Pistachio Pilaf

I am going to admit something that I feel like will make you question me as a cook… I have a hard time cooking rice well. I have made some of the mushiest rice you will have ever seen, I have burnt rice, I have made it so chewy as to be inedible. I don’t know what I am doing wrong (except everything, obviously). But this dish turned out perfectly! Beautifully tender, deliciously flavored, perfect. Maybe the secret is the pasta. This is a classic Middle-Eastern pilaf that incorporates pasta to add a silky texture to the dish. Traditionally with the addition of fideo or short vermicelli noodle, but equally tasty (and easier to find in Western markets) with orzo.

Serves 4-6

3 tablespoons grapeseed or canola oil
½ cup (70 g) pistachios
½ (50 g) orzo (or more traditionally fideo - a short vermicelli noodle)
1 cup (200g) basmati rice
½ teaspoon fine sea salt
¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Pinch of grated nutmeg
Pinch of ground allspice
2 cups (480 ml) vegetable stock, or water

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C).

2. Heat the oil in a heavy, ovenproof casserole or dutch oven (with a lid) over medium-high heat.

3. Add the pistachios and cook until fragrant and lightly browned, 3-4 minutes. Use a slotted spoon to transfer the nuts to a plate and set aside.

4. Add the pasta to the flavored oil and saute, stirring frequently, until toasted and slightly golden, 3-5 minutes. Add the rice, salt, pepper, nutmeg, and allspice and stir to coat the pasta and rice with the seasonings. Cook until the spices become fragrant, about 1 minute.

5. Add the stock (or water) and bring to a boil. Cover the pot and place in the oven for 18 minutes, or until the rice is nearly tender.

6. Remove from the oven, stir in the reserved pistachios, and let stand, covered, for 10 minutes or until ready to serve.

Adapted from Flavors of the Sun by Christine Sahadi Whelan