Lebanese Rice with Pine Nuts

“I had originally hoped to serve this with a Greek-Style Baked Cod recipe. Unfortunately, that recipe flopped, but this rice was fantastic. It makes a lot rice, so I needed to find something else to serve with it. That led me to my Sumac Chicken recipe and they went perfectly together. This would still be a great accompaniment to fish.” – April Ferre

Lebanese Rice with Pine Nuts

Course: Side Dishes – Rice & Beans
Cuisine: Lebanese

Ingredients

  • 2 Cups Medium or Long Grain White Rice
  • Water
  • 1 Cup Vermicelli Pasta Broken into Small Pieces
  • 2 1/2 Tablespoons Olive Oil
  • 1 Teaspoon Salt
  • 1/2 to 3/4 Cup Pine Nuts Toasted

Instructions

  • Rinse the rice until water runs clear, then place it in a medium bowl and cover with water. Soak for 15 to 20 minutes. Test to see if you can easily break a grain of rice by simply placing it between your thumb and index finger. Drain well.
  • In a Dutch oven, heat the olive oil on medium-high. Add the vermicelli and continuously stir to toast it evenly. Vermicelli should turn a nice golden brown, but watch carefully not to over-brown or burn it.
  • Add the rice and continue to stir so that the rice will be well-coated with the olive oil. Season with salt.
  • Add 3 1/2 cups of water and bring it to a boil. Turn the heat to low and cover. Cook for 15 to 20 minutes on low. Once fully cooked, turn the heat off and leave the rice undisturbed in it's cooking pot for 10 to 15 minutes, then uncover, add pine nuts and fluff with a fork.

Notes

If you cannot find vermicelli, substitute broken up angel hair pasta. Tip, for breaking up the pasta: first break into as small pieces as possible by hand, then put into a ziploc bag, cover with a kitchen towel and crush with a meat mallet or rolling pin.

2020 Recipe – April Ferre – From www.themediterraneandish.com