Turkish Rice-A-Roni

Submitted by COOKGIRl

"Made this up the other night. Turkish Rice-a-Roni! The Ankara city treat!!"

 

• Ready In: 35mins
• Ingredients: 16
• Serves: 4

ingredients

• 3 tablespoons butter (NOT margarine)
• 1 cup long grain basmati rice
• 1⁄2 cup uncooked orzo pasta (or 1/2 cup uncooked spaghetti or spaghettini)
• 1⁄2 cup leeks, thinly sliced or 1/2 cup yellow onion, diced small
• 1 cinnamon stick
• 1⁄4 teaspoon ground allspice
• 1 medium tomatoes, chopped small
• 3 cups vegetable broth or 3 cups chicken broth
• 1 tablespoon butter (NOT margarine)
• 2 tablespoons slivered almonds or 2 tablespoons pistachios
• 3 tablespoons raisins
• 2 tablespoons dried apricots, cut up into small pieces
• 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, minced
• 1 tablespoon fresh mint leaves, minced
• salt, to taste
• fresh cracked black pepper

directions

1. NOTE: If using spaghetti, break up the strands into small 1/4" pieces using a rolling pin.
2. Heat up 3 tablespoons of butter on medium heat until the butter smells nutty but NOT burnt.
3. Sautè the rice with the orzo, leek (or onion), cinnamon stick and allspice until rice grains and pasta glisten and are lightly browned, about 5 minutes.
4. Stir in the tomato and broth; bring to a boil.
5. Lower heat to simmer, cover and cook for 18-20 minutes or until liquid is absorbed.
6. Meanwhile, heat the remaining 1 tablespoon of butter on low-medium heat and lightly toast the almonds.
7. Stir in the raisins and dried apricots, stirring until dried fruit is very slightly plump. This will only take a minute.
8. Set the almond/dried fruit mixture aside.
9. Once the rice is done cooking, stir in the almond/dried fruit, parsley and mint.
10. Season with salt and pepper, to taste. Remove cinnamon stick before serving.

Reviews

[Annacia]

This tastes far better than that box mix by the same name. I used chicken broth and served with lemon garlic chicken. I just love dried apricots with chicken and know that this was going to be a hit when I first read it. It couldn't be much easier and the wonderful fragrance from the pot fills the kitchen and makes you wish you could bottle it. Thanks so much Cookgirl. :D

 

[UmmBinat]

Delicious rice!!! I loved the sweetness of the apricots in this. I made ours gluten free by using crushed up penne rice pasta. I used unsalted butter, cooking onion, canned & fresh tomato, homemade chicken stock, slivered almonds, washed yellow raisins, sea salt, and the rest! I served this with recipe#40388, recipe#437714, no dill & a version of recipe#90513 for a very tasty meal. I would definitely make this again. Made for NA*ME Tag! Come play!!

 

[Mellowpuff]

I just needed a quick rice dish to go with my meal & randomly chose this. And glad I did!! It was better than my main! This had lots of flavour & we liked the mint. I also used homemade chicken stock, yellow onion, but I didn't have any nuts or dried fruit on hand. Didn't matter though - very good! THanks!

 

[Chef Kate]

Delicious complement to a grilled fish entree. In the either/or categories, I used orzo, leeks, pistachios, homemade chicken broth. I DID use butter (which I did NOT burn). I and everyone else DID enjoy it--the textures are great and it's a very aromatic dish. Thanks, CG!