I keep a binder of recipes. I started it about 25 years ago before the age of the internet and never stopped adding to it. It holds some of my favorite stuff — handwritten recipes from my mother-in-law, articles written by Joe Schwarcz (food chemist) that my Mom saved for me from the Montreal Gazette, gardening diagrams made by my father-in-law and a bunch of four-leaf clovers gathered by my youngest over the years (I can still see him running full tilt towards me with cupped hands in the kitchen of our Ottawa home).
Of course much of my life is now cataloged on the web, stored in some soulless cloud, but that’s not my preferred resting place. I like paper, always have, and every time I open the pages of my now tattered, gravy spattered binder, it brings me back to some of the people and memories I love most.
This recipe is from the binder. I first made it twenty years ago (almost to the day) for brunch to celebrate my husband’s first father’s day (I served it with a tray of salmon pinwheel sandwiches). It was one of the first ‘fancy’ recipes I ever made — the kind that feels outside your range, where you shop every ingredient and follow the instructions meticulously until it’s all said and done and you get to sample that first bite. I remember thinking it was the best thing I had ever tasted and feeling like I had created something really unusual and very special. It wasn’t until much later in my food prep journey, that I realized just how simple it was.
Simple maybe but not ordinary.
A light and fresh tasting mint infused pilaf accented by bright citrus notes (who doesn’t love the combination of mint and lime in the summer) with those tiny bursts of toasted pine nut delivering big flavor and crunch. A great side for grilling season but there are many possibilities.
Served below with some sautéed chickpea (+ paprika and lime salt), blistered cherry tomatoes (I use a baking sheet to roast a bunch at a time with a mix of olive oil, balsamic and salt – then store leftovers for meals throughout the week), some broccoli slaw and… baby spinach from our garden that I grew from seed! I have never grown anything from seed before (well, not the garden edible variety anyway), and let me tell you, it’s a whole other level of birthing bliss.
The original recipe for this pilaf appeared in one of Mary Engelbreit’s Home Companion magazines — (anyone remember that publication?) and didn’t include the carrot or apricot (my additions) — the pilaf is really tasty either way, as preferred. Just don’t forget the pine nuts! (definitely worth the splurge).
Cheers to summer friends –
- 2 Tbsp olive oil (or butter as preferred)
- 1 small yellow onion, diced (about 1 cup)
- 1 cup converted (parboiled) rice
- 2 cups chicken broth (or veg broth)
- 10 or so baby carrots, sliced thin (about ½ cup)
- 8 or so dried apricots, diced (about ⅓ cup)
- ¼ cup fresh mint, chopped and packed (plus more for garnish)
- Juice of 1 lime (about 2 Tbsp)
- heaping ¼ cup pine nuts, toasted
- Sauté onion and carrot in a large skillet (that comes with a lid) over low-medium heat until barely softened, about 6 minutes.
- Add rice and stir just until translucent.
- Add broth and mint leaves. Bring to boiling point and then reduce to lowest heat, cover and simmer until tender, about 15 minutes.
- Meanwhile, in a small dry skillet over low heat, sauté the pine nuts until they start to develop some color (and wonderful smell) taking care not to burn them. Remove skillet from heat.
- When rice is tender, stir in lime juice, apricot if using and toasted pine nuts. Taste the pilaf and season with salt & pepper to taste.
- Place pilaf in a singular serving bowl, or plate individually, and top with additional mint leaves as desired.
Choice of Rice: The original recipe calls for converted rice (also known as parboiled rice) and I think it's the perfect choice here in terms of taste, texture and fragrance - the result is a lighter (fluffier) and slightly dryer texture that is non-aromatic. By contrast, a white basmati for example (which I normally enjoy when working outside conventional brown/wild rice) would give rise to a wetter/stickier texture that would not work as well here and its aromatic nature, while normally welcome, would take away from the delicate fragrance in this recipe.
Pottery: the Japanese pottery bowl that appears in the photos (speckled grey/soft blue) was made by Rumi Kubota (pinterest: rumisplate). It was a pleasure meeting Rumi and learning about her beautiful craft in downtown Campbell, CA.
This salad is absolutely perfect for the hot weather we are having and the lack of energy I have in the kitchen. Easy and absolutely delicious. You know it has some of my most loved ingredients – pinon and mint. :) the dish also has inspired me to pull out some of my old handwritten recipes. I might just find a jewel like this recipe that I have forgotten about. Sometime to do over the long weekend. Happy fourth!!!
I don’t have a binder but I do have a box that is busting at the seams. I have always thought I would tackle it some day and use it for blog post inspirations. Still might happen. I love the freshness of this, especially with the salad pairing.
And I’ve those binders too, Kelly. My Ma’s and Mam-maw’s handwriting, then my sisters… I think mine is in there somewhere too. There’s something about hand written recipes, and your post made me realize, that’s something lost with online recipes/blogs. I write all my recipes in a spiral notebook, but once they hit the blog and that spiral is full – it’s recycled. Simple rice recipes are so satisfying. It’s been too long since I had rice pilaf. Love the addition of that fresh mint. xo
recipes that get past along through the family are the most precious… i have the spiral note pads too Traci! I would be lost without them… always at the ready :) it feels like until I write it down, it doesn’t really get encoded in the noggin nor etched in the heart <3
It won’t come as a surprise to you that I also have such a binder, and mine too has been neglected over the years as the internet has come of age. JT uses it more than I do, as it houses the collection of recipes he enjoys cooking. In fact, it was pulled out today when he made his delicious Mediterranean Salmon Pasta which we enjoyed outside. I remember going to the library to look up new recipes for a dinner I was having for my then boyfriend (JT, of course). Copies were 10 cents so I ended up writing them out. If I recall correctly, it was an Asian inspired sesame chicken, far too sweet and nowhere near where my tastes are today!
I have yet to find Italian pine nuts, I am willing to take a mortgage on the house to get them, we just haven’t had them in so long. This pilaf recipe sounds like the perfect accompaniment to a summer BBQ, perhaps burgers or grilled veggies with goats cheese.
you always have the best stories Eva. The 10 cent copies and deciding to write the recipe out by hand, love that. Hope you find pine nuts soon (I’ll have to share our pine nut foraging story on the blog at some point – husband and son gathered some pregnant cones and it gave us a small glimpse into just how much work is involved with extracting the nuts — i understand the price!).
This is a thing of beauty! I love everything about this recipe and about your love for recipes IN PAPER
indeed, I do have a few folders and found the other day in a box, a notebook with recipes from when I was 21… can you imagine that????? It’s almost Pleistocenic…
;-)
pleistocenic, you;re hilarious! Always bring me the biggest smile. Those hidden treasure discoveries are the best! x
I already love this recipe . I have heaps of mint growing and dried apricots in the cupboard. no pine nuts but I bet I could substitute some toasted chopped almonds. i’m not nostalgic about recipes but it’s very true that certain dishes can trigger memories. now this one will always remind me of you. sending it to the printer now!
Good morning Suzanne, picturing you in your bounty of fresh mint … such a great time of year. I hope you love this rice dish. Blanched slivered almonds are what I usually sub but I’m partial to the pine nuts here – the recipe has few ingredients but each counts :) let me know how goes!