Spanish Saffron Rice

 

You'll Need:

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• 1/4 teaspoon saffron threads

• 2 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

• 1-2 diced onions

• 1 cup Basmati or long grain white rice
  (soaked and rinsed)

• 2 cups water

• 4 cloves minced garlic

• 1-2 diced fresh tomatoes

• 2 large orange bell peppers,
  seeded stemmed and diced

• 1 small jalapeno pepper, seeded, stemmed and minced

• 1/2 teaspoon coriander, ground

• 1 teaspoon kosher salt

• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

• 2 Tablespoons minced parsley for garnish (optional)

 

 

Let's go:

1. Place a few tablespoons of tap water into a small bowl and add the saffron threads to steep. 

2. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

3. In a small Dutch oven or other oven proof pan with a lid, heat oil over medium high heat.

4. Add onions and sauté for 2 minutes.

5. Lower heat to medium and add rice. Stir often for 5 minutes or until rice has just started to brown.

6. Add water and all other ingredients including the small bowl with saffron threads and water and stir to combine.

7. Cover and place in preheated oven for 30 minutes.

8. Remove from oven and keep covered for five more minutes.

9. Fluff with a fork, garnish with optional chopped parsley and serve.

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Moroccan Chickpea & Root Veggie Stew

​

You'll Need:

​

• 1 yam, diced

• 1/2 butternut squash, diced

• 2 carrots, diced

• 1 cup chickpeas (canned or precooked)

• 1-2 diced onions

• 4 cloves garlic, minced

• 2 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

• 3 Tablespoons Ras El Hanout spice blend

• 1 tsp saffron​

• salt & pepper, to taste
   

Let's go:

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

2. Sauté onions In a small Dutch oven or other oven proof pan with a lid, then add garlic, veggies and chickpeas, salt and pepper and spices.

3. Stir to coat veggies and chickpeas evenly, then roast in oven, covered for 1 hour.

 

Iranian Rice Pudding (Sholeh Zard)

 

You'll Need:

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• 1 cup Basmati rice

• 1 teaspoon kosher salt

• 1 1/2 cups sugar

• 6 tablespoons brewed saffron 
  (With a mortar and pestle or coffee grinder,
  crush 1.5 Tbsp Iranian saffron into a fine powder.
  Stir into 1.5 cups boiled water.
  Refrigerate up to 1 week.)

• 3 Tablespoons coconut oil

• 3 green cardamom pods, lightly cracked

• 2 Tablespoons pure rosewater

• Ground cinnamon for garnish (pistachios or slivered almonds optional)

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Let's go:

1. In a large bowl, cover the rice with water. Using your hand, agitate the rice to release the starch, then carefully pour off the water. Rinse the rice 5 to 7 more times, until the water runs clear. Cover the rice with water and refrigerate overnight. Drain, then coarsely crumble with your hands.

2. In a large nonstick saucepan, combine the crumbled rice with 9 cups of water and the salt and bring to a boil. Simmer over moderately low heat, stirring frequently, until the rice is softened, about 30 minutes.     

3. Stir the sugar, brewed saffron, butter and cardamom into the rice. Cover and simmer over moderately low heat, stirring occasionally, until the rice breaks down and the pudding is the texture of loose porridge, 20 to 30 minutes; discard the cardamom pods. Stir in the rosewater. Spoon the pudding into 8 glasses and let cool slightly. Cover the glasses with plastic and refrigerate until thickened, about 1 hour.    

4. Decorate the puddings with cinnamon and slivered almonds. Let stand at room temperature for 25 minutes before serving.