Savory

Rice with safran, fried angel hair and pomegranate

 

 

First impressions count so much. Don't you agree? This applies not only to the relations but also to the food. The way you're gonna serve and plate the food is the first impression. In that first impression, colours are of high importance. When our food is bland our appetite react different from a dish that consists of two or more colours. 

Think of a bowl with lentils soup. Just that brownish dish. And now think of the same bowl with lentils, but having added some golden brown croutons, some cubes of white feta cheese and some drops of golden green olive oil. Which one would you appetite ? Second one would be my option.

The element of colour and the breaking of monotony was my criteria for choosing today's recipe. As we are approaching the festive period, a lot of gatherings with lunch and dinners will happen. So its that time that we could differ our classic and basic dishes such as a rice dish.

Safran will give to this recipe the golden yellow colour and the special taste. The angel hair pasta and orzo pasta will give the different textures in our food. And the red pearls of the pomegranate will contribute to the colouring game and not only.

Today's recipe is not difficult ... just be carefull when sauteing the angel pasta. When it starts becoming golden, remove from heat and from pan so that it stops cooking and you'll get the desired colour.

As you can see from the photo, I added (with the same angel pasta technique) some orzo pasta, for the playfulness.

Also, you could substitute the required water with chicken stock for enhancing the flavor, having always in mind the protein that you're going to serve rice with.

Put some colour in your life but in your food too!

Enjoy!

 

 
 
 

Ingredients :

  • 250 gr rice
  • 2 Tbsp butter
  • 1 safran stem 0,25 of a gr
  • 1 big pomegranate
  • 150 gr angel hair pasta
  • 1 Tbsp butter
  • 1 Tbsp olive oil
  • Salt and pepper
 

Preparation :

  1. Wash rice under the tap with plenty of water. Drain and let it rest in a colander. 
  2. In a pot, heat butter. Add rice and stir. Sautee rice till absorbs the butter.
  3. In a glass of water add the safran stem and stir.
  4. Add it to the pot.
  5. Add 2 more glasses of water, salt and pepper. Stir well and bring it to the boil.
  6. Reduce heat, put lid on the pot and let it simmer for about 10-12 minutes till rice absorbs most of the water.
  7. Turn off heat. Remove the lid, cover pot with a kitchen towel and let aside.
  8. Meanwhile, in a small frying pan, heat 1 Tbsp butter and 1 Tbsp olive oil and add the angel hair past. Cook and continuously stir till pasta get a golden colour. Remove from heat, break in smaller pieces with a fork and add it to the rice. Mix well. 
  9. At this stage, add the pomegranate seeds to the rice. Mix and fill a round mould with the mixture.
  10. Un-mould in a big platter and serve.
 
 
 

Notes :

Be careful when cooking the angel hair as can easily be burnt.

I also sauteed 1/2 cup of orzo pasta just for the visual effect.

Instead of water you can use chicken stock.

Serves 6-8 persons