rice, coconut milk, sugar and ½ teaspoon of salt and bring to a boil. Cover and cook over low heat until the rice is tender and all of the coconut milk is absorbed, about 20 minutes. Remove from the heat and let the rice stand for 10 minutes. Transfer to a large bowl and stir in the chicken, cucumbers and oil. Season with salt and garnish with scallions.

Nasi Goreng (Indonesian Fried Rice)

2 eggs
4 Tbs (60 ml) peanut (or other mild flavored) oil
1 onion, peeled and chopped
1 clove garlic, peeled and chopped
4 oz (100 g) pork, chicken or beef, finely chopped
4 cups (1 L) cold cooked rice
1 Tbs (15 ml) Hoisin sauce
4 oz (100 g) cooked small shrimp, shelled
8 oz (225 g) peas, defrosted if frozen
2 scallions, chopped in ½-inch (1 cm) pieces
1 Tbs (15 ml) hot sauce (optional)

Beat the eggs and heat half the oil in an omelet pan. Pour the
eggs in and allow to set into a pancake-type omelet. Turn out,
slice into 1-inch (2.5 cm) ribbons and set aside. In the same pan,
put the rest of the oil and fry the onion and garlic for 3 minutes.
Add the meat and cook for 3 minutes, then add the rice and stir
until well heated. Season with the Hoisin sauce. Add the shrimp,
scallions, and peas with the hot sauce, if used, and allow to heat
through. Serve garnished with strips of omelet. Serves 4 to 6.