Wild rice pilaf with chestnuts

Complexity: easily
Servings: 8
This pilaf recipe is so simple to make and so elegant that it makes a wonderful side dish for any holiday table. It's a mix of basmati and wild rice, filled with soft roasted chestnuts, sautéed onions and celery, fresh herbs, and crunchy salted pistachios, which provide an interesting contrast to the chestnuts' subtle sweetness. Because basmati and wild rice have different textures, they should be cooked separately. Then, while the rice is still hot, combine the two types in the pan and add the remaining ingredients. Serve this chestnut pilaf with meat dishes.
1 glass (st.) - 250 ml.
3/4 cup (st.) - 180 ml.
2/3 cup (st.) - 160 ml.
1/2 cup (st.) - 125 ml.
1/3 cup (st.) - 80 ml.
1/4 cup (st.) - 60 ml.
1 tablespoon (tbsp) - 15 ml.
1 teaspoon (tsp) - 5 ml.
1/5 teaspoon (tsp) - 1 ml.
Ingredients for the recipe:
- 0.5 cups wild rice
- Fine sea salt
- 1 tbsp. basmati rice
- 7 tablespoons salted butter
- 2 cups diced celery (5 stalks)
- 2 cups sweet onion, diced (1 large onion)
- 3 cloves garlic, crushed
- 2 tsp chopped fresh thyme
- 0.5 cup shelled salted pistachios, crushed
- 200 g fresh chestnuts, roasted, peeled and coarsely chopped
- 2 tbsp chopped fresh parsley
We recommend
Cooking the dish according to the recipe:
- Place the wild rice in a fine-mesh sieve and rinse under cold running water, stirring the rice with your hands until the water runs clear. Transfer it to a medium bowl and add enough water to completely cover. Drain any floating grains and debris, then return the rice to the sieve to drain.
- Boil two types of rice separatelyIn a small saucepan, combine wild rice with 1 cup water and 1/4 teaspoon salt. Bring to a boil, cover tightly, reduce heat to low, and simmer until the rice is tender and the grains curl into a crescent shape, 20-25 minutes.
- Meanwhile, in another small saucepan, combine the basmati rice with 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1 3/4 cups water. Bring to a boil, cover tightly, reduce heat to low, and simmer until the rice is tender, about 25 minutes.
- Combine both types of cooked rice in a large bowl and cover tightly.
- Prepare the vegetable baseHeat the butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the celery and onion and cook, stirring frequently, until the vegetables are softened but still vibrant, about 10 minutes. Add the garlic and thyme and cook for another 5 minutes.
- Place the vegetables, along with any juices, over the rice and stir to distribute the ingredients evenly. Add the pistachios, chestnuts, and parsley and mix thoroughly. Serve the pilaf hot.
Author of the recipe - Amy Thielen is an award-winning television chef and Midwest cookbook writer who currently writes books and blogs about food from her farm.
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