Pilaf
Adding leftover rice to the frying pan turns it, in effect, into a pilaf. A true pilaf (or pilau, if you prefer) should of course be made with raw rice simmered in oniony, spicy stock and you can do it this way, adding leftover meat or vegetables right at the end once the rice is cooked.But you can also make a pretty good approximation with a spare bowl of rice that will take half the time.The bonus is that this is also a great way of clearing the fridge of needy vegetables or leftover meat.
- 1 onion, finely chopped
- 1 large garlic clove, crushed
- a little butter or olive oil
- 1 teacup leftover or raw vegetables, cut into small pieces
- 1 teacup leftover meat, shredded fairly small
- 1½–2 teacups (160–200g) leftover rice
- salt and pepper
- To serve: a handful of parsley or other herbs, finely chopped plain yogurt
Instructions:
Gently cook the onion and garlic in a little butter or olive oil in a frying pan, letting the onion brown to add sweetness to the dish. Add the vegetables.
- Leftover vegetables will simply need to heat through, but if they are raw, cook until they are tender. Add the meat and rice and season well with salt and a little pepper. Move the mixture about until it is hot right through. Serve in a bowl, with a handful of chopped parsley or your favourite herb and a dollop of tart plain yogurt.
- Some more ideeas:
- Leftover chicken :Use a teacup of leftover chicken with mangetout, French beans, peas or broad beans, adding a handful of basil and a squeeze of lemon juice before serving.
- A Moroccan twist: Add spices to the cooked onion, heating them for 3–5 minutes before adding the rice. I use a teaspoon of ground cumin, a good pinch of ground cinnamon, ½ teaspoon of ground coriander or a cardamom pod. Before adding the rice, add a good handful of raisins or currants and a few strands of saffron steeped in an eggcup of hot water. When everything is heated right through, squeeze a little lemon juice over the dish and serve with torn parsley or coriander leaves and toasted flaked almonds, and/or some almost-crunchy browned sliced onion.
- Moroccan leftover lamb or chicken :The leftover meat can be added either on its own or with the Moroccan spices listed above. Serve with a bowl of natural yogurt mixed with chopped mint.
- Fennel, sultanas and pine nuts :Add very finely sliced fennel to the onion and garlic. Brown rice (or even bulgar wheat) is especially good with this combination, with the addition of a tablespoon of sultanas and another of toasted pine nuts. (To toast pine nuts, just put them without oil into a small, heavy-based pan and place over a medium heat, stirring pretty constantly until turning golden. Don’t take your eye off them for a moment, as they burn easily.) Once the rice is warmed through, fork in a good handful of chopped fresh coriander or the chopped fronds of the fennel. Serve hot or at room temperature.
- Red cabbage and sultanas: Finely shred some cabbage and add it to the onion and garlic at the start. When the cabbage is tender, add a tablespoon or two of sultanas and then the rice, heating it through thoroughly. The cabbage will stain the rice carmine, but it’s worth it for the taste.
- A paella-style dish :Use a mixture of pork, chicken and shellfish in whatever quantities you have around. The whole thing, inauthentic as it is, can be gilded by infusing a few strands of good saffron in an eggcup of hot water for 10 minutes and pouring the liquid into the pan before adding the rice and meat.
- Leftover fish :Melt a tablespoon of butter in a frying pan, flake some leftover fish into it, along with the leftover rice, and heat through, stirring gently as you go. Grated lemon zest, some torn basil leaves and lots of freshly ground pepper would be lovely here. Because both leftover fish and rice can be dry, add a heaped teaspoon of butter at the end.
- Oven pilaf: This calls for uncooked rice and leftover meat. Sweat the onion and garlic in an ovenproof casserole, add joints of leftover poultry or sausages (or both), add 1 teacup of basmati rice and 2 teacups of stock or water, then cover tightly and bake at 180°C/Gas Mark 4 for 15–20 minutes, until the rice is tender, light and fluffy. Season to taste and serve with plenty of fresh herbs forked in