Cooking with Rice

Chef cooking tips, cooking, ethnic cooking, healthy cooking

Cooking with Rice

Saffron Rice is a variation of rice pilaf that goes great with Grilled Chicken, Sausage and Shrimp. Rice is perfect for long term storage at home which is more important than ever at this time. Rice can be prepared in many different ways. It can also be used for many types of dishes, perhaps that…

Daniel M. Pliska

April 6, 2020

3 minutes

culinary, Food, Rice

Rice can be prepared in a vast variety of ways! Pilaf, Steamed, Boiled is three ways to cook it. Leftover rice stirfried with Duck and Cashews makes a delicious meal.

Saffron Rice is a variation of rice pilaf that goes great with Grilled Chicken, Sausage and Shrimp.

In this style of rice, I used a blend of chopped Onions, Celery, Bell Peppers, Fennel and Garlic that I sauteed in Olive Oil in a heavy-bottomed saucepot, prior to adding the Rice.

In the next step, I added Saffron, Chicken broth and drained diced canned Tomatoes then brought it to a boil, covered and baked it until all of the broth was absorbed.

Rice is perfect for long term storage at home which is more important than ever at this time. Rice can be prepared in many different ways. It can also be used for many types of dishes, perhaps that is why it is one of the world’s most basic foods. In this post, I will feature three ways that I have recently prepared it at home for my wife and myself.

Two of the most basic types of rice that are widely used are short-grain rice (used for sushi and risotto), and long grain rice (long-grain white, basmati, jasmine). For this post, I will focus on long-grain rice and the technique for cooking it known as the pilaf technique in a variation of saffron rice. Two other ways that I prepared rice this past month are with cooked lentils and leftover rice in stirfried application with duck breast and cashews.

Rice Pilaf is made with long grain rice it is easy to make once the technique is understood and the ratio of rice to liquid is measured correctly. Pilaf in its most basic form is made in 4 simple steps:

Brown the rice in butter until it is light brown and fragrant (normally a small about of minced onions is also used)
Add hot chicken broth or water and a pinch of salt and a bay leaf ( in a ratio of 1 part rice to 1 1/2 up to 2 parts liquid) in the saffron rice in this post I used 1 cup rice to 13/4 cups chicken broth.
Bring to a boil, then cover and bake at 350F for 20 to 25 minutes (until all of the broth is absorbed)
Remove from the oven, discard the bay leaf, and fluff up the rice loosely with a fork, then let it sit for 5 minutes and serve.

Variations that can lead to one-pot meals are Jambalaya, Paella, and Arroz con Pollo.

Rice Pilaf can also be made with other vegetables such as carrots, celery, bell peppers or mushrooms in the first step and other spices as well such as paprika, curry powder or cumin. After the rice is cooked, frozen peas, cooked beans or other grains can be added as well. Diced cooked chicken or shrimp can also be added.

Learning to cook rice with its many types and variations will open a whole new world of culinary possibilities. Enjoy and be safe and well my friends!