I don't use a recipe, but just put in some dried cranberries and perhaps cut up bits of dried apricots...sometimes slivered almonds, sometimes pignoli.
Then I add ginger and cinnamon to taste....probably be good with a little cardamon too....
Linda C

We use pinenuts & golden raisins frequently in pilaf. Also like dried figs chopped smallish. I have no idea if it's authentic. Heck though, I'm from CA so I like fruits/nuts & toss them in lots of stuff. (grin)

/tricia

This is one of my favorites. I often use a rice and grain blend that I get from the local health food store (not seasoned). It is also good with a little quinoa mixed in.

Harvest Rice
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1/2 cup slivered almonds
2 cups chicken broth
1/2 cup uncooked brown rice
1/2 cup uncooked wild rice
3 tablespoons butter
3 onions, sliced into 1/2 inch wedges
1 tablespoon brown sugar
1 cup dried cranberries
1/2 teaspoon orange zest
salt and pepper to taste

Directions
1 Place almonds on an ungreased baking sheet. Toast at
350 degrees F (175 degrees C) for 5 to 8 minutes.
2 Mix broth, brown rice, and wild rice in a medium saucepan, and bring to boil. Reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer 45 minutes, until rice is tender and broth is absorbed.
3 In medium skillet, melt butter over medium-high heat.
Add onions and brown sugar. Saute until butter is absorbed and onions are translucent and soft. Reduce heat, and cook onions for another 20 minutes, until they are caramelized.
4 Stir cranberries into the skillet. Cover and cook 10 minutes or until berries start to swell. Stir in almonds and orange zest, then fold the mixture into the cooked rice. Salt and pepper to taste.

I frequently use dried fruits (cranberries, golden raisins, diced apricots) and toasted nuts (mostly almonds and pine nuts) in rice or couscous pilafs. I don't have a recipe, just throw them in there.

I can post a few savory T & T recipes that use dried fruits. Coincidentally, my 2011 cooking quest is to explore using more combinations of fruit with meat, poultry and seafood.

CHICKEN AND BASMATI RICE � serves 4

1 tsp. olive oil
3 scallions, thinly sliced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 1/3 cups basmati rice
2 cups chicken broth
1 1/2 cups water
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 pound boneless, skinless chicken thighs, cut into 1/2 inch cubes
2 carrots, peeled and shredded
1/4 cup golden raisins
2 Tbsp. sliced almonds
2 Tbs. chopped fresh cilantro or parsley

In a large saucepan, heat the oil until hot but not smoking over medium heat. Add the scallions and garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add the rice, stirring to coat. Stir in the broth, water, and salt and bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer, cover, and cook until the rice is almost tender, about 10 minutes.

Stir in the chicken, carrots and raisins. Cover and cook until the chicken is cooked through and the rice is tender, about 7 minutes. Stir in the almonds and cilantro.

Note: Some chopped fresh ginger can be adding along with the garlic.

GREEK BEEF STEW (2-3 servings)

1 lb. lean beef stew meat, cut into 1 inch cubes
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
3 Tbs. butter
2 medium onions, coarsely chopped
1/2 bay leaf
1 small stick of cinnamon, broken into 2 or 3 pieces
1/4 tsp. whole cloves
2 Tbs. dark raisins
1/4 cup dry red wine
2 Tbs. water
1/2 can (6 oz. size) tomato paste
1 Tbs. wine vinegar
2 tsp. brown sugar
1 clove garlic, minced
1/4 tsp. ground cumin
(1/4 tsp. dried mint, crumbled or 1 1/2 tsp. finely chopped fresh mint) optional

Season meat generously with salt & pepper. Melt butter in Dutch oven or heavy casserole. Add meat and turn to coat on all sides with butter. Arrange onions, bay leaf, cinnamon, cloves and raisins over top of meat.

Mix remaining ingredients and spread over casserole contents. Do not stir. Cover very tightly and bake at 325 degrees for about 1 1/2 hours. Stir sauce gently when serving.

MOROCCAN LAMB CASSEROLE

1 1/2 - 2 lbs. lean boneless lamb
3 Tbs. olive oil
1 large onion, halved and slivered
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 Tbs. flour
1 1/2 cups lamb or beef broth
1/2 tsp. ground cardamom
1/2 tsp. ground ginger
1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
2/3 cup golden raisins
1 tsp. salt
1/8 tsp. pepper
3 small yellow squash, unpeeled and cubed
1/4 cup lemon juice

Cut meat into 2 inch strips. Saute in oil until brown in large skillet; transfer to a 10-cup baking dish. Saute the onion and garlic in the remaining fat until soft.

