Best Jeweled Grains With Broccoli Peas And Red Onion Recipes

OVEN-BAKED MILLET

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Heat a 10-inch cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat and add the millet. Toast, stirring or shaking the pan, until the grains begin to pop and smell toasty, sort of like popcorn. Add the water or stock and the salt.
• Transfer the pan to the preheated oven. Set the timer for 25 minutes and give the millet a stir. Bake for another 25 minutes. There should still be some liquid in the pan. Stir in the butter and bake for another 5 to 10 minutes, until the millet is thick and no more water or stock is visible in the pan. Remove from the oven; if desired, stir in the Parmesan. Serve right away, topped with tomato sauce or a stew. Alternatively, allow to cool, either in the pan or spread in a small sheet pan, baking dish or cake pan; when it is solid, cut into squares, slices or rounds, which you can grill, fry or layer in a gratin.

DAVID TANIS'S PERSIAN JEWELED RICE

Steps:

• Rinse the rice several times in cold water until the water runs clear. Drain. Bring 3 quarts water to a boil in a large pot with 2 tablespoons kosher salt. Add the rinsed rice and boil, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes, then drain well in a colander.
• Heat 1 tablespoon butter in a small skillet over medium heat. Add the onion, season lightly with salt and cook until softened and lightly colored, 4 to 5 minutes. Moisten with 1 tablespoon saffron water and stir in the cinnamon, cardamom, allspice, black pepper and cumin. Cook for 1 minute more. Stir in the apricots, raisins (or currants) and barberries (or cherries or cranberries).
• Melt 4 tablespoons butter in a heavy-bottomed enamel or nonstick Dutch oven over medium heat. Spread half the par-cooked rice over the bottom of the pot. Spoon over the onion-fruit mixture, then the remaining rice. Leave the pot on the flame, uncovered, for 5 to 8 minutes to gently brown the rice. (Do not stir or move the rice - you will need to rely on your nose to tell if the rice has browned.)
• Drizzle the remaining saffron water over the rice and put on the lid. Adjust the heat to very low and leave undisturbed for 30 minutes. Turn off the heat and let rest at least 10 minutes.
• Heat the remaining 1 tablespoon butter in a small skillet over medium-low heat and gently toast the almonds and pistachios for a minute or so, taking care not to get them too brown. Set aside for garnish.
• To serve, spoon the rice into a wide bowl or platter. With a spatula, carefully lift the bottom crust, placing the crisp side up. Sprinkle with the toasted nuts.

PERSIAN JEWELED RICE

Steps:

• Rinse basmati rice until water runs clear. Place in a bowl, cover with water and add 1 tablespoon salt. Allow to soak for at least 4 hours or overnight.
• Using a mortar and pestle, grind together saffron and sugar. Combine with a scant 1/3 cup boiling water, and set aside to steep. Bring a stockpot of lightly salted water to a rolling boil. Drain rice and add to pot; cook exactly 6 minutes, then drain into fine-meshed colander.
• Place a round Dutch oven or other wide pan with a lid over medium heat. Add 1 tablespoon butter and vegetable oil. When butter has melted, add potato slices in a single layer. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Spread potatoes evenly with a layer of rice about 1 inch thick. Sprinkle 1 cup barberries in stages over rice. Continue to add rice in smaller and smaller layers, sprinkling barberries between each layer, to make a pyramid of rice with no berries on top.
• Using the handle of a round wooden spoon, poke 3 holes into top of rice until spoon touches potato layer. Combine melted butter with saffron mixture, and pour all over rice. Cover underside of pot lid with a large dry cotton kitchen towel. Place on pan, making sure no ends dangle near source of heat.
• Cook rice mixture over medium-high heat for 5 minutes, then reduce heat to low. Cook 40 to 45 minutes. To serve, spoon rice onto a heated serving platter. Top with rows of almonds, pistachios, candied orange zest and remaining 1/2 cup barberries. Arrange potatoes from bottom of pan in another dish, and serve alongside rice.

JEWELED GRAINS WITH BROCCOLI, PEAS AND RED ONION

Steps:

• In a medium pot, add the farro, brown rice, black rice and 1 1/2 cups water. Stir to combine the grains, then bring to a boil over medium-high. Reduce the heat to medium-low, cover and cook until the grains are tender yet chewy, about 20 minutes. Remove from the heat. Scatter the peas on top, cover and let sit, 10 minutes.
• Meanwhile, in a small bowl, toss the red onion and agave with 2 tablespoons vinegar; season with salt and pepper to taste. Let macerate, 20 minutes. Drain the onions before using.
• In a large bowl, stir together the remaining vinegar, tamari, grapeseed oil, sesame oil and ginger. Holding the broccoli stalk firmly in one hand and working over the large bowl, use a sharp knife to shave the floret end into a rough dust, chopping until you reach mostly stalk. (Reserve the stalks for another use.) Add the pistachios, sunflower seeds and tart cherries to the bowl and toss to coat.
• Fluff the grains and peas with a fork and transfer to the bowl; toss to coat. Garnish with the pickled onions.