Four-allium baked rice
Side
Ingredients
500g leeks, trimmed, white and light green parts cut into 1½cm-thick rounds
4 shallots, peeled and sliced into 1cm-thick rounds (240g net weight)
6 spring onions, trimmed, white parts cut into 1½cm lengths, green parts thinly sliced (60g)
1 cinnamon stick, broken in half
2 fresh bay leaves
2 tbsp olive oil
Salt
3 garlic cloves, peeled and thinly sliced
2½ tsp cumin seeds, toasted
250g basmati rice, rinsed until the water runs clear
For the pine nut burnt butter
50g unsalted butter
2 fresh bay leaves
20g pine nuts
Description
Cooking rice in the oven can be a real “Ah-ha!” moment for anyone new to the approach. It’s the most foolproof way to the most perfectly cooked and fluffy of grains. If you want to get ahead, do the first 40 minutes of cooking a few hours ahead of time, leaving just the second bit (when the garlic, cumin, rice and boiling water are added) to do before you serve up. To make this dish vegan, swap the butter for three tablespoons of olive oil.
Directions
Heat the oven to its highest setting, or 240C (220C fan)/475F/gas 9.
Put the leeks, shallots, spring onion whites, cinnamon, two bay leaves, oil and a teaspoon of salt in a 30cm x 20cm baking dish. Mix well, cover tightly with foil and bake for 40 minutes, stirring once gently halfway, until the leeks are soft but still hold their shape.
Lift off the foil, stir in the garlic, cumin and rice, then pour in 500ml boiling water. Replace the foil, secure it tightly and return the dish to the oven for 25 minutes, or until all the liquid has been absorbed. Remove from the oven, then leave, still covered in the foil, to steam gently for 10-15 minutes.
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Meanwhile, make the pine nut butter. Put the butter and bay leaves in a small frying pan on a medium-high heat. Melt the butter and cook for five minutes, until it’s nicely browned and starts to smell nutty. Add the pine nuts and cook, stirring, for a minute, until golden all over. Transfer to a heatproof bowl to stop the cooking.
When you’re ready to serve, remove and discard the foil, then gently fluff up the rice with a fork. Pour the burnt butter mixture all over the top and serve warm with the sliced spring onion greens sprinkled on top.