rice and vermicelli pilaf with roasted root vegetables and peas

This pilaf is a traditional one in many Middle Eastern communities. The addition of the vegetables is mine. I like it best when it’s made with butter…lots of butter…but it’s also delicious when made with olive oil. The Rice-A-Roni from a box that my mother used to make as a quick side is so not this!

Ingredients:

• 1 cup white basmati rice, rinsed

• ½ cup vermicelli pasta (or Fideos—angel hair nests), broken into 1”—1 ½” pieces

• 1 stick of butter (4 ounces) or good, fruity olive oil plus a bit more olive oil for vegetables

• 1 medium/large onion, finely diced

• 2 cloves garlic, chopped

• optional: ¼ — ½ teaspoon ground cardamom

• 2 cups water or light stock (chicken or mildly flavored vegetable)

• Salt and pepper as needed

• 1 large carrot

• 1 large parsnip

• 1 medium-large golden beet

• ½ cup (or more if you like) frozen baby peas

• optional:  a handful of toasted pine nuts, coarsely chopped

Method:

• Preheat oven to 375°.

• Peel the carrot, parsnip, and beet (don’t use a red beet because it will color the whole dish...unless you want that look!

• Cut the vegetables into small dice, about ¼” pieces.

• Toss the vegetables with a pinch of salt and just enough olive oil to coat them, then spread them out on a baking sheet (I use parchment for ease of clean-up).

• Roast the vegetables until tender and just beginning to take on color, about 20 minutes or so (time will depend upon the age of your vegetables). Then set the vegetables aside.

• Pour the stock or water into a small saucepan and bring it to a boil, then cover and set it aside.

• In a pot suitable for making rice, melt about half the butter. Sauté the onion until it’s soft and translucent, then add the garlic and continue to sauté just until the onion begins to color. Scrape the onion/garlic mixture, with all the remaining butter, into a small dish and set it aside.

• Melt the rest of the butter and add in the vermicelli. Sauté the vermicelli until it’s golden brown and crisp. Stir it carefully so as not to break the strands.

• Add the rice to the pot and continue to carefully stir so that the rice absorbs and is coated by the butter/oil.

• Add the hot stock, the roasted vegetables, the onions with any remaining butter, the peas, and the cardamom if using, with a few grinds of the pepper mill. Taste to see if the pilaf needs salt (this will depend upon the saltiness of your stock). Stir gently and bring it to a boil, then cover the pot and turn the heat down to very low. Cook the pilaf, without lifting the cover, for 18 minutes, then remove the pot from the heat. Fluff with a fork before serving.

• Fold in the pine nuts, if using, or just sprinkle them on the top as a garnish. Serve hot.