Mark Arax’s Original Lamb Tri-Tip

INGREDIENTS 1 cup of Uncle Ben’s Parboiled rice 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. 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. 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.