A simple rice dish that can easily be modified to include protein and vegetables. It’s brilliant and a perfect side dish for summer.
Preparation:
To cook:
Level: Easy
Serves: 8
Ingredients
- 2 cups Basmati rice, rinsed and soaked
- 2 tablespoons Olive oil
- 1 whole Medium sized onion, diced
- 2 cloves minced garlic
- ½ cups Orzo
- 2 whole Lemons, zest (optional) and juice, divided
- 1 teaspoon Salt, or to taste
- 2-¼ cups Chicken broth (or water)
- 1 teaspoon Dry dill
- ½ cups Flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped
Preparation
In a bowl, rinse the rice well. I like to massage the rice for a few minutes in water to remove the starch. The water should not be cloudy when you are finished rinsing and straining. Soak the rinsed rice in a bowl of water for about 15 minutes.
Meanwhile, gather all the ingredients.
Head a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add oil and simmer for a minute or more. Sauté the onions and garlic, stirring for a few minutes. Once the onions begin to soften, add the orzo and lightly toast. It should only take a few minutes. Just be sure to stir the mixture frequently before adding the rice. Add the rice, half the lemon juice, salt and broth.
Bring the mixture to a boil, then cover, reduce the heat to low and cook for about 18 to 20 minutes. Take a peak at this time, but no sooner, and the liquid should be completely absorbed. The rice should be fluffy and not sticky.
Once the rice is frothy, remove from the heat, keep it covered, and let sit for about 10 minutes. After 10 minutes, remove lid, add remaining lemon juice and lemon zest if using.
Mix the dill, parsley and stir well. Taste and season with additional salt if needed.
The result is a rice dish that’s not only light in texture, but pops so well with the lemon and dill. Let’s say it’s a very good dish for this time of year.
Remarks:
• If the rice is sticky, it’s probably cooked and something has probably gone wrong. Do not be discouraged. It’s rice and believe me, rice can be tricky.
• The question you may be asking yourself is: should I just use my rice cooker? To be honest, I’m sure it would work fine. I’ve never used it for this particular recipe, but the rice cooker works wonders. If you have one and feel more comfortable, go ahead and report it to me.
