Cranberry-Orange Jewel Rice

By á-888

Most delicious rice dish I've made!

Ingredients

• 2 oranges
• 1/2 cup raw sugar
• 1/3 cup slivered almonds
• 3 tablespoon vegan butter, such as Earth Balance
• 2/3 cup dried cranberries
• 1/2 About 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 3 cups basmati rice, rinsed well
• 1/4 teaspoon saffron threads
• 1/3 cup macadamia nuts or pistachios

Details

Servings 6
Preparation time 5mins
Cooking time 45mins

Preparation

Step 1

With a vegetable peeler, pare skin from oranges (orange part only). Cut peel into thin strips. You should have about 1/2 cup. Reserve fruit for garnish or another use.

In a 1 1/2 qt saucepan, combine orange peel and 3 cups water. Bring to boil, then reduce heat and simmer until peel has lost sharp bitter taste, 3-4 minutes; drain. Return peel to pan and add 1/2 cup water and sugar; bring to boil, then reduce heat and simmer until the peel is translucent, about 15 minutes.

Meanwhile, in a 5 quart nonstick pan over medium heat, stir almonds and macadamias (if using; don't add pistachios in this step) until golden. remove from pan. Add one tablespoon butter, 1 tablespoon water, and the cranberries to the pan; stir until the cranberies are puffy and beginning to brown, 2-3 minutes. Remove from pan.

Add 2 quarts of water to the pan and bring to boil over high heat. Add rice and boil, uncovered, until slightly translucent but firm to bite, 5-8 minutes. Pour into fine colander and rinse rice. Rinse and dry pan.

Add remaining 2 tablespoons butter to pan over low heat. when melted, tilt pan to coat bottom and up to one inch up sides. Return rice to pan, drizzle with two tablespoons water, cover tightly, and cook over medium-high heat until rice is hot and pan fills with steam, 3-5 minutes. Reduce heat to very low and cook until tender to the bite, 10-15 minutes.

With fingers crumble saffron into a small bowl. add 1/4 cup hot water and let stand 5 minutes. Add saffron mixture, orange peel, and cranberries to rice and mix gently. Add salt to taste.

Sprinkle with almonds and macadamias/pistacios and serve!