Laura Folland’s Cinnamon Paklava
This recipe was inspired by Laura’s aunt Carol, who was my dad’s BFF growing up.
Eddie Marashian’s Perfect Pilaf
My brother is the third in a line of Edwards. My grandpa was called Ed Sr; my dad is known as Eddie; and my brother is affectionately known as Eddie Boy. A wizard in the kitchen, Eddie Boy has faithfully preserved and even upgraded many of our family recipes. His recipe for rice pilaf was originally my mom’s, with enhancements that have made it foolproof. So, if you’re looking for one pilaf recipe that comes out perfect every time, look no further.
Eddie Marashian’s Perfect Pilaf
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Yield:
4-5 servings
Prep time:
10 minutes
Cook time:
20 minutes
Total time:
30 minutes
INGREDIENTS
| 1 | cup of Uncle Ben’s Parboiled rice |
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| ½ | cup crushed vermicelli |
| 3 | cups of chicken broth, preferably Swanson’s Original |
| Salted butter |
EQUIPMENT
- Large saucepan
- Wooden spoon
INSTRUCTIONS
| 1. | Melt 1.5 tbsp. butter in pan over med-high heat. |
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| 2. | Add the vermicelli and sauté until brown, being careful not to let the vermicelli burn. |
| 3. | Once the pasta has browned, immediately add rice and stir the rice to coat every kernel with butter until it glistens and becomes translucent. |
| 4. | Add the broth and bring to a boil. |
| 5. | Once it’s boiling, cover and bring down to a simmer on medium-low heat. |
| 6. | Let it simmer for 18-20 min or until all the broth is absorbed. |
| 7. | Remove from heat and add 4-5 tbsp of butter, cut into pats, and dot them around. |
| 8. | Return the lid to the pot and let it sit for a few minutes while the butter melts. |
| 9. | Use a large fork to fluff the pilaf, but don’t stir it. (Stirring it will make it starchy.) |
NOTES
| 1. | If you don’t have vermicelli, you can use hand-crushed angel hair pasta. |
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| 2. | Poke your spoon down to the bottom of the pot to check that all the liquid has absorbed. The rice should be moist but not wet, and certainly not dry. “Nobody wants bone-dry pilaf,” says Eddie Boy. |
| 3. | Taste prior to serving. If you want to add salt or pepper, you can do so now. But, if you used the Swanson’s original broth and the salted butter, the salt amount should already be correct. |
| 4. | Our mom served this with cooked peas. You can set them in a little well, right on top of the pilaf, or put them on the side. |