Moroccan Rice Pilaf with Chanterelles, Apricots, and Pistachios
Basmati rice perfumed with Moroccan spices and bejeweled with dried fruit, nuts, and wild foraged chanterelles.
It was high time for some bold summer color! The beauty of chanterelles growing on the forest floor - oranges, yellows, and reds - never ceases to delight me. The orange ones I find abundantly in midsummer in the southern highlands (Cantharellus cibarius) have a distinct scent of apricot when fresh. I wanted to follow that theme and see where it led.
Since there are no exotic trips planned for the foreseeable future, and precious few meals from restaurants, I was craving tastes and smells that would transport me to somewhere far away. If you’ve been to Morocco you’ve seen and smelled the markets with their mountains of colorful spices. Markets so old that they are now in tunnels formed by the layers and layers of buildings that have been added onto until they enclose the streets entirely. Perhaps you drank Whiskey Morocco (mint tea) and rode a camel outside of Tangier to see where the Atlantic Ocean and the Mediterranean Sea meet.
These themes came together in this beautiful and versatile vegetarian dish which I paired with spiced chickpeas, but would be lovely to accompany any Moroccan chicken or lamb dishes. There is enough flavor to delight the tongue but not overpower the chanterelles. I’ve eaten the leftovers on a salad (I love rice on salad!) with a squirt of lemon juice, loads of parsley, and some yogurt.
Moroccan Pilaf with Chanterelles, Apricots, and Pistachios Recipe
INGREDIENTS
6 cups fresh chanterelles, cleaned and sliced
cooking oil
1-1/2 cups basmati rice
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
1/2 cup finely chopped yellow onions, from one small onion
1/2 teaspoon cumin
1/2 teaspoon ground turmeric
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
2 cloves garlic, minced
2-1/4 cups water
1-1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/3 cup dried apricots (add some currants if you have them!)
1/4 cup roasted pistachios (or toasted sliced almonds)
chopped parsley for garnish
DIRECTIONS
Heat a skillet over medium heat and add a teaspoon or so of cooking oil. When hot, add the sliced chanterelles in small enough batches to make a single layer in the pan. Let them get nice and browned on one side and release most of their water, then stir them to finish cooking through. Add salt to taste when they are almost done. Remove them to a plate to cool as you work through the next batches.
Place the rice in a medium sized bowl and add enough water to cover by 2 inches. Using your hands, gently swish grains to release excess starch. Pour the water off, leaving the rice in the bowl. Repeat this four to five times until the water runs almost clear. Using a fine mesh strainer, drain the rice.
Melt the butter in a large soup pot over medium-low heat. Add the onions and cook, stirring regularly, until softened but not browned, about 4 minutes. Add the cumin, turmeric, cinnamon, and garlic to sautéed onions and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds longer. Add the drained rice to the pot, and cook, stirring constantly, for about 3 minutes. Add water, salt, and pepper to the rice and bring it to a boil. Reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer until all the liquid is absorbed, 15-18 minutes. Take the pot off the heat and sprinkle the dried fruit and sauteed chanterelles over the rice (do not mix in). Place the lid back on the pot and let stand 10 minutes.
Add the pistachios and fluff it all together with a fork, then serve.
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