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Beautiful and Delicious Christmas Rice

Christmas Rice is full of contacting flavors - the sweetness from the cranberries, the saltiness from the feta cheese and the smokiness from the toasted pistachios.

Time
1hr
Ingredients
12
Servings
12
Products

Servings

4

Ingredients

12

Cook Time

1 hour 30 min.

Product used:

Long-Grain White

Difficulty

Easy

Ingredients

2 cups water
1 1/4 cups fresh orange juice, divided use
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon granulated garlic
1 teaspoon rice wine vinegar
1 cup uncooked Riceland Long-Grain White Rice
1/2 cup dried cranberries
1/2 cup chopped roasted and salted pistachios
1 Tablespoon dark brown sugar
1/4 teaspoon ground chipotle (or to taste)
1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese
1/3 cup chopped fresh mint

Preparation

  1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees.
  2. In a small French (Dutch) oven bring water, 1/4 cup orange juice, salt, garlic and rice wine vinegar to a boil.
  3. Remove from heat and stir in rice. Cover pan with a tight-fitting lid.
  4. Bake 30-35 minutes until all liquid is absorbed.
  5. Heat 1 cup orange juice to boiling; stir in dried cranberries. Allow to cool to room temperature; drain and set aside.
  6. Remove pan from oven, remove lid, stir rice with a fork. Cover pan with a clean kitchen towel and replace lid. This makes for an extra fluffy rice and a beautiful dish.
  7. Set rice aside to cool for 20 minutes.
  8. In a nonstick skillet over medium-high heat, combine pistachios, dark brown sugar and ground chipotle. Cook, stirring constantly until sugar is dissolved.
  9. Remove pistachios from heat; transfer to a sheet of foil or parchment paper to cool.
  10. Toss rice with part of the feta, mint, cranberries and pistachios, reserving some as a top garnish.
  11. This pairs very well with smoked duck, chicken or turkey.