Best Red Pepper Rice Bulgur Or Freekeh With Saffron And Chile Recipes

SAFFRON RICE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
• Heat one tablespoon butter in a heavy saucepan with a tightfitting lid. Add the garlic and onion and cook, stirring, until the onion is wilted. Add the saffron, bay leaf and rice and cook, stirring, about 30 seconds.
• Add the chicken broth and salt. Bring to a good boil.
• Cover and place the saucepan in the oven. Bake exactly 17 minutes. Remove from the oven and keep covered until ready to serve. When ready to serve, discard the bay leaf. Fluff the rice with a fork and stir in the remaining butter.

SAFFRON RICE PILAF WITH RED PEPPERS & TOASTED ALMONDS

Steps:

• On the stove top or in the microwave, heat the broth until hot. Add the saffron, cover, and let sit for 15 to 20 minutes.
• Meanwhile, in a heavy-based 3-quart saucepan with a tight lid, heat the oil over medium heat. Add the diced onion and bell pepper, and cook, stirring occasionally, until soft but not browned, about 5 minutes.
• Add the rice, salt and cayenne, and stir well to coat each grain with oil. Toast for a full five minutes, stirring regularly to keep the grains separated and to prevent them from sticking to the bottom of the pan (the rice may turn opaque before 5 minutes is up, but keep going). Reduce the heat to low if there are any signs of scorching. Stir in 2 tablespoons of parsley and the garlic.
• Add the saffron broth, stir once, and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Cover, reduce the heat to low, and cook for 18 minutes. Remove from the heat, and let the pilaf sit, still covered, for five minutes.
• Once the pilaf has rested, remove the lid and fluff the rice with a fork. Using the fork, gently fold in the almonds, the remaining parsley, and the oregano. Taste for seasoning and adjust as needed.
• P.S. You might be tempted to leave out the saffron because it's expensive, but DON'T DO IT! It's worth every penny, and one jar goes a long way. If you have a Trader Joe's in your area, you can pick up a jar for about three to four bucks. If you don't have a TJ's, I'm sorry for you.

ARROZ ROJO (RED CHILI RICE)

Steps:

• Tear the chili into flat pieces and toast in a heavy skillet over medium heat, pressing firmly with a spatula until it cracks, blisters and changes color, about 45 seconds per side. Place in a bowl and cover with boiling water. Weight with a plate to keep the pieces submerged, and let stand for 30 minutes. Drain and place in a blender jar.
• Heat 1 teaspoon of oil in a small skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring frequently, until browned, about 7 minutes. Add the garlic and cook 2 minutes. Scrape into the blender and add 1/2 cup of broth. Blend to a smooth puree and strain through a medium-mesh sieve into a small saucepan. Stir in the salt and remaining broth. Set over low heat.
• Combine 1 1/2 teaspoons of oil and the rice in a deep pot over medium heat. Stir frequently until the rice is light brown, about 7 to 10 minutes. Carefully add the broth mixture -- it will spatter -- stir well, scrape down the sides of the pan, cover and simmer over medium-low heat for 15 minutes. (More broth may be required to make the rice tender; add 1/4 cup at a time and continue cooking.) Remove from the heat and let stand, covered, 5 to 10 minutes, until the grains are tender but still quite firm. Season with additional salt if needed.

SAFFRON RICE WITH PIGNOLIS

Steps:

• Melt 1 tablespoon of the butter in a saucepan and add the onions. Cook, stirring, until the onions are wilted. Add the rice, pignoli nuts, saffron, thyme, Tabasco, bay leaf, water, salt and pepper. Bring to a boil, stirring. Cover the saucepan tightly and simmer 17 minutes.
• Discard the thyme sprigs and bay leaf. Distribute the remaining 1 tablespoon butter and the chopped parsley through the rice. Keep the rice covered in a warm place until it is served.

SAFFRON SWEET POTATO AND RED PEPPER SOUP

Steps:

• Heat broiler to high. Line a baking sheet with foil. Arrange red peppers on sheet skin side up and broil about 4 inches from heat until skin is very charred, 10 to 15 minutes. Remove from oven and wrap peppers in foil to steam skin loose, 10 to 15 minutes. Peel off skin and coarsely chop flesh.
• In a 4-quart saucepan, heat olive oil. Add onion, 3 thyme sprigs, bay leaf and salt. Cover and cook over low heat, stirring occasionally, until soft, about 10 minutes. Add sweet potatoes, bell peppers, stock, 2 cups water and saffron and bring to a boil. Uncover, reduce heat to medium-low and simmer, stirring occasionally, for 15 minutes.
• Discard thyme sprigs and bay leaf. Using an immersion blender, purée soup. Taste and add salt if needed, and white pepper. Ladle soup into bowls and garnish with leaves from remaining thyme sprigs and a drizzle of olive oil.

RED PEPPER RICE, BULGUR OR FREEKEH WITH SAFFRON AND CHILE

Steps:

• Rub saffron between your fingers and place in a small ramekin. Cover with 1 tablespoon hot water. Set aside.
• Heat 3 tablespoons olive oil over medium heat in a deep, lidded skillet or a wide, lidded saucepan. Add onion and cook, stirring often, until tender, about 5 minutes. Add garlic and cook and stir until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add peppers and a generous pinch of salt and cook, stirring often, until tender, about 5 minutes. Add chile, paprika, tomatoes and salt and pepper to taste and cook, stirring often, for about 5 minutes, until tomatoes have cooked down and softened a bit.
• Add rice, bulgur or freekeh and stir to coat with tomato mixture. Add saffron with its soaking water, water, more salt to taste, parsley and marjoram, and bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat to low and simmer 20 minutes, or until water has been absorbed.
• Remove from heat, uncover and place a towel across the top of the pan. Return lid and let sit for 10 minutes. Serve hot, with remaining olive oil drizzled over the top.