Ingredients
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1½ cups long-grain White Rice
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3 tablespoons Unsalted Butter
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1 small Onion
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Salt
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Black Pepper
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2 Garlic
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1 teaspoon minced fresh Thyme
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2¼ cups Chicken broth
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2 teaspoons grated Lemon Zest
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¼ cup whole Almonds
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¼ cup chopped fresh Basil
Directions
Rice pilaf is one of the simplest sides you can make which means there’s no hiding flaws like under- or overcooked rice. For perfect rice every time, we first rinsed long-grain rice to remove excess starch and then toasted the grains in butter until they started to turn translucent around the edges. This helped develop rich, nutty flavors and also began to set the starches in the grains, providing extra insurance against clumping. Next, we added broth to give the pilaf savory backbone; while most recipes call for a 2:1 ratio of liquid to rice, we found that using less liquid gave our rice a better texture. The Dutch oven’s ability to heat evenly was key here, since the rice needed to steam without being stirred. An off-heat rest with a dish towel under the lid absorbed excess moisture and resulted in distinct, separate grains. To give our pilaf some layers of flavor as well as textural interest, we stirred in some garlic and thyme when toasting the rice; lemon zest with the broth; and chopped almonds and fresh, delicate herbs just before serving. Allow the rice to cook for the full 15 minutes before lifting the lid to check it.
Steps
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1
Done
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Melt butter in Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add onion and ¾ teaspoon salt and cook until onion is just softened, about 3 minutes. Add rice and cook, stirring frequently, until edges begin to turn translucent, about 2 minutes. Stir in garlic and thyme and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. |
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2
Done
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Stir in broth and lemon zest and bring to boil. Reduce heat to low, cover, and cook until liquid is absorbed and rice is tender, 15 to 20 minutes. Off heat, lay clean dish towel underneath lid and let pilaf sit 10 minutes. |
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3
Done
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Add almonds and basil to rice and gently fluff with fork to combine. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve. |