Stir in the remaining ingredients except for the squash & lemon juice. Cook, stirring constantly, 2 minutes. Pour the sauce over the meat in the baking dish.

Bake, covered at 350 degrees for 1 hour. Add the cubed squash and lemon juice; bake uncovered for an additional 30-45 minutes, stirring once or twice until squash is done. Serve with rice. Makes 6 servings

Notes: Although not authentic, I like to add 2 Tbs. of dry sherry to the sauce ingredients. My daughter substitutes 1/3 cup halved dried apricots for 1/3 cup of the raisins. Recipe can be halved � just use a smaller baking dish.

Thanks all! Alexa, you answered another question I've been pondering.....if I could combine brown and wild rice! I might have to make this tonight, maybe with the leftover turkey breast I'm trying to finish. I'll try Ruthanna's Chicken and Basmati Rice soon - it's got all the stuff I like in there!

Teresa

This Cous cous recipe fits the bill.

CURRIED COUSCOUS

Serves 6-8 people

2 boxes Near East Mediterranean Curry Couscous
2 cups broccoli flowerets (about one large head)
1 carrot, sliced thinly
6 white mushrooms (sliced)
5 tbsp olive oil
1/3 cup raisins
2 tbsp mild curry powder
1/2 cup balsamic vinaigrette salad dressing
4 oz feta cheese (cut into 1/4 inch cubes)

Prepare couscous according to package directions.
Cook broccoli and carrots in 3 tbsp olive oil over medium heat, stirring frequently. When partially cooked, add mushrooms and 2 more tbsp of olive oil and cook another 2-3 minutes. Add curry powder and stir until well mixed.
Transfer couscous into large bowl. Add vegetables into couscous. Stir in remaining ingredients.
Either serve immediately or refrigerate.

Also you can cube a boneless chicken breast, cook it and add it to the couscous to make Curried Chicken Couscous

Here's a nice curried rice recipe with raisins:

2 Tbs. butter
1 cup long grain white rice
1 Tbs. Madras curry powder (or less, to taste)
1/2 of a medium yellow onion, diced
1 2/3 c. chicken broth
1 bay leaf
1/3 c. raisins (dark or golden raisins, currants work too)

Melt butter, saute onion until soft, add rice and curry powder - saute until rice is golden. Add remaining ingredients, bring to boil. Reduce heat, cover and cook at a simmer for approx. 20 minutes until tender. Remove bay leaf before serving.

(We've always liked this rice on the side with teryiaki beef/vegetable kabobs).

seagrass

Well, it is 8 PM and I've been cooking 1/2 cup brown rice and 1/2 cup wild rice for 1 hr 30 minutes and it is still not done. It's taken about 4 cups of water instead of 2 and I'm getting hungry. Don't know if this is a lost cause or not, it smells good and I've got some turkey, craisins, and fresh orange zest just waiting for this rice to get DONE!

Stay tuned....

Wow Teresa... I can't even imagine! I would have thought it would be mush by now and I bet you are hungry! I have no idea why it would be taking so long......

Alexa

Did you parch the wild rice before you started cooking it?...
And is this "indian rice" or cultivated rice? I find the cultivated stuff takes lots longer to cook.
Be patient...it'll be worth it!
Linda c

Two hours and 15 minutes of cooking and the wild rice still was not done, but I ate some anyway because I was actually hungry.

Didn't know you were supposed to parch wild rice? What does parch mean anyway? Is that the same as toasting? This was given to me in October by a friend on the quilting forum when we had our yearly quilting retreat; she is from Wisconsin and I don't know if it is indian or cultivated.

I've never cared for wild rice - we have it at Christmas as it was a tradition in my BIL's family. I do like brown rice a lot and usually cook it in the pressure cooker, so it takes 15 minutes instead of 55.

Oh well....you live and learn...

Teresa - I wonder if you could put the Wild Rice and the Brown Rice together in the pressure cooker? That may expedite the whole experience.

Alexa

Alexa, that's what I thought too and I'll do that if I ever fix wild rice again.....maybe in another lifetime. I need to read up on it first.

Thanks for an otherwise good recipe!
Teresa

I'm really late on this, but my grandmother & mom always stuffed Thanksgiving turkeys with a Greek pilafi that included rice, dark raisins, onions, and sometimes pine nuts. It was flavored with chicken broth & allspice. Growing up, it was my favorite part of the turkey dinner. In fact, it was many years before I realized most "Americans" had bread stuffing with their turkeys. Now I make the pilafi by itself because I'm too lazy to stuff a bird.

Sue, I'm sure I would love the pilafi made by your grandmother and mom! My mom makes the most wonderful bread stuffing for our holiday meals - none of us have the touch yet.

Teresa