Chifferi Pilaf Recipes

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Using a mandoline, cut zucchini into julienne. Using a sharp knife, julienne tomatoes or tomatillos. Set aside.
• In a large casserole over medium-low heat, melt 2 tablespoons butter, and add garlic. Saute until softened and beginning to brown, about 3 minutes. Add zucchini and tomatoes or tomatillos, and gently toss until warmed through.
• Add pasta, chicken broth, milk, and salt and pepper to taste. Stir well, cover and bake 4 minutes. Remove from oven and stir well. Cover pan, return to oven and continue to bake until pasta is al dente, about 5 to 7 minutes.
• Remove pan from oven and discard the garlic cloves. Add remaining 2 tablespoons butter, cheese and basil. Pour into a warm bowl, and serve immediately.

Steps:

• Cook the onion in the oil, in a deep saucepan with the cloves, cardamom pods, cinnamon stick, cumin seeds, and nigella seeds, if using, until the onion is slightly browned and soft. Keep the heat medium to low and stir frequently; this should take about 10 minutes.
• Add the rice and move it about in the oily spiced onion until it is slicked and glossy, then pour in the stock and bring the pan to the boil. Cover the pan with a lid and cook over the lowest heat possible for 20 minutes.
• Turn off the heat, take the lid off, cover with a tea towel and clamp the lid back on the saucepan. You can leave the rice to rest like this for at least 10 minutes, and up to about 1 hour. Fork the rice through when you are ready to serve it, scattering the toasted sliced almonds and cilantro on top.

Steps:

• Heat the oil in a large pan over a medium heat. Rub the chicken with 1 tbsp of the peri-peri and brown in the pan for 1 min each side until golden. Transfer to a plate and set aside.
• Add the onion to the pan and cook on a gentle heat for 8-10 mins until soft. Add the garlic and remaining peri-peri, and give everything a stir. Tip in the rice and stir to coat.
• Add the stock and return the chicken to the pan. Add the peppers and cover with a lid, then simmer gently for 25 mins until cooked. About 5 mins before the end of cooking, add the tomatoes.
• Stir through the parsley, scatter over the chillies (if you like it spicy) and serve with lemon wedges.