Savory Rice Pilaf With Lavender & Apricots

venus2's Note:

I got this recipe from the herb gardeners at Festival Hill in Round Top, Texas. It is the most beautiful pilaf and has a lovely taste. Just don't tell finicky eaters what's in it.

• Total Time: 35 mins
• Prep Time: 15 mins
• Cook Time: 20 mins

Ingredients:

Servings: 4

• 3 tablespoons butter
• ½ cup chopped onion
• 1 cup thin sliced celery
• 1 garlic clove , peeled &, mashed
• 1 cup rice
• 2 ½ cups chicken broth
• 1 tablespoon candied ginger
• 2 tablespoons dried lavender blossoms (4 tbsp fresh)
• 1 teaspoon salt
• ¼ cup currant
• ½ cup snipped dried apricot
• 2 tablespoons lemon juice
• ½ cup toasted almonds or ½ cup chopped pistachios
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
• 2 ½ tablespoons chopped fresh spearmint

Directions:

1. Melt butter in medium saucepan; gradually add onion and celery; cook until wilted. Add garlic and rice; stir until thoroughly coated with butter.
2. Add broth, ginger, lavender and salt.
3. Bring to boil; reduce heat to low.
4. Cover and cook without stirring until liquid is absorbed.
5. When rice is tender, stir in currants, apricots, and lemon juice.
6. Remove from heat and let stand covered to soften fruits.
7. Add nuts and herbs and mix well.
8. Serve immediately.

Reviews

[HeatherFeather]

Very good flavor and colorful with the bits of apricots and flecks of lavender. The length of time to cook the rice after lowering the heat wasn't exactly clear,but since the total cook time given was 35 minutes, I assumed that 28 minutes or so was intended. The rice was not ready by then, so I continued cooking far longer, raising the heat to speed up the process. Next time I would toss this into a rice cooker after sauteeing the rice in the butter step.

[Cookgirl]

This was very good and accompanied quite well Steak Diane and roasted asparagus. I used basmati rice, reduced the dried fruit to 1/2 cup total and fresh herbs from our garden. Elegant and easy! Will make again soon! Filed away in the cookbook book #73803

[Spyce]

This was by far very intresting. I have never used lavender before and I must say it was an aquierred taste for my taste buds. I think my brain is used to associating lavender with soap or shampoo or lotion thats why it tasted a bit complex on my pallet at first. I did love the dish and will make it again just that I will use less lavender and incress the amounts as my taste buds ajust to it at time goes by. If you have never eaten lavender before I think 2 tablespoons is too much. Id suggest 1/2 table spoon for first timmers. I had a hard time finding red curranst, is there a suggestion for a good substition? Whole foods only has dried black currants because this fruit is not in season. Will that be ok to use or will it throw off the whole taste of the recipe?