Nutty Rice Pilaf

Use a rice cooker, or not--

White and Wild-Rice with (or without) Pecans

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 tablespoon butter

1 small onion, chopped

1 cup white rice

3 tablespoons wild rice

3/4 cup chopped pecans, divided (omit, if you prefer)

2 cups chicken or vegetable broth

Yield: Serves 4

Directions, if you do not have a rice cooker —

1. Preheat oven to 400° F.

2. In an ovenproof pot with a tight fitting lid, heat oil and butter over medium heat. Add onion; sauté until translucent, about 5 minutes.
3. Add to pot, white rice, wild rice and 1/2 cup pecans, if you are using the nuts. Mix well. Sauté rice mixture until lightly browned, about 3 minutes. Stir in chicken broth; bring mixture to a boil. Remove from heat.
4. Cover pot; transfer to oven. Bake pilaf until fluffy, about 35 minutes (avoid lifting lid or stirring pilaf while it is in oven). Transfer pilaf to a serving bowl; sprinkle remaining pecans on top if you are using them.. Serve immediately.

Directions, using a rice cooker —

1. In inner container or rice cooker, over low heat, heat oil and butter over medium heat. Add onion; sauté until translucent, about 5 minutes.
2. Meanwhile, warm chicken broth on stovetop or in microwave.
3. Add white rice, wild rice and 1/2 cup of the chopped pecans, if you are using them, and sauté rice mixture until white rice appears opaque, or milky, which should take from three to five minutes. Remove container from stovetop and place into outer rice-cooker container. Stir in warm chicken broth.
4. Cover and push in button on rice cooker. Bake pilaf until button on cooker pops up and rice appears fluffy, which may take from 30 to 40 minutes (avoid lifting lid or stirring pilaf while it is cooking initially).
5. Sprinkle with remaining pecans if you are using them, and serve directly from rice container if possible to keep rice warm. If aesthetics demand serving in a different bowl, just transfer rice at the very last minute so it will be as warm as possible when consumed.

You can find the above and related recipes by tapping here on the Home Cookin' index.

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